How to DIY Feather Skirt in a Few Simple Steps

A few years ago, feather skirts were all the rage on the runway. Well It turns out that Neanderthals sported the trend before Prada ever thought about it. Let’s not forget about Indigenous Peoples in Canada and the USA as well. Even if they aren’t the hottest item right now, they always make their come back kind of like leopard print and gingham do.

Feather Skirt Trend

A couple of years ago, all sandals had some form of ostrich feathers hanging from them….but whoever said that I’m a follower?? I’ve always been one of those people that spotted a trend and evaluated it’s shelflife on the fashion scene, to see whether it was worth investing in or not.

One of the downsides to these feather skirts is that they are very weather depend. They are much more suited for winter outfits than summer, but that doesn’t mean you can’t start planning for your winter wardrobe now.

What You Need to Create the Skirt

This may sound like an exhausting DIY project, but on the contraire, making your own feather skirt is far simpler than you think. I’m not one to give difficult projects to DIY as would never finish them. You can check some previous ones I’ve done for studded shoes and fur vest.

Here’s what you need to get started on the feather skirt:

• Skirt (make sure it is not a fitted skirt because when you sew the feathers, if the skirt has any elasticity, it will limit your movement)
• Craft feather ribbon (suggest to get the feathers the same colour as your skirt)
• Sewing machine
• Dressmaker pins
• Tailor scissors
• Measuring tape
• Thread (same colour as the feather ribbon)
• Machine needle

How to Make the Feather Skirt

1. Lay the skirt flat and measure the front at the top just below the waist band.
2. Turn it around and measure the back at the same spot as the front.
3. Add up both numbers to see how long the feather ribbon should be and write that number down.
4. Measure and cut the ribbon to the number you got from measuring the skirt’s front and back. If the ribbon does not make up the entire length, sew 2 pieces together to make the entire length.
5. Pin the ribbon where you had measure to secure it.
6. To add the next layer, place your measuring tape a 1/2″ under the tip of the feather ribbon so that when you sew it, the ribbon is not obvious and it lays one over the other neatly.
7. Measure front and back and repeat step 3 to 5.
8. Continue doing this until you reach the bottom of the skirt.
9. Start sewing the first row you added.
10. Continue sewing until you’ve reached the last row.
11. As you tackle each row, make sure to lift the feathers from the row above so you don’t catch them under the needle as you’re sewing the ribbon.
12. Make sure to do a stop stitch at the end of the ribbon to secure it to the skirt.

Styling Your Skirt

Now it’s time to style your new feather skirt. I suggest you choose a simple top with a statement necklace and some cute booties or basic ankle strap sandals. You can add a cuff or cocktail ring if you wish but do not go overboard as the feathers themselves are plenty to stylize your outfit.

So keep it simple for max impact!

The Gist of it

Now that you know how to DIY a feather skirt, you’ll be rushing off to create your own I’m sure! What’s fun about this project is that you actually don’t need that much to get it done. If you’ve already got your skirt, getting the thread and the feather ribbon is easy.

Would this be a DIY project you’d take on?

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