DIY: Feather Extensions
So the long awaited post is here! Time to “Do it Yourself!” No need to pay the steep prices for getting feather extensions in. Feather extensions can be washed curled and flat ironed. Just do whatever you already do with your hair they are very easy and fun. They can last up to six weeks. This tutorial will show you how to do it yourself. Have fun!
Materials Needed:
1. Jewelry Pliars (the kind with the teeth are best because you can use them to take the feather extensions out once you are done with them.)
2. Micro Crimp Bead (the pictured clip has silicone in the center, this helps it hold the feathers better)
3. Piece of fishing line.
4. Feathers! Below are links to a few of my favorite shops to buy feathers from.
Moonlight Feathers – This shop has lots of the bulk feathers that are shorter and come in packs of a few hundred. Also they have the longer extension feathers for a good price. Shipping takes a little while but the product is great. This is also the shop that sells the Peacock Feathers I used in my Peacock Feather Earring Tutorial.
Lamplight Feathers – Great prices, you have to buy a few more but it is worth it if you have friends who also want feather extensions. You can also use extra feathers to make Feather Earrings.
You can find lots of other buying options on Etsy or you can find feathers at your local fishing shop. Many of the feathers used for extensions are the same type used for fly fishing.
First hold the feathers up to the hair to see where you want them to be. I usually place them towards the front and if you are putting extensions in your own hair it is easiest to do it right if they are in the front.
Pull back the top layer of hair depending on the thickness of the hair you will have to pull back more or less. On people with finer hair I have to put the clip lower down so it does not show through. Grab a small section of hair that is all from the same spot on the head. As shown in the picture above.
With your fishing line create a loop around the hair and then thread the two ends through the crimp bead. Once you have it as the picture shows pull on the ends of the fishing line until the hair is pulled through the crimp bead.
Once you have pulled the hair though the crimp bead, gently move the bead to the roots of the hair.
Once you have the bead at the roots of the hair begin feeding the feathers into the clip. Start with the feather you want at the bottom of the group.
Once all the feathers are in you are ready to crimp the micro crimp bead.
While holding the feathers in place with one hand use your other hand to grab the crimp bead with your pliars. Then crimp the bead. It will lay flattest if you make the smashed bead parallel to your head. As shown in the picture below.
Put the rest of the hair back over the clip and see how it looks! It is probably wise to buy a few extra clips so you can change the location of the feathers as desired. Some times they seem like they will look good in one spot and later you will realize they don’t. If you need to remove the feathers simply smash the bead the opposite way it is already smashed with the pliers.
There are lots of great places to put the feathers. The base of the hair line in the back. Or your bangs (see the first picture in this post). You can also place them in the hair right in front of your ears the pieces that fall out when you put your hair up. You will need to be creative in hiding the clip if you put the feathers where you don’t have a lot of hair. Good luck! Send me pics of your successes and fails 😉
52 Comments
Kimz
These are fantastic! Thanks. Only two questions though, how to remove them once they’re in and can/how to wash them? Great tutorial!
elisa
Wow can’t believe I missed adding that. I added it into the post but I wanted to answer your question also. You can wash them just like you do your hair. They are very durable. They last up to six weeks. To take the feathers out you simply smash the bead with pliers in the opposite direction of what it has already been smashed. Does that make sense?
Kimz
thanks!
Danielle
Just wash them like regular hair. Just be careful to not brush over the bead. It will loosen the feathers and with sort of hurt. ( I have seven)
Laurie
Your tutorial is awesome! I watched the stylist put 2 in my daughters hair, at the salon. The results of your feathers are much prettier than what my daughters were! Thanks for posting this!
Meighan
Can they be styled? May be a silly question, but I have curly hair, can you curl a feather?
elisa
Yes you can curl them just like you would curl hair. I would recommend not using too high of heat (some curling irons go up to 450 degrees) because it will limit the life of your feathers. Also you can scrunch them when they are wet like you can hair also.
Abby
thanks so much for this tutorial! I just did two in my hair and also my best friends and we were blown away by the results and how easy it is!!! But buying the feathers online as extensions is expensive and not totally necessary, i used feathers from my dads fly fishing kit, they’re called hackle and you can get them at fly fishing stores for way cheaper and they’re’s honestly the exact same feathers that the salons use!! I got a pack of a few hundred for $12!!!!
elisa
I did mention that in the post that you can find the feathers at bait shops. However many fly fisherman have been complaining about their bait always being sold out so many fly fishing stores only sell feathers to those with a fishing license. Fair or not I have heard of a lot of people having trouble buying from bait shops. I am going to add a few links to other places to purchase from as I find good sources. I am glad the tutorial helped…they are SO easy!
annie
Hey
Can you tell me where you got your feathers at? Thanks so much! 🙂
elisa
I includeded names of the online stores and links in the post. You should be able to find feathers there. The store I bought the pre glues pack from (jewel candy boutique) no longer lists extensions but if you contact her you may be able to get her to make you a pack still. Just look back at the post all the links are there.
Elisa
elisa
I put links in the post and I sent you an email.
Jennifer
Where do you find the micro crimp beads with silicone?
elisa
Lamplight feathers…I linked to them in the post. There are lots of venders who sell then on etsy also.
Sisifo
I love how easy this is. And yes, some bait shops are now only selling to men with a license. Even women with licenses cannot buy them. (Ca-razy!) But I thank you for the turotial.
Found via Pinterest.
elisa
Thanks! I am always happy to hear people are successful. I can’t believe how big of a deal the fly fishing thing has become, I understand the desire to protect the main clientele. I personally have been just fine with purchasing feathers online.
Karissa
I cannot see how they can legally prevent women from buying them when they sell them to men. If I was a woman who fished, they’d lose my business!
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Alef Bet Jewelry
Can you buy these at a craft store? Also, can you cut the feathers if I have short hair? I love how your images showed everything perfectly!
elisa
Not usually the type that is commonly used. You can cut feathers just like you can cut hair. I recommend cutting off some of the top of the feather because the end of the feather stays natural that way.
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Meredith
I love with these! My friend and i found this and we are going to try these out soon! We’ve been looking for feathers that would work for this and we don’t really know what kind of feathers to look for. Is there a certain type or no? We both have long hair, past our shoulders. I LOVE the feather extension in the picture to the right above the list of websites… you said you found it at Jewel Candy Boutique on Etsy, but i coudln’t find it online. Please help!
Thank you so much!
elisa
I included links to all the websites. Maura at Jewel Candy Boutique is not listing extensions but she may still be able to make you some if you contact her through Etsy.
elisa
You should be able to click on the names of the stores and they are links to the shops online.
Alyssa
Hey, I just wanted to let you know I thought this post was awesome and I just featured it on my site.
Here’s the link – https://craftyourcollege.com/?p=179
elisa
Thanks for spreading the feather extension love!
Heather & Rose
I love that you did a tutorial on how to put them in your hair! I just ordered some feathers and can’t wait to get them here and put them in my hair! Thanks for doing this.
Heather
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Kim
How cool! Thank you so much for posting this! I just ordered some feathers for my daughter and I. Can’t wait! Thanks again!
Katie
Do you think you really need to have a silicone crimp bead? Wouldn’t a regular jewelry crimp bead work just as well? Might not last as long, but it would probably get the job done, right?
Brook
I wish I had money to do this! AWESOME
Amy
Thank you for posting this. I came via U CREATE my daughter has been begging me to take her to have this done. So I am happy we can save the money and do it ourselves. (My Dad is a Fly Fishermen)lol I can go raid his feathers
Ashley
You are a genius! And to think I was about to spend $25 to get three of them done at a salon! Thank you so much!
Alexandra
Can you just use regular crimping beads? Or do you have to use the silicone ones? I ordered the feathers online but i was just going to get the beads from a craft store
elisa
I would not recommend it. The hair extension crimp beads are easy to open when you are ready to take your feathers out. They are also larger and thicker than regular crimp beads. If you try it though let me know how it goes 🙂
Alex
Love this idea, definitely going to try it soon! After you take the extension out by mashing the crimp bead the other direction, can you re-use it? Or do you have to take the feathers out of the bead and re-do the entire thing?
elisa
If you are carful you can reuse the bead one more time. The feathers last forever if you take care of them so you can take them out and put them back in multiple times.
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Katherine
Love the tutorial! I found your site via Pinterest. I paid $30 for three feathers at a local salon and loved the experience. If I do it again, I will definitely DIY. I did accidentally comb mine out of my hair while in the shower. Mine had been in 5 weeks and the stylist did not use a silicone bead. Combing the feathers out actually broke some of my hair. I’ve heard of that happening to other people as well (I’m assuming that it causes stress to the hair. I also wear my hair in a ponytail often, and I wonder if it weakened the hair to be pulled like that).
I also think it’s crazy that fishing stores can refuse to sell the feathers. Their store is still profiting.
Thanks for the post!
elisa
I have lots of feathers and would be willing to sell some for $4 apiece. Lots of cool colors…let me know if you are interested.
Emma
I am definitely interested!
elisa
Why dont you email me… Mclaughlindesigns@elisajoy.com
kat
I am interested in the feathers!
elisa
Email me. I don’t have a ton left over but maybe I have colors you would like.
Mandy
I am fascinated by this! I have short hair (actually about medium length, above my shoulders) and there doesn’t seem to be a big selection for the short feathers. Can you trim the longer ones? How would that work? I’m excited to try this!
EchoOwl
Hey, I was just wondering what are the most common places to get crimp beads? I’m assuming a local craft store, but I’m not completely sure.
elisa
I think you can pick them up at Beauty Supply stores. The Lamplight Feathers (which I linked to) sells crimp beads also.
brooklynn
I bought some really pretty feathers from an etsy shop called “seekateblog” https://www.etsy.com/shop/seekateblog?ref=si_shop and I love them! I got the mermaid mix and it came with crimp beads and the fishing line. She explained how to use the line to thread the bead but i was still having a tough time figuring out how to “DIY” and then i found this site via pinterest, and i’m really glad I did. Very helpful!!
She also sells just the crimping beads too.
Leslie
Awesome! I can’t wait to try this! Do you know if the same process can be done with tinsel extensions?
Becki
i found alot of feather and some kits with feathers and beads on ebay
Kayla
There is also a ton of feathers on amazon for cheap. I’ve had a few feathers put in at salons, first time was a very good experience and it was expensive ($25 for 2) and they didn’t use a silicone bead which damaged my hair and only lasted a month. My second one which I just took out was in for 2 and a half months and is still good but I had combed it and screwed up to the hair so I’ll redo it when my beads come in. My suggestion is always DIY cuz it’s like a 10th of the price. I got 200 Silicone beads for 3.99 and if you look enough you can get feathers for about a dollar a piece.