The other day my friend gave me a pair of gorgeous feather earrings that she had made herself. She used pretty coffee-brown feathers from a craft store, and little gold owl charms. I love DIY crafts, so of course I wanted to get more info out of her. She showed me the steps that she used, and I was surprised by how easy they were!
It made me think — couldn’t we make feather earrings out of items from second-hand stores? Yes! I love the browse the jewelry section of my local consignment shops, and I found that it’s easy to get the materials needed for this project (except for a few things), second hand. In this post, I’ll give you the exact steps.
How to make DIY Feather Earrings
Are you ready to get started? First you need to hit the thrift shops, with an eye out for feathers. You can find them on boas, masks, costume jewelry, hats, costumes, and headdresses. If you don’t spot any feathers, head to a craft store or buy some online.
1. Gather Your Supplies
Next, gather some simple jewelry making supplies:
- needle nose pliers (optional — these can make the project easier)
- 2 jump rings
- 2 ribbon crimps
- Earring hooks (if you like, you can take apart used earrings, and just keep the hooks)
- 2 beads (optional)
2. Assemble Each Earring
Separate out two feathers (or more) that you want to use for your earrings. If you are using two or more feathers per earring, line up the shafts of the feathers, and thread them through a bead so that they will stay aligned. Next, wrap the ribbon crimp around the end of the feather (the base of the shaft). Thread a jump ring through the ribbon crimp, and fasten this to your earring hook. Done!
3. Add the Details
If you’d like to add a charm, beads, or some fringe to your earring, now is the time to do it. Attach these extra items to a separate jump ring, so that they can swing and move independently from the feather.
I love taking a creative project, like making earrings, and seeing what happens when I use second-hand items. I had so much fun scouring my local thrift store for feathers. I found a bright pink feather boa, and I was able to grab it for just a few bucks. I think my friends and family will be getting pink feather earrings as gifts for years to come! If you give this project a try, be sure to tell me how it goes, in the comments section below!