A fun and simple craft for children to play dress-up or to wear as a Halloween costume are Mickey Mouse ears. The ears are attached to a headband covered in black felt. The entire project takes less than 30 minutes to complete. Adapt the instructions to create Mickey Mouse ears for an adult or Minnie Mouse ears as well.
Things You’ll Need:
2 black felt squares measured at 9-by-12-inch
1 black headband, 1/2- to 1-inch
1 compass
Paper
Scissors
1 ruler
Straight pins
1 piece of hard cardboard or plastic at 8-by 12-inch (cereal box cardboard or butter container lids work great)
1 hot glue gun
Hot glue sticks
Instructions:
Step 1 – Measure the width, depth and length of the headband. Add the width and depth dimensions together. Multiply the answer by 2. This particular measurement is required to create a connection piece between the ears. The connection piece is wrapped around the headband to hold the ears in place.
For example, the headband is 1/2-inch wide and 1/4-inch deep. Add 1/2 and 1/4 for a total of 3/4’s. Multiple 3/4’s by 2 for a total of 1 1/2-inches
Step 2 – Draw a 3 ½-inch and a 3 ¼-inch circle on a piece of paper. Cut the circles from the paper.
Step 3 – Draw a pattern for the Mickey Mouse ears on a piece of paper. Place the 3 ½-inch circle on the left edge of a piece of paper. Draw around the circle. Center, measure and draw a rectangle on the right side of the circle that is the 1-inch tall with the length you determined in Step 1 – in the example stated, the width of the rectangle would be 1 1/2-inches. Place and center the paper template on the opposite side of the rectangle. Draw around the circle. Cut out the paper template. Remember, the rectangle center is used to wrap the ears around the headband.
Step 4 – Place the two squares of black felt on top of one another matching the edges.
Step 5 – Center and place the ear template on top of the black felt and pin in place. Pin the template to the felt. Cut through both layers of felt creating two sets of felt ears.
Step 6 – Place the 3 ¼-inch paper template on hard cardboard or plastic. Trace around the outside edge in two separate locations to create two inner ears. Cut the circles from the plastic.
Step 7 – Center and place the inner ears in the center of one set of cut felt Mickey Mouse ears. Hot glue the inner ears to the felt leaving an approximate 1/4-inch boarder around the inner ears.
Step 8 – Sandwich the inner ears by placing the second set of cut felt ears directly on top of the first, matching the edges. Hot glue around the entire set of ears including the center rectangle.
Step 9 – Place the Mickey Mouse ears perpendicular with the top center point of the headband. Position the rectangle so the middle of the rectangle is directly over the headband. Hot glue the felt to the top of the headband.
Step 10 – Wrap the ears under the headband and bring them back to the top. The ears wrap opposite one another because of their placement. Position the rectangular piece of felt so the wrap overlaps slightly. Hot glue into place. Tip: Turn the headband so the ears are at the top and bottom point. Wrap the top ear under the headband and to the left. Wrap the bottom ear under the headband and to the right.
Tips: Add a pink polka-dot bow to create Minnie Mouse ears.
