Flattening Feathers

cherokeemom06 · 07-29-2008, 04:41 PM

How the heck do you flatten or press feathers to use in fans and such? I am a complete novice on messing with feathers and I picked up 40 or so goose feathers beside a lake a little while back. I cleaned them good with Dawn soap and hung them up to dry (how I was taught to clean them) but I have no idea how to flatten them out.

wyo_rose · 07-29-2008, 05:53 PM

Iron them.

rodond · 07-29-2008, 05:58 PM

to flatten and strighten then run them over a hot light . make sure you keep moving them bending them as you go good idea to wear sunglass to

cherokeemom06 · 07-29-2008, 06:14 PM

Will ironing them straighten out the quills too or is there just a natural curve to the feathers that can't be dealt with? I know the turkey feathers on my fan are flat.

**Josiah** · 07-29-2008, 07:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rodond

to flatten and strighten then run them over a hot light . make sure you keep moving them bending them as you go good idea to wear sunglass to

I use to use a 100 watt bulb but i discovered another thing
Hair Straightener!!!
Yep works great and will straighten the qiulls also

cherokeemom06 · 07-29-2008, 07:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Josiah

I use to use a 100 watt bulb but i discovered another thing
Hair Straightener!!!
Yep works great and will straighten the qiulls also

Hey, I didn't think of that! Do you just use the lowest setting?

**Josiah** · 07-29-2008, 08:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cherokeemom06

Hey, I didn't think of that! Do you just use the lowest setting?

whatever dont burn hair
LOL

wyo_rose · 07-30-2008, 11:52 AM

You need to set it to HIGH. But a hair straightener sounds like it would work AWESOME.

On stubborn feathers you might have to leave the iron on it for awhile. And YES it does straighten the quill.

And I suggest covering the feather with a cloth or something similiar.

cherokeemom06 · 07-30-2008, 11:53 AM

Thanks Wyo, I'll get to work on them soon and let you know how it turns out!

NancyJo · 07-30-2008, 02:19 PM

I heard this from someone and tried it out and it worked pretty good.........after you iron your feathers and have them flat and straight lay them between two peices of plywood for a couple of days and it helps keep the feather nice and flat. Where sometimes right after you iron them and start working with the feather the ends tend to curl some. I tried it and left them between the plywood for a couple of weeks until I was ready to put them into a fan and they stayed flat.........and still are.

Czechy · 07-30-2008, 06:27 PM

I've used a clothes iron. One hand holds the iron and the other pulls the feather in the direction opposite of the natural curve. Do it gently or you might end up with a weird shape.

I've heard that like curly hair, feathers that have been heat-straightened may eventually revert back to their original curves when exposed to high humidity. If that happens, just re-iron.

wyo_rose · 07-31-2008, 08:50 PM

THAT'S where a hair straightener will work wonders!

**walela49** · 08-01-2008, 12:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Josiah

Hair Straightener!!!
Yep works great and will straighten the qiulls also

lol...that's crazy...gonna have to try it now!

Czechy · 08-01-2008, 04:07 PM

yeah, me too!!!

07-29-2008, 04:41 PM	#1 (permalink)
cherokeemom06 Jingling mommy.... Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Kentucky Posts: 289	Flattening Feathers How the heck do you flatten or press feathers to use in fans and such? I am a complete novice on messing with feathers and I picked up 40 or so goose feathers beside a lake a little while back. I cleaned them good with Dawn soap and hung them up to dry (how I was taught to clean them) but I have no idea how to flatten them out.

07-29-2008, 05:53 PM	#2 (permalink)
wyo_rose Teenah's Too Cool Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Fort Washakie Posts: 8,034 Blog Entries: 2	Iron them. __________________ Don't take life so seriously! It's not permanent.

07-30-2008, 11:52 AM	#8 (permalink)
wyo_rose Teenah's Too Cool Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Fort Washakie Posts: 8,034 Blog Entries: 2	You need to set it to HIGH. But a hair straightener sounds like it would work AWESOME. On stubborn feathers you might have to leave the iron on it for awhile. And YES it does straighten the quill. And I suggest covering the feather with a cloth or something similiar. __________________ Don't take life so seriously! It's not permanent.

07-31-2008, 08:50 PM	#12 (permalink)
wyo_rose Teenah's Too Cool Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Fort Washakie Posts: 8,034 Blog Entries: 2	THAT'S where a hair straightener will work wonders! __________________ Don't take life so seriously! It's not permanent.

07-29-2008, 05:58 PM	#3 (permalink)
rodond tx straight dancer Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: TX Posts: 195	to flatten and strighten then run them over a hot light . make sure you keep moving them bending them as you go good idea to wear sunglass to

07-29-2008, 06:14 PM	#4 (permalink)
cherokeemom06 Jingling mommy.... Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Kentucky Posts: 289	Will ironing them straighten out the quills too or is there just a natural curve to the feathers that can't be dealt with? I know the turkey feathers on my fan are flat.

07-30-2008, 11:53 AM	#9 (permalink)
cherokeemom06 Jingling mommy.... Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Kentucky Posts: 289	Thanks Wyo, I'll get to work on them soon and let you know how it turns out!

07-30-2008, 02:19 PM	#10 (permalink)
NancyJo Cloth Dancer Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Texas Posts: 360	I heard this from someone and tried it out and it worked pretty good.........after you iron your feathers and have them flat and straight lay them between two peices of plywood for a couple of days and it helps keep the feather nice and flat. Where sometimes right after you iron them and start working with the feather the ends tend to curl some. I tried it and left them between the plywood for a couple of weeks until I was ready to put them into a fan and they stayed flat.........and still are.

07-30-2008, 06:27 PM	#11 (permalink)
Czechy wrapped in ribbonwork! Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Here....for now Posts: 784	I've used a clothes iron. One hand holds the iron and the other pulls the feather in the direction opposite of the natural curve. Do it gently or you might end up with a weird shape. I've heard that like curly hair, feathers that have been heat-straightened may eventually revert back to their original curves when exposed to high humidity. If that happens, just re-iron.

08-01-2008, 04:07 PM	#14 (permalink)
Czechy wrapped in ribbonwork! Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Here....for now Posts: 784	yeah, me too!!!

08-02-2008, 08:36 AM	#15 (permalink)
spottedeagle FANMAKR Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Soaring over you Posts: 4,495