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April 2007 Subscribe - It's easy!

American Indian Flat Dance Fan Construction (Page 2)

By Rex Reddick

[Prev Page] Reprinted from Whispering Wind: Vol. 33 No. 4 [Next Page]

Native American Indian Flat Fan Construction Article

that each one curves naturally to the right or left. Separate them in this way, leaving the longest and straightest one for the center feather. The idea is to use an odd number of feathers; usually five to seven, but occasionally as many as eleven are used.

2. Straightening the Feathers

Straighten the feathers by running the quill over an exposed light bulb as shown in Figure 1. Protect your eyes with sunglasses. Gently apply a steady pressure to the quill until it softens and begins to bend to the desired shape. Do not force it too quickly or it might crimp and be ruined. As the feather is being heated, turn it over from time to time to ensure an even distribution of heat. Also, you will probably have to over-bend it somewhat in order for it to maintain the desired shape. For a faster job, use your thumbnail to simply crimp the quill every 1” or so.This may be necessary in addition to the heat treatment, as a combination of these two methods works quite well and slightly crimped feathers tend to retain their shape better than those that have only been heated.

3. Trimming the Feathers

For a more realistic look, carefully trim the black ends of your feathers with a pair of sharp scissors. First, cut the flimsy tip off of each feather so there is about 3” of black remaining. Next, cut these to resemble the eagle tail feathers shown in Figure 2. The desired shape is more like the tip of a butter knife than the extreme point of the turkey feather. The center feather should have about the same amount of vein on each side and be slightly more pointed than the others. Look at photos of real eagle feathers for reference.

Native American Indian Flat Fan Construction Article

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BACK IN PRINT!

Indian Crafts & Lore

W. Ben Hunt - Out of print for many years, this classic how-to book is available once again. Loaded with fully illustrated projects and instructions on how to make items such as war bonnets, hair roaches, moccasins, bustles & more. 112 pg with hundreds of full color illustrations.
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Buckskin Garment Suede

Crazy Crow Buckskin

Much like our very popular white garment suede but with a beautiful light buckskin co-lor, this garment buckskin is perfect for a host of garments and craft projects. These hides are fully sueded on both sides with very few blemishes or holes.
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Pendleton Accessories

Pendleton Bags for 2007

Pendleton® quality continues with these beautifully designed accessories. From the hand "Duffle Bag" to the convenient "Tote Bag" these items will last through years of enjoyment.
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