One of my favorite things about this witch hat centerpiece is how easy it is to make it completely your own.
You can use traditional fall colors, go spooky for Halloween, match your existing decor or do something totally unexpected. You can also make it for indoor use or add a little weight to the base so it works on a covered porch or outdoor display.
It’s also surprisingly inexpensive. I bought a package of 12 witch hats on Amazon for less than $10, which made each hat less than a dollar. I’ll link to the hats I used so you can easily find them.
From there, I used an old shipping box, some Poly-Fil and embellishments I already had to turn a basic fabric witch hat into a centerpiece that looks much more finished than the price tag would suggest.
Supplies
- Fabric witch hat
- Old cardboard shipping box
- Black paint
- Poly-Fil or other stuffing
- Hot glue gun and glue sticks
- Fall leaves
- Floral picks or other embellishments
- Drop cloth fabric
- Black Sharpie marker
- Ribbon or premade bow, optional
- Vintage earring or other decorative piece, optional
- Rocks or a paver, optional for outdoor use
Step 1: Make a Base for the Witch Hat
Start by placing the witch hat on a piece of cardboard and tracing around the bottom.
I reused an old shipping box for mine, so there was no need to buy anything special.
Cut the cardboard slightly inside the traced line so the cardboard will fit underneath the hat without showing around the edges.
Then paint the cardboard black so it blends in with the hat.
Step 2: Steam and Stuff the Hat
My hats arrived with some wrinkles, so I steamed the fabric before assembling the centerpiece. Once the wrinkles were out, I stuffed the hat with Poly-Fil to give it shape.
I found my bag of Poly-Fil at a garage sale for $2, and I frequently see bags of stuffing at thrift stores. If you can’t find any secondhand, it is also readily available online and at craft stores.
You don’t need to pack the hat tightly. Just use enough stuffing to help it stand up and hold the shape you want.
Step 3: Attach the Cardboard Base
Once the black paint on the cardboard is completely dry, hot glue the hat to the cardboard.
At this point, you have the basic structure of your centerpiece and can start decorating.
Step 4: Add Leaves and Embellishments
I started adding fall leaves and other embellishments around the base of the hat, hot gluing everything into place as I went.
There isn’t a specific formula for this part. I kept layering pieces until I liked the way the centerpiece looked.
This is also a good project for using leftover floral picks, leaves and decorations from other projects.
Step 5: Make a Drop Cloth Halloween Tag
I also added a small piece of drop cloth fabric to each centerpiece.
I cut the drop cloth into a square and frayed the edges to give it a more worn, vintage look.
On one, I used a black Sharpie to write 31 for Halloween.
For the other, I made three frayed drop cloth squares and wrote Boo.
These little fabric pieces were an easy way to add another layer of texture and make each hat look a little different.
Step 6: Add a Bow
I decided my centerpiece needed a bow, but I didn’t want the long ribbon tails.
I cut the trailing ends off the bow and then added a vintage earring to the center as an embellishment.
That little detail gave the bow a completely different look and gave me another chance to reuse something I already had.
Customize Your Witch Hat Centerpiece
I made one centerpiece using neutral and traditional fall colors, but I also made another one just for me using blue leaves.
I wanted to show how easily this project can be changed to work with your own decorating style.
Halloween decor doesn’t have to be orange and black. Use colors and embellishments that work with your home, whether that means traditional fall colors, jewel tones, pastels, metallics or something completely unexpected.
Even the little drop cloth tag can be changed. Add a number, Halloween word or phrase that fits the look you’re creating.
Can You Use a Witch Hat Centerpiece Outside?
You can also adapt this project for a covered porch or other outdoor display.
The opening at the bottom of the hat is large enough to add a small paver or several rocks before attaching the base. That extra weight can help keep the centerpiece from moving around outside.
Just keep in mind that the fabric, cardboard and embellishments should still be protected from rain and harsh weather unless you’re using materials made for outdoor use.
And that’s it.
For very little money, a basic fabric witch hat becomes a fall or Halloween centerpiece you can completely customize to match your decor.
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