17 March 2012

Make an Easy Feather Headdress


A month out from Scrag's Peter Pan party, production is in full swing.
For one of the party games, we'll be having an "Indian War dance" version of "Statues" around the fake campfire, in front of the teepee we will make.*

I envisage this War Dance* being led by some adult willing to make a fool of themselves lead the fun (probably my husband). So I looked online to find out about hiring an Indian War Bonnet*. Damn, those things are expensive to hire! I reckoned I could make a decent enough job of one myself, with my trusty glue gun - and I was right.

It took me all of ten minutes, and cost next-to-nothing. I'm also making a single-feather version for each of the "braves" - which they can then take home with them.


Here's how to do it, just in case you ever want a Wild West or Peter Pan party...

What You Need:
glue gun and plenty of extra glue sticks
a length of webbing, preferably stretchy*
a packet of longish feathers, any colour
a packet of multi-coloured feathers from a craft shop
Two extra-long white feathers for the sidebars

* I got mine from Geoff's Emproium for .50c a metre - and it was even stretchy!

  1. Determine the size by wrapping the webbing around your head; allow some overlap for gluing. Apply hot glue along one side of the overlapped webbing and quickly press together.
  2. Once glue is cooled and set, attach the feathers with hot glue to the inside of the band as shown.
  3. Make sure the tallest feathers are at the front. Multi-coloured feathers make for a more impressive headdress!
  4. Attach the two white feathers hanging down, on either side of where the wearer's face will be.
That's it! 




Now for the little Braves' feather headbands...


Use the same type of webbing; measure the length by wrapping it around your child's head. Create the basic headband as shown above. Hot-glue a tall feather onto the inside of the band.

If your child insists on putting the feather at the front (when you meant for it to be at the back) that's OK. Let the kids wear them however they want.


In fact, instead of making them all the same (like you intended to) you can individualise them by sticking a tuft of different coloured feathers on to the front of the tall feather. Now there should be no mix-ups about which belongs to who.



Easy huh?

Now I just need to go back and get some more of that awesome stretchy brown webbing from Geoffs; I've run out and I'm only half done. Luckily these headbands take only a few minutes to make or I would be there all week... {man I ♥ my glue gun}


*Disclaimer: In no way is this headdress or my planned party games meant to be culturally insulting to Native Americans and their traditions or costumes. This is meant for a "Peter Pan" Birthday Party for three and four year olds. "Indians" feature in the classic story by JM Barrie, and both the Disney cartoon film and the 2003 live action version. I have no idea whether my humble little feather headband might be stepping on somebody's culturally sensitive toes, but if I am, I sincerely apologise. No insult or slight was intended. I am from New Zealand. I have no idea whether I am being accidentally politically incorrect! Just saying.


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