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Thumb Spins - Spin the hat around your thumb
Hold the hat in an inside grip and spin it so the top of the brim stays in contact with the thumb. After a single spin catch it again in an inside grip.
Once you've mastered singles try longer spins. This trick is very versatile and can be used to add lots of flourishes. Try adding one in anywhere that you use an inside grip, or just throw one in with your hand outstretched or up above your head.
From the TricksWithHats archive
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15-03-2015
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Forward Twiddle - Twiddle the hat off the head and back on. It's got comedy potential too! Allegedly.
Use a palm-up fork grip on both sides the hat, and lift it off the head. Remove the ring fingers from the brim and twist the hat between the fore and middle fingers. Stop the spin by gripping the brim between the fore fingers and thumb.
Reverse the process to return the hat to the head.
You can get an easy laugh by getting the return part wrong and pretending to hit yourself in the face.
Jon Lockwood (of Mushy Pea Juggling fame, now working as with "Company of Fools") did lots of hat workshops at juggling conventions in the mid to late 1990's and started Mike and LP out on the hat road. This was often the first trick he taught...so it's Jon and this trick that ultimately led to the creation of this site. Thanks Jon!
From the TricksWithHats archive
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15-03-2015
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One handed forward tumble - A one handed version of the forward tumble
First learn the forward tumble.
With practice you'll soon be able to quickly switch your grip and make it run one handed, as you can see in the video clip above.
From the TricksWithHats archive
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04-12-2015
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Arm Roll - Rolling a hat along your arm.
Hold the hat in an inside grip, and from behind the head (duck a bit), release with a flick of the wrist.
The brim stays in front of the arm, whilst the crown rolls along it. The easy catch is palm-upwards. The hard, snazzy catch, which extends the roll a little bit, is palm downwards; let the brim roll over the thumb, and pinch-catch the brim between thumb & forefinger. Smile.
From the TricksWithHats archive
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04-12-2015
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Back tumble - Tumble the hat down your back and then up again.
Put the hat towards the back of your head. If you throw the head back you should be able to hit the brim with the back of the neck and have it roll down the back. As the hat rolls bend forwards from the waist to slow it down. Catch it in a inside grip with both hands.
Hold the hat still but move your hands so that they are at the front of the brim. Flick the hat so it rolls up the back. As you feel it on the shoulders put the head back to catch it.
Getting the timing right takes a lot of practice...be warned, this trick is difficult.
From the TricksWithHats archive
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04-12-2015
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Upward twiddle (one hand) - Twiddle the hat above the head.
Grab the hat in a palm up fork grip. Lift the hat straight up, remove the ring fingers from the brim and twist the hat between the fore and middle fingers. Stop the spin by gripping the brim between the forefingers and thumb. Bring it straight back down to the head.
From the TricksWithHats archive
00:03
1646
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06-12-2015
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Twiddled Big Circles - A trickier but nicer version of Big Circles
Big Circles is a big, visual trick, but the grip change can be slightly ungainly. The twiddle that this trick adds gives a similar effect but has a smoother, if slightly more difficult, change.
Mike and LP disagree on the best way to do this - LP's way, shown in the video clip above, is to do a finger twiddle, as described in the Forward Twiddle when the hat is at the top of the circle. Mike uses a Thumb Spin to adjust the grip.
Try both and decide which feels more comfortable to you, there's little point getting both smooth as they look identical to anyone except a hat manipulation geek, and there aren't many of them in the world!
From the TricksWithHats archive
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15-03-2015
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Can Opener - Literally flipping your lid!
Reach over your shoulder and head, and hold the hat in an inverted pinch grip
Flick the wrist upwards and release the hat, which will execute a perfect single spin (honest). Coat-peg catch above your head.
Minus five style points if you have to look...
Plus 10 points if you can catch the hat on your head blind, and without the coat-peg grip.
From the TricksWithHats archive
00:09
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04-12-2015
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Throw a pancake throw, and catch it with your other hand above head. The catch is easier if you stick your thumb forward like a coat peg.
From the TricksWithHats archive
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1565
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09-03-2015
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Backcross to head catch - Throw the hat behind your back, and catch it on your head.
Like most throwing moves, this is a variation on the Throw to head - so it's probably a good idea to learn that first!
Hold the hat in your right hand using an inside grip, spread your fingers out nice and wide as you would for a normal throw to the head.
Swing your arm out to the side, so that the crown of the hat is pointing downwards. Bring your arm behind your back and release the hat so that it does a nice, high, slow spin above your left shoulder.
As the hat descends, look up into it and catch it in the same way that you would for a standard throw to the head.
Top Tip: The catching part is easier if you turn your head towards your left shoulder just before the catch. Oh, and obviously learn this throw from both hands...
From the TricksWithHats archive
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04-12-2015
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A variation of the simple turnover:
Start with the plate flat in your right hand. Throw it slightly, and while it's airborne turn your right hand so that the heel of the hand contacts the underside of the left rim of the plate as it descends. Push upwards and over with your hand and turn it over so that the plate comes to rest back in your palm.
From the TricksWithHats archive
00:05
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09-03-2015
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Slide the plate down your back and allow the plate to catch and stay in the back of your trousers. What comedy!
From the TricksWithHats archive
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09-03-2015
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Hold the plate flat in your left hand, bring your right hand up and over the plate, cross your arms and put the heel of your right hand against the underside of the plate's rim. Bring your right hand up and turn it over so that plate ends up flat in the palm of your right hand. If you turn this round it becomes the Forward Turnover
From the TricksWithHats archive
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09-03-2015
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Upward twiddle - Twiddle the hat directly above the head
Use a palm-up fork grip on both sides the hat, and lift it off the head and straight up. Remove the ring fingers from the brim and twist the hat between the fore and middle fingers. Stop the spin by gripping the brim between the fore fingers and thumb.
You can either place it straight back on the head, or reverse the twiddle on the way back down.
From the TricksWithHats Archive
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04-12-2015
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Hold the plate by it's edge and spin it so that the rim stays in contact with your thumb. After a single spin catch it again. Once you've mastered singles try longer spins. This trick is very versatile and can be used to add lots of flourishes.
From the TricksWithHats archive
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09-03-2015
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Coat Peg - Throw the hat up to an upstretched hand
Hold the hat in an inside grip at waist height and throw it with half a spin to the upstretched hand.
The key is to spread the fingers on your throwing hand as much as possible and hold your catching hand in a coat peg grip. The hat lands on your thumb like it's landing on a coatpeg.
From the TricksWithHats archive
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04-12-2015
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The Willy Catch:
Throw the plate vertically, then reach between your legs from behind and catch the plate in front of your crotch.
From the TricksWithHats archive
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1479
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09-03-2015
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A variation of the simple turnover:
Start with the plate flat in your right hand. Throw it slightly, and while it's airborne turn your right hand so that the heel of the hand contacts the underside of the left rim of the plate as it descends. Push upwards and over with your hand and turn it over so that the plate comes to rest back in your palm.
From the TricksWithHats archive
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1474
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09-03-2015
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Start with a normal right handed upward curl and as soon as the palm is facing forward at the top reach the left hand over and put it onto plate to the right of the right hand. Curl both hands round the front of the plate, which comes down in front of the belly, and then continue to bring the hands round to the back, pushing the plate back up to the left. Take the right hand off and do a left handed downward curl.
From the TricksWithHats archive
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09-03-2015
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Start with plate flat on your right hand. Swing it in a full anti-clockwise circle, twisting your wrist over at the top so the plate finishes back in its original position with your shoulder and wrist twisted to support it. Reverse the move to unkink your arm.
It's also possible to stop the plate at the top of the circle and bring it back down the way it came.
From the TricksWithHats archive
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09-03-2015
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Throw the plate vertically and catch it under the leg (on the left side of right leg with right hand).
From the TricksWithHats archive
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09-03-2015
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The plate is held and thrown vertically, and spins in the vertical plane. Jugglers will recognise this as the way that rings are usually thrown.
From the TricksWithHats archive
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09-03-2015
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These are exactly the same as the throws with clubs. They work best with pancake throws.
From the TricksWithHats archive
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09-03-2015
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