By Sarah Honadel
It may still be winter, but that means spring turkey season
is right around the corner. If you’re like me, you’re already starting to
prep—and that includes figuring out what to do with your turkey. As a hunter,
one of my goals is to use as much of my harvested animal as possible. This not
only includes eating the meat, but also the antlers, hide, feathers, etc.,
depending on the animal.
After harvesting an Eastern Turkey during Kentucky’s spring
turkey season, I wanted to find a way to make use of his beautiful wing and
tail feathers. I already had a turkey tail fan mounted from the year before, so
I decided to make a wreath.
The end result looks stunning, and I’ve received countless
compliments on it. The best part: it was almost free, and really easy to make!
What you’ll need:
·
8” round floral foam
·
Variety of turkey wing and tail feathers
·
Masking tape
·
String/twine
·
Materials to add your own touch, such as ribbon,
letters, antlers, etc.
Instructions:
Place the floral form on a flat surface and insert the
longest wing and tail feathers around the middle of the form. I usually start
with spacing them 2-3 inches apart, then continue going around and filling in
that first layer. You should end up with about a half inch between each
feather. Be careful not to insert the feathers to far, or you could break the
form (like I did!).
Continue inserting feathers around the form, up the side and
into the front until the wreath is full. For the feathers on the front of the
form, you’ll want to insert them diagonally into the form (not straight in), so
the wreath is flat. Just add feathers until it looks full and you can’t see any
of the foam form. The shortest feathers should be in the front. I also like to
slant mine a little to give it more of a circular look. There really is no
right or wrong way.
Make sure to insert short feathers into the center to cover
the form.
Once you have all of your feathers in place, you should have
the basic wreath.
Because there are so many feathers in the form (and I
actually broke my form), I use masking tape to cover the back to help hold it
together and make it sturdier.
To finish, I added a simple burlap bow. You could use any
type of ribbon to make a bow, or use something else like antlers or letters to
make it match your own décor or style. Add a string or twine on the back to
hang.
Now you just need to hang it!
Tips:
·
Hang your
wreath inside (rather than on the front door), such as over the mantel, to
prevent fading and to prevent the feathers from getting wet from condensation
that can build up between doors.
·
To
dust/clean, use a slightly damp cloth and gently wipe; you don’t want the
feathers to get wet.
·
Change the
bow and other décor to match the season, holiday or other room décor.
·
You could
also make a similar wreath with duck and/or goose feathers, although you might
need to use a larger foam form since the feathers aren’t as long.
What crafts have you made with your turkey feathers or other
harvests? Share photos in the comments, or share on Instagram and tag @waddysarah
and @arrowridgecreations.
