FEATHER LIGHT
Crafternoons start here with these easy ideas for creating elegant homemade feather artworks and accessories
Nature provides endless inspiration and there’s plenty of beautiful flotsam and jetsam to craft with. Wanderings along the beach can uncover rocks and driftwood while bushland could gift delicate feathers and nests. Try Spotlight (spotlight.com.au) or feather.com.au for feathers, too. The following 13 projects bring a modern edge to nature’s bounty by sticking to white, grey and black tones.
wrapping paper
Create your own gift wrap by printing a feather pattern onto silk paper with a potato stamp and acrylic paint – turn to page 45 to see how to create your stamp.
mobile
Apply white spray paint to found branches and use twine or cotton string to tie a few long feathers for a simple art piece.
noticeboard
Transform a plain bulletin board by painting it white. Wrap grey cord around it and thread different bits and pieces through for a curated display – we’ve used found feathers and paper feather cut-outs.
dreamcatcher
Create your own whimsical piece for the bedroom. Wrap two metal rings in white leather cord then tie them together at two junction points; create a hanging loop at the top with a longer length of leather cord. Tie feathers, buttons and wooden beads to different lengths of leather cord then attach to the metal rings and hang up.
paperweights
Decorate plain rocks and pebbles found on the beach with feather motifs and designs. For the best results, use Posca paint markers for your creations.
customised tablecloth
Turn a plain tablecloth into a beautiful tapestry with a potato stamp and fabric paint. Slice a potato in half and draw a feather design onto the cut side with a pen. Cut the outline away, so the feather serves as a stamp. Pour black fabric paint onto a plate, dip the potato stamp in the paint and press it onto the tablecloth. Allow it to dry before draping it onto your dining table.
woven wall-hanging
For something a little more challenging, use a small wooden hand-loom, yarn and feathers to weave this magical creation. Threading through a variety of feathers will add further dimension and texture to your artful piece.
string art
Transform a piece of timber into an artwork. Sketch a feather design onto a piece of paper and attach it to the wood. Hammer small nails into the surface, following your pattern. Remove paper then wrap white cotton string around the nails.
pretty pencils
Jazz up some pencils with string and small feathers. Starting from the top, wrap the string around the feathers and secure then work your way down the length of the pen, wrapping the string tightly as you go.
framed art
Use clear frames to form pressed feather art. These clever Moebe frames, available from Designstuff (designstuff.com.au), feature two panels of Plexiglass held together by a rubber band that allow you to press the feathers into place.
triangle mobile
Secure feathers onto pieces of string cut at varying lengths to create a triangular form. Once you have your feathered strings, attach each one to a wooden dowel (try Porta, porta.com.au) and hang to complete this project.
paper-cut artwork
Draw a feather motif onto a piece of black cardboard, using this example as a guide (or you could create your own). Cut out the design with a Stanley knife. Secure the cut-out pieces onto the white backing board of a picture frame to complete the artwork.
sculpture
Drill a small hole into a cylindrical piece of timber, large enough to fit and insert a length of heavy wire. Bend the wire into an inverted ‘L’ shape and, at the end, wind the wire around a feather.