Sunday Afternoon Art – Reassembling the Collection: Fantastic Fez

Sunday Afternoon Art is our monthly art drop-in session which is usually held at the Gallery for families to take part in on the first Sunday of every month. Whilst the Gallery is closed, we are hosting a new Sunday Afternoon Art activity online every week so you can continue to get creative with us whilst at home.

Today’s activity has been designed by Caroline Areskog Jones.

The Fez is a hat whose name originates from the Moroccan word ‘Tarboosh’, as it was worn throughout the Ottoman Empire. With a tassel at its top (supposedly to help whisk away unwanted bugs) the Fez was generally a rich crimson in colour.

As time progressed this hat was adopted by European travellers to remember their experiences of different cultures, and the British envoy, Richard Burton, donated his fez to the collection of objects at Orleans House Gallery.

Women also sometimes wore the Fez.

I would like to invite you to make your own version to enjoy, to wear and perhaps be transported elsewhere at this time – as Dr Who commented “Fezes are cool.”

What you will need:

• 1 broadsheet newspaper (opened out with inner staples removed)
• Masking tape (sellotape is an option also)
• Scissors
• String (red or other colours)
• 3 elastic bands
• A plate measuring 15 cm diameter
• A black marker pen
• A piece of string to measure the diameter of your head
• An adult to help with some cutting

Draw around the plate and add x 4 outer wings as per image.

Draw a line 15cm in from the outer edge of the newspaper.  Measure the size of your head with some string and then draw another line adjacent to the first line at the 15cm mark.

Cut around the circle/wings and along the straight line of the newspaper (all sheets together).

Secure the ends of the newspaper band with strips of tape to create a circle – adjust to width of head as necessary (it will shrink a little with construction).

Secure together the pages of the circular top with strips of tape.

Secure together the pages of the circular band with strips of tape.

Place the circular top onto the circular band and secure with strips of tape, working your way around to cover the entire top.

Ask an adult to create a hole in the centre of the top of the ‘hat’.

Make the tassel: Use the tape to circle and wrap the string around x 20 in order to make loops. Secure with a knot at the top and remove.

Cut the lower part of the loop and wrap elastic bands around the top for decoration. If you don’t have any elastic bands, then you can skip this part.

Thread the tassel through the hole in the centre of the hat and secure with tape.

Embellish your fez with traditional patterns or paint if you prefer.

Enjoy wearing your fez!!

Don’t forget to share your creations with #OrleansHouseGallery