Cutting feathers out of paper can seem intimidating, but with the right materials and techniques, it’s easy to make beautiful paper feathers for crafts, decorations, or other projects. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about cutting paper feathers, from choosing the right paper and scissors to cutting techniques and decorative options.
What You Need to Cut Paper Feathers
Cutting smooth, shapely feathers out of paper requires just a few supplies:
- Paper – The best paper types for cutting feathers include cardstock, origami, and scrapbooking paper. Avoid thin, flimsy paper.
- Scissors – Sharp scissors with short blades work best. Decorative or patterned scissors can also add interest.
- Pencil – Use a pencil to lightly sketch feather shapes before cutting.
- Craft knife (optional) – A small craft knife can help with details or getting into tight spaces.
- Self-healing cutting mat (optional) – A cutting mat protects your work surface.
- Ruler – A ruler helps with drawing straight lines and cleanly cutting edges.
Choosing the Right Paper
Paper selection is very important when cutting paper feathers. The wrong paper can be frustratingly difficult to cut cleanly. Here are some paper types that work well:
- Cardstock – Cardstock comes in a wide range of colors and weights. 60-80lb cardstock provides a good balance of sturdiness and easy cutting. Avoid flimsy greeting card-style cardstock.
- Origami paper – These thin square sheets are designed to fold cleanly into sharp creases. Origami paper makes cutting details easy.
- Scrapbooking paper – The variety of patterns and textures available in scrapbooking paper is great for unique feather designs. Just avoid very thin sheets.
- Textured specialty paper – Papers with texture like faux leather can make exciting feathers. Metallic and glitter paper could work too.
- Bristol paper – Bristol paper is sturdier than cardstock. It works well but may require more effort to cut details.
Stay away from lightweight construction paper, tissue paper, crepe paper, and any other extremely thin papers. These delicate materials will likely shred and tear. Craft feathers require paper that can hold its shape.
Selecting the Best Scissors
The right scissors are a make-or-break feather cutting tool. Avoid frustration by selecting scissors designed for detailed cutting:
- Sharp points – Scissors with pointed tip blades can snip into tight spots and cut out details.
- Short blades – Scissors with 2-3 inch blades offer more control than those with long blades.
- Decorative scissors – Unique edges like scalloped, zig-zag, or pinking shears add interest.
- Right- or left-handed – Match scissors to the dominant hand for comfort and control.
- Sharpness – Dull blades result in ragged, uneven cutting. Replace scissors regularly.
Avoid full-size sewing shears and safety scissors with blunt ends. Smaller scissors that feel precise in your hand will cut feathers much more smoothly.
Sketching Feather Shapes
Before cutting, lightly sketch the feather shape you want onto paper with pencil. Here are some options to get started:
- Realistic feathers – Sketch the outline of feathers from birds, such as ducks, chickens, or peacocks.
- Stylized feathers – Draw feather shapes with flowing, curved lines. Add details like barbs, eye shapes, or dots.
- Geometric feathers – Sketch geometric feathers from triangles, diamonds, rectangles or other angular shapes.
- Stencils or templates – Use pre-drawn feather outlines from clip art, stencils, or templates as a guide.
Take inspiration from nature, fabric designs, photos, or your imagination. Simple oval or teardrop bases with narrow shafts work well for beginners. Draw as many feather shapes as desired before cutting. Varying the designs creates interest.
Cutting Techniques
Once your feathers are sketched out, it’s time to start cutting. Follow these tips for smooth, detailed feathers:
- Cut just outside lines – Leaving a tiny border ensures the entire feather shape is intact.
- Cut in multiple passes – Don’t try to cut all the way through thick paper in one snip. Cut halfway through, then repeat on the reverse side.
- Keep blades sharp – Dull scissors lead to ragged cuts. Replace scissors regularly or sharpen the blades.
- Move paper, not scissors – For long cuts, shift the paper rather than opening and closing scissors.
- Use short snips – When cutting details and shapes, take small snips rather than long cuts.
- Cut inward on curves – This prevents paper tearing and jagged edges.
Patience and practice lead to better results. Don’t be afraid to toss out imperfect feathers and recut new shapes. The more you cut, the more comfortable the techniques will become.
Tips for Cutting Specific Feather Parts
Certain aspects of feathers require special attention when cutting:
- Barbs – For feather barb details, make a series of short angled snips along the edges.
- Shafts – Cut shafts in gentle curves, reversing scissors direction to cut inward on rounded shapes.
- Eye shapes – Carefully cut small details around the feather tip, leaving a thin border of paper.
- Fringed edges – For tattered, delicate edges, make small irregular snips all along feather borders.
Go slowly on detailed areas and delicate shapes. Let the scissors do the work. Avoid forcing cuts or tearing paper, which can look messy.
Decorative Options
Once your feathers are cut out, there are endless options for decorating and embellishing them:
- Color or paint – Add solid colors, ombre shades, dots, stripes, and more with paint, markers, or colored pencils.
- Glitter – Brush glitter glue onto feather details or coat the entire surface for dazzling sparkle.
- Hole punch – Use a hole punch on the quill end to string feathers together, or punch shapes like hearts and stars elsewhere.
- Texture – Try embossing feathers with texture plates and tools or crumpling and smoothing them.
- Collage – Adhere tiny cutouts, rhinestones, ribbon, pressed flowers, and more to customize feathers.
- Stencils – Use cute stencils and sponge daubers to quickly add polka dots, chevron stripes, or other patterns.
The feather design possibilities are endless! Tie in themes from nature, holidays, events, hobbies, favorite colors, and more. Let your creativity soar!
Assembling Paper Feathers
Once your paper feathers are decorated, you need to assemble or display them. Options include:
- Feather wreaths – Hot glue feathers onto wreath forms for stunning wall décor. Add ribbon for hanging.
- Feather garlands – String cutout feathers together into swooping garlands. Hang them or use as table runners.
- Feather bouquets – Group feathers together in vases like floral arrangements.
- Feather mobiles – Hang paper feathers from fishing line or string for moveable art pieces and baby mobiles.
- Feather crowns – Adhere feathers to headbands for play or costumes. Tie ribbons to ends for a whimsical look.
- Mixed media collage – Incorporate cut paper feathers into scrapbook pages, cards, framed art, and more.
Display clustering feathers in wall vases, floating frames, wire baskets, and other vessels. For cards and scrapbooks, use dimensional adhesive, brads, or foam tape to make feathers pop off the page in 3D.
Feather Cutting Tips and Tricks
Keep these extra feather cutting tips in mind for best results:
- Store leftover paper scraps to cut small and medium feathers.
- Set a timer for 15-30 minutes and challenge yourself to cut as many feathers as possible.
- Stack multiple sheets of paper when cutting identical feathers.
- Use feather-shaped punches for quick, consistent shapes.
- Look for feathers around the house, like those from pillows and comforters, to trace shapes.
- Use feather coloring pages for outlines to cut around.
- Photocopy printed designs onto paper before cutting feathers.
- Cut feathers from decorative paper scraps like sheet music, maps, and book pages.
Don’t toss those paper scraps – put them to use making fabulous feather crafts! With a bit of practice, you’ll be able to cut feathers of all shapes and sizes out of paper.
Storing Cut Paper Feathers
Cut paper feathers are delicate and require proper storage between craft sessions. Here are some storage solutions:
- Plastic bags or envelope – Group together inside sealable plastic bags to prevent crushing.
- Document sleeve or folder – Slide feathers into sleeve pockets for safe keeping.
- Craft drawer – Store feathers flat in a dedicated drawer to keep their shape.
- Acid-free box – Archival boxes prevent feather colors from fading over time.
- Hanging organizer – Use folders or pouches to keep sorted feathers protected.
- Vintage book – Gently stack feathers between the pages of a gently used book.
Avoid piling feathers loosely, even temporarily, as they may deform and bend. With proper storage between craft sessions, cut paper feathers will last for many creations to come.
Inspiring Paper Feather Projects
Looking for feather cutting ideas? Here are some gorgeous paper feather crafts to inspire your next project:
Feather Wreaths
Paper feather wreaths make stunning wall art and home accents. Hot glue an assortment of different colored and patterned feathers onto basic wreath forms. Add extras like ribbons, bells, and floral picks for texture.
Feather Garlands
String cut paper feathers together to create breezy garlands in any length. Choose a color theme, like metallic or rainbow shades. Hang these lightweight garlands as swags, table runners, and party décor.
Feather Bouquets
Fill glass vases, jars, and pots with paper feathers for an organic look. Create rounded bouquets by clustering feathers of different sizes. Include foliage like ferns or eucalyptus to complement the feathers.
Feather Centerpieces
Make magical feather centerpieces by rise feather stems in florist foam inside platters or bowls. Encircle with flowers, candles, and other decorations. Display as table centerpieces or mantel accents.
Feather Backdrops
Cut several oversized feathers and hang them together to create a feather backdrop for events or photoshoots. Pair with sheer curtains, flowers, and string lights for an ethereal look.
Feather Ornaments
Fold small paper feathers into cones and decorate with glitter, rhinestones, and metallic pens. Add ribbons, buttons, and lace for extra flair. String them together for garlands or display on trees as ornaments.
Feather Mobiles
Suspend paper feathers from wire, string, or fishing line to create whimsical mobiles. Hang above cribs or in sunny windows. Allow feathers to twist and turn to catch the light.
Troubleshooting Cutting Issues
Having trouble getting clean cuts when making paper feathers? Here are some common problems and solutions:
- Ragged edges – Cause: Dull scissors. Solution: Replace scissor blades or get them professionally sharpened.
- Torn paper – Cause: Poor quality paper. Solution: Use thicker cardstock and origami paper instead of flimsy paper.
- Uneven shapes – Cause: Rushing cuts. Solution: Work slowly and carefully around details. Let the scissors do the work.
- Misshapen feathers – Cause: Bending while cutting. Solution: Keep paper flat on cutting surface. Use cutting mat if working on table.
- Smudged pencil lines – Cause: Drawing too dark before cutting. Solution: Use very light pencil pressure so outlines barely show.
Be patient, go slowly, use quality supplies, and practice often. Your feather cutting skills will improve dramatically with time and experience.
Conclusion
With the right paper, scissors, and techniques, it’s easy to cut gorgeous paper feathers for endless craft projects and decorations. Choose paper with body that holds its shape well, like cardstock. Invest in small, sharp scissors designed for detail work. Sketch feather shapes before cutting carefully along the outlines. Embellish with paint, glitter, texture, and more. Finally, display paper feathers in wreaths, garlands, bouquets, mobiles, and beyond to add artful flair to any space.
