Building a top hat for Bullwinkle
We need Bullwinkle’s iconic magician’s top hat for our on-stage presentation, but Moose has Large Head. Plus, packing issues.
While I have an actual opera hat (collapsible Top Hat) it is Kevin-sized and far too small for the Moose.
I found a popup cylindrical black hamper/wastebin that was 12×15″ and ordered it. The proportions are off for a classic top hat, so I carefully by hand took a 3.5″ tuck in the outer casing (including the spring) binding it to the wire ring inside the top of the can. Voila! Top-hat proportions. Now it just needs a brim.
This is my starting point (the large popup trash can. It’s wide enough for Bullwinkle’s size, but as delivered the proportions are a bit off — so tall it would look like a stovepipe hat rather than a magician’s top hat
After shortening the cat, much better proportions. I carefully took a tuck in the outer cylinder by hand-stitching with carpet thread, binding the tuck to the wire ring in the upper edge.
another view of the shortened bin. Ready to add a brim! Best part is, it still collapses flat for packing.
