Feather Earrings

I realise that this is a little obscure and out of the blue, as I haven’t even opened blogger in months, let alone contemplated writing anything! However I promised a very lovely lady on the Talk Cockatiels forum that I would show her how I make earrings from Gertie’s feathers. This is not really a wire wrapping tutorial; I realise I am poo at it :( I’m just trying to show a quick and easy way to get jewellery from our lovely little feather friends :)

I will eventually try and put one in resin and see what happens, but resin too has been neglected in the past months and shall be until June when I (hopefully) graduate! I am very much looking forward to getting my weekends back and returning to crafting :)

Firstly, I pick a couple of matching feathers. I started out this tutorial trying to make them with the smaller, fluffier yellow feathers but I found the stems too weak. I don’t mind very dangly earrings, which is lucky because with my kidney ear wires they will be! But kidney wires means I can just slip the wire-wrapped loop on, and I don’t have to fuss about with jump rings or trying to add the earring hook before I finish wrapping.

I had all my feathers out, to select a good pair, and Gertie decided to help. It’s obviously as this stage, but late on, we start snipping wire, I keep her away (I mean, I bribe her with sunflower seeds…)

Start by holding the stem and the end of some wire. This wire I got at hobby craft, I think it’s for flowers? But not entirely sure; it’s live in my craft box (draw of crap…) for years. I hold the wire and the stem together with my thumb, like so. Please excuse the awful nail job. Nail painting, cuticle care, general hand moisturising all get neglected too. I’m going to be a scaly, wilted mess in June, but I’ll have bloody finished :D

Anyway! Feathers :)

Start working your ay back up and over the original starting point. I usually make them about this long.

Then cut the stem.

When you get to the end of the stem, back a small loop, and then start wrapping back on yourself to about halfway down the clump of wire. Just smoosh the end in, so it’s not all pokey out and sharp.

Do both feathers.

Get some earring hooks. Like I say, these kidney wires don’t need jump rings, hence I chose them.

Hook them on, and Bob’s your uncle! Earrings :)

(In the background another journey in to “crafts I’m pretty poo at”…Wet felted pebbles! :] )

This is another pair I made for Gertie’s previous owner.

Not perfect, but passable :) (Don’t worry Folksy Folks, I shall stick to resin ;) )

After all that long work, Gertie decided she was knackered and so settle down for a nap. She was less than pleased to be moved for me to write this! (Corrie time is nap time).