How to make a $2 fez

Why are you making a fez? Is a question I have heard a few times today, but I just can't think of a good answer. Who wouldn't want a fez? Especially a $2 one.

Me in my $2 fez, all ready for the next science fiction event. Oh look, Supanova is coming!






Here's what we did to make some $2 fezzes.

I found some easter baskets at the local Kmart - they were $2 each, and made of thick felt. The kind that keeps its shape.

My team (Jonathan, left, and Thomas, right) are not excited about the prospect of being seen carrying these out of Kmart.

Now, to think of ways to get those pesky bunnies off. Ripping didn't work, the decorations were glued on.










So I tried the heat tool (that's a Milwaukee brand heat tool, used in stamping, also doubles as a hot air paint stripper). Yes, it melted the glue very quickly....

.... and owing to the high quality of the materials, also melted the felt! So take a lot of care. We didn't try the hair dryer - it may have been hot enough for the glue.

Thomas capably de-bunnies his basket.

The not at all creepy sight of disembodied and melted bunny faces on the table.

How to turn it the desired red? It's not clever or elegant, we just painted them. One fez took about this whole bottle (which we already had in the house, so I didn't count it towards the $2). If you have to buy new paint, get a decent big tube or bottle of student grade acrylic paint, and use a fat round brush.

The team painting their fezzes. There's the heat tool, by the way.

These took a longish time to dry - synthetic fabrics will do that to you.

Jonathan didn't wish to pose for a photo, but Thomas is always good value!

If you get to the end and decide that sewing a fez properly might be a good idea (and these are pretty rough, I have to tell you) you could look at Mark's youtube video. He exploits the glory that is fusible interfacing, which makes it all pretty easy.