Tinfoil Viking helmet instructions

Viking raiders are often depicted wearing horned helmets. Although these helmets are probably the invention of later artists, they're still a popular symbol of the Vikings. Even if you're not a master blacksmith, you can make a horned helmet from ordinary tinfoil.

Buy a roll of aluminium foil. You will need lots of it for this project. Tear off a sheet of foil the same length as the foil container and lay it down flat on a clean surface. Tear off 20 more identical sheets and place them on top of the first sheet. Fold all 21 sheets in half diagonally by taking one corner and folding it over to the corner diagonally across from it. You should now have a triangle. Roll the corners and two shortest sides of the triangle tightly so that the triangle appears slightly rounded. Repeat this process with 21 more pieces of foil. Tape the two triangles together at their shortest sides leaving the long sides (the bottom of the triangles) open. Use invisible tape. You now have the helmet shape and can move on, if desired, to decoration.

Decorate the helmet, if you wish, to make it look even more authentic. Roll a 30-cm (1-foot) sheet of foil into a rope. Repeat this with a second sheet of the same length. Glue one of the ropes to the top of the helmet along the seam where the two triangles join. Tear the other rope in half and glue vertically to the sides of the helmet. Roll some foil into 10 balls, each 13 mm (1/2 inch) in diameter. Glue these balls along the bottom of the helmet. Next, roll off a 60-cm (2-foot) long sheet of foil and fold in half lengthwise, then widthways and then lengthwise once more. Cut a mask shape--like a Mardi Gras mask covering eyes only--from the foil. Cut two eye openings in the appropriate positions from the mask. Tape this mask to the bottom of the front of the helmet (whichever end you wish to be the front). Lastly, if desired, create two horns by rolling off two sheets of foil, each 90 cm (3 feet) long. Fold each sheet in half lengthwise, then diagonally. Roll each sheet into a cone shape. Tape one horn to each side of the helmet.

Purchase a cheap plastic bowl large enough to fit your head or the head of the intended wearer comfortably. Cover the bowl with aluminium foil. Continue with the decoration instructions. This method is best if you are very short on time. Also, you do not have to add all of the decorations to make a decent-looking helmet. You may choose to leave off the horns and mask or just do one of the two.