How to make wings?

Hi everyone!

I was asked to make a tutorial for the wings I made my daughter.

Sew, here's a picture tutorial of my process.

Note: I didn't follow a pattern. I just kind of did it.

These are not finished in a fancy way.

Everything is raw edge.

Getting Started, you need:

polyester batting (it's a bit thicker and holds it's shape better)

Broadcloth in three different shade of blue (This stuff is cheap. I paid $1.99/metre. I bought 1.5 metres of each and made three sets of wings)

Blue Thread

Thick blue ribbon (I used an aqua blue from my stash)

Note: If you need a closer look at the pictures, they are all in my flickr account.
The link to my flickr account is in my right sidebar.

1) I cut a wing shape out of the batting. I measured from the tip of my daughters fingers to the middle of the shoulder.

2) I cut a piece of broadcloth to use as the backing for my wings, this was cut larger then the batting then trimed after step 3.

3) Place the batting over the backing fabric and stitch to backing using a zigzag stitch. I used my walking foot to do this.

4) I trimmed the edges using my pinking blade for my rotary cutter. (Thanks Michele, she gave me this for Christmas)

5) I cut my three colors of broadcloth used for the feathers.

The dark blue I cut at 6 inches wide (cut 2 strips, one for each wing)

The medium blue at 4.5 inches wide (cut 2 strips, one for each wing)

The light blue at 3.5 inches wide. (cut 4 strips, 2 for each wing)

These strips were cut the width of the fabric, from selvage to selvage.

6) Fold the strips of fabric until about 2 inches wide.

7) Using the pinking blade cut a line of the fold fabric up to about 3/4 of the way up. See photo

8) Cut the other side

9) As you can see, it creates a long strip with feathers hanging off.

Don't throw out the leftover triangles. You will need these.

Putting the feathers on the wings

1) Start pinning the dark blue feathers to the wing base on the batting side.

2)You may have to pleat the fabric as you go around the curve.

3) Using your free motion or darning foot, quilt the feathers onto the backing. As you can see in the photo, I created a spine in the feather. This helps the feather to stay down and not show the batting underneath.

4) with the leftover feathers from the first strip, pin a second row of dark blue. Use the triangles that were left over from cutting the feathers to finish the row of dark blue.

5) Pin this row down to prepare for quilting. Note: you want to overlap the triangle so that you don't get caught underneath the material as you quilt.

6) Quilt the feathers down in the same manner as in #3.

7) Pin down a row of medium blue, pleat the fabric as you pin to get a nice curve.

8)Quilt the feathers.

As you can see from the photo's, you just continue in the same manner until the wing is covered.

The finishing touches

1) Once the wing is completely covered, Do a zigzag stitch along the top edge of the wing.

2) Trim the excess fabric using the pinking blade

3) view of the back of the wing

4) cut 2 lengths of ribbon long enough to tie a bow around the wrist.

5) Pin ribbon to back tip of wing

6) Stitch down with a zigzag stitch

7) To attach the wings together, cut a long length of ribbon, about 1.5 yards long, and stitch to the top of the wing, see photo.

Also, sew another small piece of ribbon in the middle of the wings, to keep them together.

And you are done!!

Wow! That was a lot of pinning and sewing.

But, it's worth all the smiles.



Sew, I have 2 out of 3 sets of wings done.

I've had a crazy busy day today, as in Thurday.

I guess it's friday now!

Ahhhh....1:00 am.

Oh well, So thursday, I cooked taco's and made nacho dip for my sons class of 30 kids in the morning.

Then, I spend 4 hours at the dentist with the kids.

Hate going to the dentist!!!

Came home and had supper.

Then sewed the second set of wings.

Wrote this tutorial.

Okay, It's time for bed.

I'm supposed to be on holidays this week.

I guess I need a holiday from my holiday.

Maybe I should go back to work.

LOL!!!

Hugs