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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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Chest spin - Spin the hat down the arm, across the chest and out along the other arm.
Hold the hat crown down in a outside grip. Flick the wrist inwards as hard as you can so that the hat spins fast and strikes the inside of the wrist. Allow the spin of the hat to carry it across the body and along the other arm. Catch the crown as it reaches the other hand.
From the TricksWithHats archive
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Backseat - A pair of throws and catches that Mike discovered while sitting in the back of a car.
Grab the side of a hat in a pinch grip, and carry it down in front of you so the crown is downwards. Flick it up so it spins 360 degrees, and catch it in another pinch grip at the back of the hat. Quickly push it up and forward, spinning the hat 180 degrees and catch in a pinch grip once again.
Stick it back on your head.
To perform the trick most effectively aim for one slick movement rather than two separate parts.
From the TricksWithHats archive
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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
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Tumble - Tumble the hat over the back of the hand
Hold the hat crown up in a outside grip. Swing the hat inwards and let go so it can roll up past the thumb onto the back of the wrist. While the hat is above the hand keep the wrist bent so the fingers are pointing outwards and lift the fingers as high as you can. The fingers will touch the inside of the crown and allow you to catch the hat in a inside grip.
To repeat the trick throw a half spin and catch the hat back in a outside grip or do a Reverse Tumble.
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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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Back Rolls - Bend forward and roll the hat across the back.
Hold the hat with the crown facing backwards in an inside grip. Bend the body forward from the waist and swing the hat across the body tucking the hand into the arm pit.Let the hat roll across the back, aiming for the opposite shoulder.
Turn the head to the right and watch the hat as it drops off the shoulder. Catch it in an inside grip with the left hand.
If the hat is difficult to catch then you are probably throwing it too hard.
Learn this trick with both hands, as it looks nice if you roll the hat back and forth across the back.
From the TricksWithHats archive
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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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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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Hold your hat crown up in an inside grip with the fingers spread as wide as you can. Throw the hat gently towards your head with a bit of spin.
Look up towards the hat as it spins and move your body (and feet if necessary) so that your head is beneath it. As the hat lands, nod your head forward so that you are looking straight ahead.
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Throw to Foot - Throw the hat to your foot as if it was a hatstand.
Hold the hat crown up above the shoulder with an inside grip.
Lift the leg and keep it straight, flexing the foot as much as you can. With a flick of the wrist throw the hat straight to the foot with a single spin.
This trick looks best if the throw is as straight as possible.
Foot to Head is a nice return trick from here.
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While walking forward grip the front of the brim (using any grip you like) with the right hand and the back of the hat with the left. Stop when your right foot is forward and lift up onto the toes. Hold the hat still above the head and pivot round so the left foot and hand are now in front of you. You can continue walking or turn back and forth on the spot.
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Big Circles - Swing the hat round at arms length - and make it look good.
Hold the hat crown forward in an inside grip and swing it at arms length - twisting the wrist to keep the crown forward. At the top of the swing let go of the hat, untwist your wrist and recatch the hat in an inside grip, continue the swing and repeat as many times as you like.
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Use a palm-up fork grip at the back of the hat and remove it, straightening the arm. As the arm straightens twist the wrist and take the ring finger off the brim. Spin the hat so that it moves between the middle and forefingers, then transfer the grip to the forefinger and thumb and continue the spin for as far as you can.
Reverse the "twiddle" to place it back on the head.
The main video clip for this trick doesn't show the fingers in any great detail. See the closeup version (120K mpeg) for a better view. For best results you might want to set your video player to loop the clip.
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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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First learn the Screwdriver
When that move flows easily simply "twiddle" the hat as you learnt with that trick, and hold the hat as still as you can while you move your body around it.
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Back catch - Throw the hat, bend over and catch it on your back.
Hold the hat crown up in an inside grip. Throw the hat as if you were doing a low throw to head, and at the last minute bend from the waist and duck under it so is lands flat on your back.
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Place the back of one hand against the front of the crown and the palm of the other hand against the back of the hat. Lift the hat off and roll the hands round each other so that the hat tumbles through one complete spin as you carry the hat down to waist level.
Reverse the process to return the hat to the head.
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Grip the front of the crown of the hat and remove it from the head. Hold the hat vertically and spin it outwards while pushing the hat up with the finger tips. After one spin catch the hat in an outside grip.
With a bit of extra practice you can do this with two or three spins or do it in "slow motion".
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Hold the hat in an inside grip. Put the other arm out at an angle and twist the hand round so it faces backwards. Place the hat on the upper arm and let it roll down to a catch in another inside grip. Repeat as often as you like by alternating sides.
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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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Place the inside of the elbow against the forehead and duck your head down out of the hat. The little drop to the side in the video clip is based on a move normally done with plates.
This trick links nicely to levitation.
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Hold the hat with the crown to the outside in an outside grip. Bring it across the body, and cross the arms. Flick the hat over and drop it onto the thumb of the catching hand. Uncross the arms.
The hat is now held in an outside grip in the other hand, which suggests that the tumble would be a good next move.
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Place your palm flat on the back of the head for a neck chop and knock the hat upwards with the little finger side of the hand.
A few tries and you will see how much force is required to get it to spin 3/4 and land on your foot. You need to flex your foot as much as possible to stop it slipping off.
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A nice variation on the Coat Peg.
Hold the hat in an inside grip at waist height and throw it upwards with half a spin.
As the hat flies upwards quickly stick your throwing hand up in the air and catch it.
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.
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