https://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/fake-feathers-with-patterns • Posted by EstherC
I posted a hand drawn version of how to make this kind of feather, I was testing out some fabrics I had to see if they will make good feathers and found that many kinds of fabric do work well, I'll post lots of Alt Versions of these as I'm doing a work shop with a bunch of peopel mixing and matching styles and colors. Here I go into patterns, decorations.
I posted a hand drawn version of how to make this kind of feather, I was testing out some fabrics I had to see if they will make good feathers and found that many kinds of fabric do work well, I'll post lots of Alt Versions of these as I'm doing a work shop with a bunch of peopel mixing and matching styles and colors. Here I go into patterns, decorations.
First off when cutting your strips its important to make sure you have the grain of the fabric going the right way and try to follow it, I put a line of chalk. Normally you would want 2 or more layers of fabric lined up as well as you can manage. *Remember no one is perfect, I'll show you how to fix "mistakes" lower down.
For plain feathers start here... For Feathers with other colors added Start at I use a very short zigzag stich, step 5 If you notice I use a clear foot what has a space for thicker things to pass under, As this makes most of the projects I do easier, Not required. Try the shortest stich lengeth you can manage and try to keep in mind the width of the center of the feather is realitive to its over all size. So for between 1-2 inch I use 2MM
Now you can prep a ling strip of fabric that can be for many feathers if you are not adding any sort of wire or boning, *Great idea if your going to follow the guide I'm posting on how to make "Feathered fabric."
If your making feathers one at a time from a strip you've sewn a tight zigzag all the way down all you do is cut them to about the right size. Now this is where your style really comes in, the shape of the feathers can be wide and short or long and thin. *There is going to have to be some advanced Feather Decorations but here is the basics.
You've got your feather strips cut but not sewn yet, You want to add some colors. If you wnat to do stripes, it is easier to cut a wider peice then you need, If you wnat lots of little stripes You could use a solid layer and later on pull out threads to Reveal another color. Think Oreo You pull out black threads to show the white. If you want the Tip of the feather or in my case a dot of another color, You want to find the grain mark it and cut it out so that it is up right following the grain.
Now line up your additional shapes lined up with the grain as best you can, Pin in place. Then sew as per the plain feathers.
If you have a feather shape template you can trace it on as a guide to cut along, unless you can free hand this sort of thing.
As your working with fabric that frays, you should start seeing threads coming unwoven from the edges, work them off carefully as if you pull to hard you can pull out threads you didn't mean too. Work on the smaller shapes first, Their easiest to mess up. I found that folding the other layers back makes it easier to pick out the threads.
careful not to pull to hard
Some of the thread will come lose, More layers and tight tight stiches seem to help.
Here is the feather "finsised Fraying" You can be done here Or go on to some other tid bits below...
Comb, tooth brush, nail brush whatever you like, you can smooth out the feathers a bit, not they will get messy again, starch may not be a bad idea, Glitter hairspray, Glueing them down to something... These feathers are not really washable and are rahter easy to make messy looking.
All smooth
You may noticed some of the threads stick out a little if you care trim them.
As their not going to be washed, Color them how ever you like... May be the easier way to make stripes <3
The back for those who MUST see everything :p
The other method for Strips I said before it to pull a few threads of the top layer out to show the color below.
"done"
Here I put the decorated feather ontop another single layer feather so you can see how thin they look next to the pink feahters that are 2 layers. The pink fabric was a bit fluffier so depending on the fabric I would guess 2-3 layers will make a nice thick looking feather
Here is the pink on top just to show the thickness... Happy Decorating! *More tips on how to fix coming in the other guides for decoration and adding wires.