Cardboard & Strawbees Knight's Helmet

Make your own knight's helmet using cardboard and Strawbees! This Instructable will show you how to make a helmet in your size from just a cardboard box, a couple straws, and a few Strawbees.

• Medium-sized to large cardboard box, flattened
• Strawbees connectors: 8 circles, 6 one-arms, 2 two-arms
• 2 straws (preferable bendy ones)
• Pen or pencil
• Tape measure (ruler or yardstick will also work, but tape measure is helpful for mapping out cuts on the box)
• Scissors (box cutter will also work, but should be used with adult supervision)
• Sheet of paper for sketching out your plans

Before starting, you will need to know the size of your noggin/gourd/melon/brainboxer. Use a tape measure to get the height, width (across the side) and breadth (across your forehead) of your head. Measure a little bit further in each direction, so there will be a little bit of wiggle room.

Make a drawing of how you want your helmet to look, with the correct dimensions written in. To make the helmet, you will need two pieces of cardboard: a piece that will make up all 4 sides, and a top that will fasten down to this. Draw these two pieces, and copy the correct lengths from the first picture to these. Make sure to include flaps that will be tucked in and attached to the sides to hold things together. It's also very helpful to label what each area of the cardboard will become when you fold and attach everything. Now you are read to measure and cut the cardboard!

Measure and mark your cardboard, and cut it into one piece big enough to be the bigger side piece (that will wrap around your head) and another smaller piece for the top. It's okay if the top comes from a different sheet of cardboard, but you definitely want the sides to all be one long piece.

First, see if it you can get all the cardboard you need from what will be left if you cut off all the flaps on one side, cutting a crease all the way down the length of the box. This will eliminate having a crease running around your helmet horizontally, and make for a stronger helmet. In any case, determine the best area of cardboard that you will use for your helmet. Look at where the bends in the sides will be as well.

Next, measure and mark the height of the helmet. Mark this in several places. Then, use a straight edge to connect the first two marks (or all of them if you have a long enough straight edge), and draw a line. A piece of cardboard works fine for this. Continue doing this down the length of the cardboard, until you have a straight line going the entire way. Now cut along this line, leaving a piece of cardboard with the dimensions you mapped out in your plan for the piece that will become the sides of the helmet.

First, cut off any excess from the piece that will become the top, until you have a square of the dimensions mapped out in your plans.

Next, measure and mark where you want the flaps to be. These will be folded over and tucked into the sides of the helmet. Make two marks on each side, then use a straight edge to draw a line connecting these. This is your crease line, where you will fold the flaps. Do not cut along this line!

Now, cut out just the corners of the box, up to each crease line. Finally, crease each flap!

First, turn over the cardboard piece that will become the sides. You want the inside of the helmet to be face up for this next part. (If both sides look the same, then don't worry about turning it over). Next, measure and mark where you want each crease line for the side to be - there should be four of these. Then, bend the cardboard back at each of these marks. Now, fold it all together. You are basically reconstructing the cardboard box, but this time to your own specifications.

Hold the side section together and start connecting the top. It may be easier to do this with two people. Tuck in each of the four flaps from the top inside the sides. Then, turn the whole thing over, keeping the top tucked into the sides.

Next, use a pen (or other pointy thing) to punch holes through the sides and also through the flaps from the top piece. Make two holes for each side flap, and two holes connecting the overlapping flap on the side. Now, push one-arm Strawbees from the outside in through each of these holes. Then, use circle Strawbees to secure the inside of each of these.

Now, use the pen to punch a hole in each side where you want the horns to go. Push a two-arm Strawbee through each of these and secure it on the inside with a circle Strawbee. Then, stick a bendy straw on the outside of each of these.

Put on the helmet, and have someone else gently mark where the eyes should be. Then take off the helmet and draw the eyes you want around these marks. Cut 'em out! Finally, draw and cut your mouth.

You are all done! Put on your helmet and go find a quest!

If you want to see some awesome examples of this helmet in action, check out the hilarious new web series, Ulrog!