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Feathers And Thank you.


Juju

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you have to practice by drawing them. alot. i used dvd's to learn. and i was fortunate to get a hands on class with deloa jones, as well.

kim bruner has a good dvd called twirly whirly feathers...these are formal.

deloa jones teaches feathers that are a bit more whimsical looking.

pajama quilter teaches a less formal feather as well. her name is dawn ramirez.

you can do it - you just have to practice.

good luck!

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Just practice, practice, practice. I doodled a lot, actually bought Magna doodle & practice on paper as well whenever posible. Took classes from Dawn Cavanaugh, Karen McTavish, Sally Terry, Deloa Jones & Pam Clarke. Don't be discouraged, all of a sudden, after constant practice, it will happen. And I thought I could never do it.

I did Hook on Feathers at first, it's easier to execute.

Corey

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all very good advice. If you can find a pictures of some you like, trace them out and then start to draw them over and over and over again. don't try for perfection, just move your pencil. NO ERASER , AND NO SCRIBBLING THEM OUT, JUST KEEP GOING. try drawing the spine of the feather and then starting at the bottom of the feather and work up. the go down the spine and up the other side. THere are lots of good Utubes out there that show different people drawing feathers.

Don't know how you learned to write, but when I was Young.......................a long time ago. LOL we had to practice on lined paper the same shape over and over and over again. Just one feather, but keep repeating it. So get yourself a couple of dedicated scrap books, with the plain pages and start to draw. Some people can do them better if they are really tiny. some want to see them bigger. try them all, over and over and over and over again.

My feathers from a couple of years ago are completely different than they are today. and if you look at people pictures of their quilts in 2007, 2008 etc up til today, they also are different.

GIVE YOURSELF PERMISSION TO PLAY. One of my nicest pieces I have is a huge muslin top that I put on the machine with beige thread, and a friend and I covered the whole thing with different feathers and spines and fills. Now that it's well washed and "granny" looking its great. Sure there are gaps where the quilting didn't close up a section, but that's part of its charm. Go for it.

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If you buy Darlene Epp's feather workbook, she has a plastic tracing sheet included. You can put it on top of her book, which is looseleaf, and then trace them. That may help you. Her book has lots of pages of different shapes using the formal feathers. She has borders, squares, triangles, rectangles, all with feathers in them. Pick the page you want. Put it on a hard surface, put the plastic on top and trace. Don't trace like you write with your wrist resting on the paper. Trace with your whole arm which mimics the movement of the machine.

www.trilliumhousedesigns.com

Even though I have lots of books, I love to see the pictures, so this is my favorite formal feather book. DeLoa Jones has my favorite book for the longarm feathers. Her site is

www.deloasquiltshop.com

I can't remember the name of the feather book, but she only has one.

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As a beginning feather-maker myself, I find some of the easiest feathers are the feathers that don't come back and touch the spine and don't touch each other as much as the more formal feathers do. With these you don't have to worry about perfect back-tracking and thread build-up on the spine. They look great and are fun.

Myrna Fricken has a DVD that I like called FowlProof Feathers. You can view a little video on it here:

http://aquilterschoice.danemcoweb.com/shop/product/fowlproof-feathers/

Cory has told me about Sally Terry's book Hooked on Feathers and I plan on getting that soon.

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I learned the "Longarm" and "Bump" feathers by practicing several techniques and teachers. What helped me was Sherry Rogers Harrison's "Feathers 101" book that has the mylar overlays. I would draw on the mylar overlay in the books and learned the technique. I also watched Sharon Schamber's free videos on line. I also took classes from Myrna Ficken. I also have Kimmy Brunner's Twirly DVD. I also practiced a lot on paper and my white board and on my scrap fabric. Don't be afraid to keep trying. You can do it. And,,, You will do it. Just keep on doing the PPP on paper and on the machine.

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Juju - finding ppp time isn't always easy is it. I keep a notebook in my bag and its full of doodles. If I get five minutes here and there - out it comes.

I've always kept one in there for scribbling ideas and notes etc, but since I started longarming I've got through them a LOT faster! hehehe

I usually buy ones that are about 8" x 6" and with plain pages. That gives me a fair amount of space to doodle and fill, similar to a small block.

No expert here, but it has certainly helped me develop my kind of style.

If I'm at home I'll use a bigger pad like a kiddies drawing pad or similar which allows more space for the flow or curves and lines. Several years ago I took a class with DeLoa when she came to UK and she put me onto the big pad idea - great advice! :)

I also took a class with Jamie Wallen when I went to Quilting With Machines - that was a great eye opener too! I'm so looking forward to more light bulb moments when I get to Myrna's classes :)

- Ani

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Juju,

I love feathers, and my first attempts (about 4 years back) at feathers looked like sausages on a spine - not good.

I graduated to half-hearts and then after many months of practice, taking several classes at MQS and online, purchasing how-to books, I am finally happy with the way my feathers look on paper (practice) and on cloth.

Myrna Fricken has a playful, carefree, style of feathering fabric. Wonderfully freeing!

Sally Terry has an elegant technique, that is sooo simple but looks beautiful on quilts "hooked on feathers".

Kim Brunner has feathers that reach out and fill a space, twirling and swirling.

Suzanne Earley - Meandering feathers. Feather Bootcamp (MQR). Feathers all-over the quilt techniques.

Irena Bluhm gave me a most practical "lightbulb" moment in drawing feathers, when she told me to "drive in to the spine, towards where your last feather meets the spine.

Karen McTavish - breathtaking feathers to aspire to!

Look around the internet, google feathers, check out the beautiful quilts in this forum, everyone has their own special take on feathering a quilt. PPP is the best thing you can do, to master the feather technique and make it your own!

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Thanks Libby!

Here's a direct link to the Heirloom Feathers~Freehand, Formal & Fanciful Pocket Guide & Workbook. You can see the complete index of both books and also see 3 sample pages. The plain' ol' feather is just the beginning! ;)

http://trilliumhousedesigns.com/shop/product/heirloom-feathers/

Originally posted by LibbyG

If you buy Darlene Epp's feather workbook, she has a plastic tracing sheet included. You can put it on top of her book, which is looseleaf, and then trace them. That may help you. Her book has lots of pages of different shapes using the formal feathers. She has borders, squares, triangles, rectangles, all with feathers in them. Pick the page you want. Put it on a hard surface, put the plastic on top and trace. Don't trace like you write with your wrist resting on the paper. Trace with your whole arm which mimics the movement of the machine.

www.trilliumhousedesigns.com

Even though I have lots of books, I love to see the pictures, so this is my favorite formal feather book.

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Oh, please don't leave Jamie Wallen's CD's. They are so clear, teaching and so on. Mystical Cotton Tracks, is my Fav. pricy but well worth it.. I think that is the double cd pck. Wonderful ideas and ways to practice and why..

He said he trys to practice about 8 hours a dayby taking 5 min. here, 30 there, etc. At shows of course he doesn't have that time, to keep up with all designs he knows, and searching for new ones. I was lucky to have taken a class from him, and also from Kimmy B . Deloa is also a Terrific teacher, and I have several books & CD's from Darlene Epp, Myrna F, Karen McT, Dawn C., and several others who's names I don't recall righrt now.

All have diff methods, beautiful feathers, and all are easy once you use their methods on paper quite a lot.

I love them, still can't do them well, and really make messes when on some meds.

Rita R

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Guest Linda S

I learned to feather from Linda Taylor. Half a heart, and down the spine . . . over, and over, and over again! :) However, just a few months later, when I learned how to do the "hump and bump" or over-the-top feathers, they were so much easier for me. Back then, there were no DVDs, but I did have the advantage of going to a few shows and I saw them done and came home and drew and drew and drew. You've got some great recommendations above for some wonderful artists to teach you. Sometimes, a small glass of wine right before trying really helps! ;)

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  • 2 weeks later...

Juju - you WILL get it, it just takes practice & patience. Everyone has given great advice.

Think about how you're moving your arms & body -- sometimes my arms move but my body is stiff and I need to relax! Don't overthink it, but do plan ahead to where your stitching. I've been LA'ing two years and some days my feathers look quite decent (far from perfect but perfection is God's job, not mine), and some days I can't stitch a feather to save my life. This week I feel I've been ripping more than stitching, but it's OK, I'll get it!!

Hang in there and keep practicing - I am too!!!

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