Sewing Feathers

I have a beautiful GreenWing Macaw who shed his feathers in good condition.
I have so many that I would like to use them in a sewing project. Does
anyone have any information on how to use feathers in sewing? I think they
would have to be removable for cleaning the garment as they would probably
not make it though the wash in very good shape.
Byron

Sewing Feathers

(Cynthia=A0Spilsted)
Do you have a dentist friend? The best way to deal with feathers is to
use a dental drill to drill a hole through the shaft. Feather shafts are
not hollow - they are filled with 'feathering' which makes sewing them
either by machine or hand a right royal pain in the southern anatomy! A
fine dental drill does a wonderful job of making the holes for the
needles to pass through. Then, I would sew them to ribbon or bias strips
to attach to whatever I was making if I wanted to be able to remove them
easily. Anything I have attached feathers to has been costuming so have
not worried. Cynthia
---
Thanks! This is timely, as I have a crown of beautiful pheasant
feathers awaiting some inspired project.
Cea

Do you have a dentist friend? The best way to deal with feathers is to use
a dental drill to drill a hole through the shaft. Feather shafts are not
hollow - they are filled with 'feathering' which makes sewing them either by
machine or hand a right royal pain in the southern anatomy! A fine dental
drill does a wonderful job of making the holes for the needles to pass
through. Then, I would sew them to ribbon or bias strips to attach to
whatever I was making if I wanted to be able to remove them easily.
Anything I have attached feathers to has been costuming so have not worried.
Cynthia
PS Where were you when I was looking for the colourful feathers last
spring???
"Byron Kindig" wrote in message
...
I have a beautiful GreenWing Macaw who shed his feathers in good
condition.
I have so many that I would like to use them in a sewing project. Does
anyone have any information on how to use feathers in sewing? I think they
would have to be removable for cleaning the garment as they would probably
not make it though the wash in very good shape.
Byron

This is timely, as I have a crown of beautiful pheasant
feathers awaiting some inspired project.

At our local ASG annual fashion show a few months ago there was a woman who
used pheasant feathers as a trim on a plain dress. She wanted them to match a
magnificent hat covered in feathers that her mother had made more than 25 years
ago. It was gorgeous!

I have a pin someone made for me of pheasant feathers, about 22 years ago, and
it's so pretty. I was actually wearing it on the night of the fashion show.

Karen Maslowski in Cincinnati

Excellent ideas, Thanks! I don't have a dentist drill but I do have a dremel
tool with very small drill bits for working on printed circuit boards. Also
the idea of using bias tape sounds like a good idea.
Byron

"Cynthia Spilsted" wrote in message
...
Do you have a dentist friend? The best way to deal with feathers is to
use
a dental drill to drill a hole through the shaft. Feather shafts are not
hollow - they are filled with 'feathering' which makes sewing them either
by
machine or hand a right royal pain in the southern anatomy! A fine dental
drill does a wonderful job of making the holes for the needles to pass
through. Then, I would sew them to ribbon or bias strips to attach to
whatever I was making if I wanted to be able to remove them easily.
Anything I have attached feathers to has been costuming so have not
worried.
Cynthia
PS Where were you when I was looking for the colourful feathers last
spring???
"Byron Kindig" wrote in message
...
I have a beautiful GreenWing Macaw who shed his feathers in good
condition.
I have so many that I would like to use them in a sewing project. Does
anyone have any information on how to use feathers in sewing? I think
they
would have to be removable for cleaning the garment as they would
probably
not make it though the wash in very good shape.
Byron

"Byron Kindig" wrote in message
...
I have a beautiful GreenWing Macaw who shed his feathers in good
condition.
I have so many that I would like to use them in a sewing project. Does
anyone have any information on how to use feathers in sewing? I think they
would have to be removable for cleaning the garment as they would probably
not make it though the wash in very good shape.
Byron

Byron,

I don't think I'm a Macaw kind of gal - those beaks intimidate me, but I
have an Umbrella and Moluccan Cockatoo. I save all their feathers and have
been wondering if I couldn't make something with them. You got some great
responses. I've donated several baggies full to my bosses tribe for
ceramonial items.

Debbie

Sewing Feathers

(La=A0Vida=A0Xena)
snipped
I'd love, just for total fun, to have a little black dress with a
little ruff of feathers poking out from under the hem. Goodness knows
when I'd ever wear it, but if I could simply snap on the feathers when
party feathers are appropriate-- heehee-- wouldn't it be fun to add a
nifty little secret life to an otherwise plain dress?
---
Sounds tres chic!
I did one time sew chicken feathers poking out of the front seams of
a mattress ticking vest I'd made-- I was into visual jokes.
Trouble was, neither of my girls would wear it to school--thinking of
the cruel, unrelenting jokes they would have had to endure, it's just as
well.
Cea

I make costumes and have used a normal sewing machine to attach feathers to
costumes. Smaller feathers such as chook feathers wash in the washing
machine fine, as do fluffy feathers. They made need to be readjusted when
they are on the cloths line. I just run my finger up them or fluff up the
others.
Larger feathers can be encased in wide biased binding. I use a wide but
close together zig-zag stitch. You may need to sew 2 rows of stitches. Make
sure all the feathers ends are even in the crease of the binding before
sewing.
To hand sew feathers, I use a sharp fine needle, have even used a beading
needle. The size will depend on the thickness of the feather shaft. A.needle
that is too thick will make the feather shaft split.
Hope this helps........Amelia
"La Vida Xena" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 3 Oct 2003 21:45:56 -0400 (EDT), wrote:


Sewing Feathers

(La Vida Xena)
snipped
I'd love, just for total fun, to have a little black dress with a
little ruff of feathers poking out from under the hem. Goodness knows
when I'd ever wear it, but if I could simply snap on the feathers when
party feathers are appropriate-- heehee-- wouldn't it be fun to add a
nifty little secret life to an otherwise plain dress?
---
Sounds tres chic!
I did one time sew chicken feathers poking out of the front seams of
a mattress ticking vest I'd made-- I was into visual jokes.
Trouble was, neither of my girls would wear it to school--thinking of
the cruel, unrelenting jokes they would have had to endure, it's just as
well.
Cea

ducking
trouble was they needed the matching hat and handbag...
/ducking