Potter DIY: Graduation Cap

I know how difficult it can be being a college student—broke, worn out, stressed, and just plain tired of doing anything other than sitting on the couch—but decorating your graduation cap is something you shouldn’t regret skipping! Pretty much everything I got for decorating my cap was at least 50% off, so I ended up spending less than $10! Plus, this is a great way to procrastinate—er, I mean to show off your personality. Assuming you’re as big of a Harry Potter fan as I am, that means you’re thinking about decorating your cap in Potter fashion. I bet you appreciate all kinds of Potter DIYs, in fact. Well, have a seat, and let’s get started!

First, you have to decide what exactly you want on this cap. Do you want something simple, or do you want to go all out? There are many ideas to choose from! The Internet is full of inspiration.

Well, I chose something neither simple nor complex for my decorations. It was still a little harder than I anticipated, so just be sure to allot enough time for this project! Don’t take on anything too difficult compared to your skill level—if you do, you could always ask a friend for help.

What You’ll Need:

• Graduation cap
• Iron-on sheet (and iron)
• Scissors or X-Acto knife
• Hot glue gun
• Optional: Ribbon, glitter, flowers, feathers, etc.

Directions:

Step 1: Create a stencil for your pattern. If you aren’t super artistic, you can always print something off and use it as a stencil!

Step 2: Trace your pattern onto the iron-on sheet.

Step 3: Cut out the pattern. I used an X-Acto knife for precision, but if you choose to do that, please be careful!

Step 4: Iron on the pattern. Make sure to read the application directions on the specific brand you picked up!

Step 5: Personalization! Use hot glue to add decorations to your cap. You could add a House-colored ribbon, feathers, or whatever your heart desires! I decided to add lilies underneath the brim to add to the nerdiness (lilies, Lily, get it?). I bought green ribbon with the intention of showing my Slytherin pride as well, but I made a bow with puppy-printed ribbon instead — not Potter related, but I still stand by my decision. Perhaps someone out there can find ribbon with lightning bolts. How cute that would be!

Once everything on your cap is dry and settled, you’re ready to graduate! Congratulations, and don’t forget to send us pictures of your final masterpiece!

Check out more fun DIY ideas on our main Potter DIY page!