For my family, Spring in the South means two things: a weekend baseball tournament and a church potluck where we bring a casserole. May gets here so fast as we pack coolers for the dugout and try to stay on top of family traditions. If you just remembered that commencement is tomorrow and you haven’t even started decorating your senior’s mortarboard, don’t panic. It’s actually pretty simple to avoid the stress of graduation cap decorating. With a few simple steps, you can transform this last-minute project into a lovely keepsake.

When there is little time, the aim is to work efficiently. You don’t need a diploma in the arts to create something memorable. All you need is a good blueprint, the appropriate tools, and a little trust that it will cohere.

Build a Safe Foundation

When rushing, the worst thing you can do is glue things directly to the fabric of the cap. Many schools make students return their caps, or they impose a big charge if the fabric is damaged.

Tip 1: Use a cardstock base. Instead of decorating the cap itself, cut a piece of heavy scrapbook paper or poster board to the exact dimensions of the mortarboard. You will do all your decorating on this removable base. When you are finished, you can attach it to the cap with removable double-sided tape.

Tip 2: Mind the center button. Before you start placing stickers or painting, find the exact center of your cardstock base. Cut a small hole so the cap’s center button and tassel can easily pop through.

Tip 3: Do a dry run. When time is limited, we often feel the urge to start gluing things down right away. Take a moment to organize your letters, pictures, and embellishments on the cardstock. Snap a photo with your phone so you can reference it as a guide to where everything will go once you start using glue.

Add Meaning Without the Clutter

A lovely graduation cap design creates a narrative. A simple design that is rushed will always be more appealing than a complicated design.

Tip 4. Use scripture to anchor the design. It is awesome to see our young people carry their faith into the next stage of life. Choose one short, grounding Bible verse to feature. You do not need to write out the entire verse. Simply the reference and a couple of words will suffice.

Tip 5: Use only Two Colors. Less is more when it comes to color schemes. It can look more intentional and elegant when only two colors are used. Choose your school colors or use a neutral color background with one metallic color for an accent. Black and gold or navy and silver are color combinations that can cover up crafting mistakes.

Tip 6: Rely on dimensional stickers. Skip the messy paint pens if you do not have a steady hand. Craft stores sell beautiful, thick adhesive letters in the scrapbooking aisle. They give the cap a professional, raised look with zero drying time.

Smart Assembly Tactics

The tools you use will determine the success (or failure) of your projects. If you are decorating the night before graduation, you don’t have time to let things dry!

Tip 7: Avoid using liquid school glue. It will warp the paper and take hours to dry. Use the correct adhesives to avoid these problems.

Tip 8: Create a clean border. If your cardstock edges look a little jagged from cutting them in a hurry, cover them up. Run a thick piece of ribbon, a line of adhesive rhinestones, or even a bold marker line around the perimeter. It frames the design beautifully.

Tip 9: Weigh it down. After you attach your base to the cap, put a heavy book on it for ten minutes. This improves the adhesive square’s bond to the fabric so that nothing comes off when your grad throws their cap in the air.

Krightlink 20W High Temp Hot Glue Gun Kit

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The Final Polish

Before you store the cap for the big morning, take a moment to double-check your work.

Tip 10: Do the distance test. Prop the cap up on your kitchen counter and walk ten feet away. Can you read the main message? If the letters blend into the background, use a white or metallic gel pen to outline the words so they pop from the stadium bleachers.

Tip 11: Pray over the cap. This is my favorite part of the process. After the glue dries and the area is cleaned up, I place my hands over the cap and pray for the students who will wear it. I pray that they will be safe, that they will make good choices in the future, and that they will always remember the family and faith that supported them and helped them reach this milestone.

It’s ok if you do your crafting at the last minute; graduation is a busy time. With a few easy tips and some focus, you can make an awesome graduation cap that shows a ton of love.