How to Make Feathers & Fingers
Plus how to avoid weaving in lots of extra ends!
Certain toy designs can have lots of small pieces like fingers and feathers. Instead of breaking and reattaching the yarn multiple times, use this trick to avoid weaving in lots of ends. You’ll have just one end to weave in when you’re done!
Intro
This technique is used in my patterns that have small appendages like feathers, fingers, and toes. You’ll see it in Isadora the Winged Unicorn for her wings, and in the Momma Possum pattern for making hands. Isadora is shown here, so I will discuss the technique in terms of feathers on a wing.
The technique starts when you’ve finished the first feather. The goal is to get the working yarn from the tip of the feather (live sts on DPNs) back to the base of the feather (live sts on the gold stitch holder).
Step 1
Cut a very long tail, long enough to work all of your remaining feathers. You’ll need about a yard. Pull this long tail through the live stitches at the top of the feather to fasten off.
Step 2
Thread this long tail onto a tapestry needle. This will be your working yarn for the remainder of the wing.
I like to leave the tapestry needle on the tail as I work because I’m a bit lazy and don’t like to keep re-threading the needle.
Step 3
Insert the tapestry needle into the tip of the feather….
Step 4
….and push the tapestry needle all the way through the feather, back to the base of the feather and next to the remaining live stitches.
Pull your long tail through the feather.
Step 5
Your working yarn is now back next to your remaining live stitches and ready to be used for the next feather.
Alternate Steps 3-5
Instead of inserting the needle directly into the tip of the feather, you can also sew back and forth from the tip of the feather to the base.
You will want to end with the working yarn next to the remaining live stitches, as pictured in Step 5 above.
Step 6
Once you have worked all of your feathers, you will have just one tail to weave in. Do that and you’re done!