Dream catchers are probably the most common use of feathers in more modern crafting, and in the 1960s making feather flowers was a popular craft. Feathers are often used in dried and fresh floral bouquets, with the peacock and pheasant feathers most commonly used. Fishing lures are often made with Barred Plymouth Rock feathers even to this day. White Leghorn and White Plymouth Rock feathers are most often used for dyed feathers.
If wild crafting and you come upon feathers, they may be from protected species such as the American Bald Eagle. You are not allowed to possess any Eagle feathers unless you are Native American, so know your feathers before taking them even in the wild. Pheasant and Hawk feathers are often found in the wild, along with Crow and Raven feathers. You may also come across Grouse, Chukkar or Goose and Duck feathers.
Most craft stores carry feathers for craft projects, but you can use your own clean, disinfected, and dyed feathers. Refer to the link for preparing your own feathers for use in crafting.
What you Need:
Feathers (varying sizes, colors including down feathers)
Floral Tape
Heavy Gauge Wire
Floral Wire
Floral Picks
Note: Use only clean, disinfected feathers if you collect them from outdoors. Refer to the link below for instructions for cleaning, disinfecting and dying feathers.
Directions:
To make a bouquet of feathers, gather varying sized feathers including some down feathers. Place them together with the quills, arranging them with the longest to the back and sides, and gradually tapering the shorter feathers including the down feathers as the final feathers in the bouquet.
Using a heavy gauge wire about 8-12 inches long, place the wire to the center of the feathers, tie the quills and wire together with a piece of floral wire or twine to hold while binding. Begin binding with floral tape around all the quills and the wire. Continue binding the wire to the end and fasten off the floral tape, by pressing it firmly around the end of the wire. Use the slide show above as a guide for making your feather bouquets.
Suggested Uses: The bouquet is now ready to use in dried floral crafts or tucked into a basket of eggs or handmade goods for gift giving. If you are making a small feather bouquet, you can use a flower pick to secure the quills and wrap with floral tape to use as gift toppers or to top a carton of farm fresh eggs when gifting.
Refer to the link for cleaning, disinfecting and dying feathers:
justfowlingaround.weebly.com/earth-friendly-projects/how-to-prepare-feathers-for-crafting
For instructions to make the Hens n Chicks Basket, refer to the link:
justfowlingaround.weebly.com/earth-friendly-projects/hens-n-chicks-chicken-basket
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