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How to Make a Feather Headband

September 30th, 2009 in sewing, fashion, restyle     
_nikki_ Nicole Smith, editor
Love it! 2 users recommend
Choose an assortment of feather types to combine colors and textures for a one-of-a-kind look.
Make your headband piece as large or dramatic as you want by choosing vibrant or subdued colors or a large or smaller size.
Albert Elbaz chose feather headpieces to adorn Lanvins Fall 09 collection
Choose an assortment of feather types to combine colors and textures for a one-of-a-kind look.

Choose an assortment of feather types to combine colors and textures for a one-of-a-kind look.

Photo: Jack Deutsch
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Whether you’re channeling your inner ’20s flapper or trying to get runway style à la Lanvin on a budget, feather headbands dress up any ensemble, and they’re super-easy to create. This low-sew project can be finished in no time for a night out with friends; it could even be completed with a bit of glue if you don’t feel like sewing at all.

SHOPPING LIST:

• Buckram
• Button (optional)
• Fabric, coordinating
• Fabric glue
• Feathers (feathers shows are from Plumes 'N Feathers)
• Headband
• Hot glue gun and glue sticks
• Scissors
• Sewing machine
• Thread

 

1. Cut out the pieces. Enlarge the template to the desired size. Add 1⁄4-inch seam allowances, and cut two templates from fabric and one from buckram. Trim 1⁄4 inch off the buckram-piece edges. For the no-sew version, cut only one template from the fabric.

2. Cover the buckram. Pin the right sides of the two fabric pieces together. Sew around the edges with a 1⁄4-inch seam allowance, leaving an opening for turning. Trim the corner, turn the piece right-side out, and press. For the no-sew version, glue the fabric piece directly to the buckram, wrapping the raw edges to the wrong side and gluing them in place.

3. Insert the buckram. Slide the buckram between the fabric pieces, and hand-sew or glue the opening shut.

4. Attach the feathers. Starting at the wider end of the headpiece, sew or glue feathers in rows onto the fabric with the feather ends off the fabric edge and the stem ends pointed inward. Keep the feathers going in one direction, and layer them to hide the feather stems.

5. Hide the bottom if desired. To conceal the bottom edges of the feathers, glue or sew a button or a piece of trim at the hair-piece base.

6. Assemble the headband. Using a hot-glue gun, glue the hairpiece to the headband, about 3 inches from one end with the wider side towards the top of the headband. 

 

*Excerpted from the article Feather Fascinator in SewStylish Fall 2009


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posted in: sewing, fashion, restyle, sewstylish feature, SewStylish, accessories, sewstylish technique, headband, feather, hair
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Comments (3)

blueturtles writes: it does look like a bird on head. i think the piece could be better if the feathers were more random and not so perfect. use bigger feathers too. look for ostrich feathers. those give a nice effect.

but this is a nice guide for the base part of the headband. thanks.
Posted: 10:31 pm on November 18th
fashiongoddess22 writes: i'm lovin it, it's so fun... and even if it does look like a bird on her head... hey here comes an interesting conversation... but anyway nicholas from project runway does alot of feather headdresses , if you like this you should check out his work, they're astounding... such a pity that he went home...

Posted: 11:02 pm on November 13th
JohnWLennon writes: I don't know it looks like she has a bird sitting on her head.
Posted: 3:36 pm on October 1st
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