How to Make Hat Pins: Cute DIY Vintage Accessories With Beads

5 Materials
$5
10 Minutes
Easy

If you love wearing hats, but need hat pins to keep them in place, then this tutorial is for you! Learn how to make hat pins with beads and then your hat pins become part of the hat, not just a tool!


You can customize a hat pin for every hat in your collection! Let's get started making these charming vintage accessories.

Tools and materials:

  • Plain hat pins
  • Assorted beads
  • Bead cap
  • E600 glue
  • Toothpick
Make your own hat pins

1. Cap off the end of the hat pin

Thread a bead cap onto the top end of your hat pin so that subsequent beads you thread on won’t fall off the end if the hole in them is larger than the end of the hat pin. 

How to make beaded hat pins

2. Select decorative beads

Thread your choice of two or three beads (depending on the size) onto the hat pin to get the pattern you want. Use the largest bead as your first one.

Adding glue to secure the DIY hat pins

3. Secure the beads

Slip the beads off the hat pin.


Beginning with the cap you placed on the top end of the pin, use a toothpick to add some glue to the underside of the bead cap and then gently slide the first bead on so it’s secured to the cap.


Be careful not to use too much glue, because you don’t want it oozing out between the beads. 

Gluing the beads onto the DIY hat pins

Now place some glue at the bottom of the first bead and thread the next bead on. Continue until all the beads are secured together.


Tip: The glue is especially important if any of your beads have large holes. You may find that some beads just won’t sit securely on others, so swap beads around as necessary.

Letting the DIY hat pins dry

4. Hang to dry

Stick the pointed end of the hat pin through the open flap of a cardboard box so the beads are hanging below the cardboard flap.


Stick the cap on the end of the hat pin and leave your beaded hat pins hanging to dry for three days.

How to make hat pins

How to make hat pins tutorial

These DIY beaded hat pins are so quick, simple, and inexpensive you can make a ton of them. Make them for yourself and your friends! You could probably even think up some themed hat pins for special occasions.


Leave me a comment to let me know how you liked this decorative hat pin tutorial.

Suggested materials:
  • Plain hat pins
  • Assorted beads
  • Bead cap
See all materials

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Comments
Join the conversation
 2 comments
  • Marie Cook Marie Cook on Mar 04, 2022

    I've used a similar process to convert old chop sticks into hair, scarf and shawl picks.

  • Maureen greene Maureen greene on Mar 19, 2022

    I love this and have been needing hatpins!!! Where do you find the base hatpins to buy?

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