Create the perfect bird tail to fit your play's needs.
If you are a costumer, you have probably noticed that bird tails are not easy costume pieces to find. Most party stores and costume shops carry full bird suits if they carry any bird costume pieces at all. To get the look you want for your production, it is best to simply make the feather bird tails yourself. These tails are perfect for birds of any age or size and look fantastic on stage.
Instructions
Make Feather Tails for Birds in a Play
1. Knit the casing for your bird tail in the color you want the bird to be.
The yarn should be whatever color you wish the bird to be. For example, use a gray or brown yarn for owls, white for geese, yellow for chicks or red for roosters. If you are creating a tail for a multicolored bird, you can knit with two yarn colors simultaneously or alternate between colors. Fuzzy or feathery yarn looks best as it resembles down. Using the yarn and knitting needles, knit the following pattern:
Cast on 6 stitches
Row 1: Purl.
Row 2: Knit in front and back of each stitch across -- 12 stitches.
Rows 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11: Purl.
Row 4: Knit in front and back of each stitch across -- 24 stitches.
Row 6: *Knit in front and back of stitch, knit 1, repeat from * all the way across -- 36 stitches.
Row 8: *Knit in front and back of stitch, knit 2, repeat from * all the way across -- 48 stitches.
Row 10: *Knit in front and back of stitch, knit 5, repeat from * all the way across -- 56 stitches.
Row 12: Knit.
Row 13: Purl.
Row 14: Knit.
Rows 15 and 16: Repeat Rows 13 and 14.
Rows 17 and 18: Repeat Rows 13 and 14.
Row 19: Purl.
Row 20: Knit, increasing 4 stitches evenly spaced across -- 60 stitches.
Row 21: Purl.
Row 22: Knit
Row 23: Purl.
Row 24: Knit.
Row 25: Purl
Row 26: Knit.
Row 27: Purl.
Row 28: Knit.
Row 29: Purl, decreasing 4 stitches evenly spaced across -- 56 stitches.
Row 30: Knit.
Row 31: Purl.
Row 32: *Knit 5, knit 2 together, repeat from * all the way across -- 48 stitches.
Rows 33, 35, 37, 39 and 41: Purl.
Row 34: *Knit 2, knit 2 together, repeat from * all the way all the way across -- 36 stitches.
Row 36: *Knit 1, knit 2 together, repeat from * all the way across -- 24 stitches.
Row 38: Knit 2 together all the way across -- 12 stitches.
Row 40: Knit 2 together all the way across -- 6 stitches.
Row 42: Knit 2 together all the way across -- 3 stitches.
Bind off
NOTE: When you see "Row 36: *Knit 1, knit 2 together, repeat from * all the way across," for example, you should note the astrix (*) in front of the word 'knit' the first time it appears. The instruction "repeat from * all the way across" means you return to that astrix and repeat the instructions following the astrix and continue to do so until you have reached the end of the row. So, in this example, you continue to knit 1 and then knit 2 together until you've reached the end.
2. Cover the foam ball with the yarn casing and sew it in.
Cut the excess yarn, leaving about 6 inches still attached. Insert the foam ball inside the knitted casing. Sew the casing together with the yarn needle and the yarn still attached. This is the base of your bird tail.
3. Sew the tail base onto the belt so you can attach the tail to your actors later.
Place the center of the belt about 1/3 of the way down from the top of the tail base. Use the yarn needle and excess yarn to anchor the tail base to the belt.
4. Use the wire to build the frame for the feathers.
The wire is needed to help shape the feathers and attach them to the tail base. Bend the wire into the desired shape. Birds like peacocks and turkeys are going to need longer and fuller tails. Canaries will need long but thin tails and ducks have short, stubby tails. Next, cover the tips of the wire in glue and poke them into the foam ball. Try to get the tips as deep into the foam ball as possible. Wait for the glue to dry before moving on to step 5.
5. Sew feathers on tight so they don't fly away.
Once the glue is dry, it is time to add the feathers. Feather boas are the best as they can easily be wrapped around the wires and sewn into place. The feathers should match the yarn on the tail base, though other colors may be used as well if the bird you are trying to make has multiple colored feathers. Wrap the feathers around the wire until the wire is completely covered. Use the sewing needle and a matching colored thread to sew the feathers to the tail base.
6. Transform your actors into fine feathered friends.
Once you have made sure that the feathers are fastened securely to the wire and the tail base, you are ready to use your feather tails! Simply strap the belt around the actor's waist. He's ready to make his entrance.
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