How to Make Your Own Feather Boa

As a fashion accessory, the feather boa has a rich and varied history, dating back to the early 17th century. Today, a feather boa is considered an ostentatious costume accessory, one that no drama queen should be caught without. A basic feather boa has a simple basic construction and can be made in your own home. Like knitting or crocheting, this project is easy to master but will take time to complete, making it an excellent activity for stress relief.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Small craft feathers (such as turkey plumage), about 1 pound Thin, soft rope, 61/2 feet, or ball of yarn Needle Thick thread

1. Tie knots at either end of the rope to secure it from fraying. This will become the core of your boa. If you can't find a length of rope that's soft enough to sew through, make your core by braiding together lengths of yarn with about three pieces of yarn per section.

2. Double-thread your needle. Do this by pulling thread through the eye, then doubling it back to meet with the the other end of thread and tying a knot. This will create extra security when your feathers are sewn in place.

3. Open your bag of feathers. Depending on the look you want for your boa, you may decide you want to half strip the feathers before attaching them. This process involves ripping the fluffy part away from the feather's core on one side, and is often done with boas to give the individual feathers more definition, giving your boa a classic, tendril-like look. If you leave the feathers whole, your boa will be fluffier, thicker, and more uniform. If you decide to half strip your feather, simply pull one side's fluff away with your fingers using a downward, peeling motion.

4. Gather a few (three or four) feathers at a time into a bouquet, making sure they're lined up so that the bottoms (pointy ends) are together. Secure them tightly with some thread.

5. Sew the feather clumps so that the bottoms are down against the core and the tops of the feathers sticking out. Sew by bringing the threaded needle up through the core, over the ends of the feather, then down through the core on the other side. Use several stitches to secure each section of feathers in place.

6. The best technique to use in order to get your boa's core fully covered is to sew as many feather in one place as possible. Make sure that your feathers point out in all directions. Once you've covered an area with clumps, fill in the spaces between them by sewing individual feathers in place.

Tips & Warnings

• Bear in mind that the color of your rope or yarn most likely won't matter, as it won't be visible once it's covered in feathers. If you want to make a boa of very light-colored feathers, however, you may want to avoid a core that is very dark or black.

Resources

• Buy Turkey Plumage here.