I love using feathers to decorate
different craft projects. There are a ton of different fancy
feathers you can buy at the craft stores, but they can get quite
expensive. Instead of buying one or two of these, you can buy a bag
of loose, colored feathers and make a bunch of your own, however you
need them. It is very, very simple.
You will need:
Feathers
Glue
a Pin
Wax or Parchment paper
Scraps of Fabric or Felt
Step 1: Prep your materials. Lay down
a sheet of parchment paper or wax paper on your work surface. (This
will prevent the project from sticking, and will peel off without
leaving schmutz behind). Lay out your feathers, pour a small amount
of glue into the corner of the paper.
Step 2: Form the base. Pick a long,
strong feather to be the backbone of your project. Use your pin to
apply a line of glue to the stem of it. (The pin will help you be
very precise and not use gobs of glue).
Step 3: Lay your feathers on. Layer
feathers in a zigzag, one pointing one way, the next pointing the
other, applying glue to the stems as you go until the decoration is
the size and shape you desire.
Step 4: Build a stem. Use a few small
feathers, doused with a bit of extra glue, and lay them at the base,
building a stem for your decoration.
Step 5: Let the feathers dry
completely.
Step 6: Peel the decoration from the
paper. It should come off easily.
Step 7: Wrap the stem. Apply glue to
the back side of of the fabric or felt, and wrap around the stem of
the decoration. Allow to dry. Trim off the very bottom, so it is
nice and clean. This wrapping will allow you to sew or pin your
feathers to whatever project you want with ease.
Here is a finished one I used to fancy
up a fascinator hat.
Here is another that is a bit more
streamlined and sleek, that I used to decorate for a black and blues
party.
Happy Crafting!!
