Let there be light (and feathers)! I just about died when I saw this feather pendant come across my Pinterest feed a few weeks ago. I love how light and airy it looks and I immediately knew it had to try and make it as a DIY or my brain may explode into a billion tiny pieces. So to avoid that messy sounding tragedy, I decided to go for it! Here’s what I did:
Supplies:
–white feather trim (we used 8 trims to complete our light)
-hot glue gun
–rice paper lantern (make sure to get one that is supposed to be used with a lightbulb, as not all paper lanterns are approved for that type of use)
–pendant light kit (if you don’t already have one installed).
1. Starting at the bottom of your paper lantern, position your feather trim so that the feathers go an inch or so past the opening. You’ll notice that the feathers tend to all curve up or down, so you’ll want to turn them so they will curve upwards when the light is right side up (this give the light it’s fluffy look). Use the hot glue gun to glue the ribbon trim of the feathers onto the paper lantern and go all the way around the lantern to complete the circle of feathers.
2. Start the feather trim for your next row about 2 inches from the top of the first row and make another circle of feather. Continue this process until you have covered the bottom half of the lantern.
3. When covering the top half of the lantern, make your rows of feathers a little closer (about 1.5 inches from each other). With the way the feathers lay, you’ll notice gaps in the top half more than in the bottom half, so you’ll use more rows on the top.
4. When you get to the top, line up the ribbon edge of your trim with the top of the lantern when attaching the feathers to complete the pendant. All you have to do now is hang your pendant!
Note: If you don’t already have a pendant light kit installed from a previous light, you’ll have to have a professional electrician install the kit for you.
I’m actually a bit shocked the pendant came out this well! It has all the whimsical airiness of the more expensive version, but it was so much cheaper to make (and fun too!). It looks so light, I keep thinking that it’s going to fly away or float around the house when I’m not looking. Think you’ll try making one too? xo. Laura
NOTE: With the lightbulb-safe paper lantern and proper electrical work, this poses no abnormal fire hazard. As with the general rules of fire-safety, make sure to turn off your light if you leave the room or when you go to bed.
Credits // Author and Photography: Laura Gummerman.
Hi! Love this and want to try to make one. What size is the lantern you used? The product link seems to be expired. Thanks!!
Hi Melissa! Just updated the post with this link- https://amzn.to/2CpR0O9
Hi!
This looks absolutely stunning! I’m going to make one for my bedroom. I’m just wondering if you used an oval shaped lantern for this? The shape looks more oval than round. I’d like to get the same shape that you have here. Thanks so much!
Hi! I loved your lamp idea and tried to make it. I went to the link you provided for the feather trim, but I couldn’t justify spending $20 per piece for eight pieces on the feather trim, so I tried to find it on Amazon instead. They had something that was similarly described as rooster hackle feather trim, also 5″ width, also stitched onto a satin ribbon trim, but when it arrived, it was more like 2.5-4″ width. My lamp came out cute, but very round, not with the swooping oblong shape of yours. You clearly used longer feathers. So I went back and bought different feather trim from a different vendor that assured me the trim was 5″ width, but I got the same exact trim. Is it possible you are using goose or turkey feathers in this DIY, and not rooster? Then again, I copy-pasted the sku for the trim in your link into Amazon, and it came up with the same exact description as the trim I had already bought, though in the photos it did look a bit longer, and it was $25 per 2 yards. I want to make this for my dining room, but I don’t want to spend $160-180 on just the feathers. Help? Clarification? How much did you spend on the trim?
I love this post, when I think about feathered lamps ( https://amoderngrandtour.com/) comes to mind. They have some stunning lamps.
Hi what kind of feathers did you use and where did you source them from please? thank you
Hi! We used 8 of these- https://www.save-on-crafts.com/whitefeathers3.html 🙂
Help, I’m still not clear on length! For a 14″ round light, how many feet/meters/yards of feather trim are needed? Thank you!!!
Hi- love this and am going to attempt to make it! But getting confused on how much feathers are required. Approx. how many yards in total?
Also I agree with another post, the finished product looks oval which I love. Is that just due to the feathers or is the shade not fully expanded?
Thanks,
Maeve
Hi , I bought a 16″ round shade with White goose feathers which are 3″ in length and ordered 7 meters. Just had to re-order another 7m as it only fit half way up the shade, I glued them about 2″ apart. The ribbon was noticeable from underneath so used hair straighteners to curl the feathers upwards and have lost the joins and now looks a lot better, nice and fluffy. In hiensight I should have bought an oval shade with my goose feathers, rooster heckle is probably better with a round shade and half the price. I’ve started so I’ve got to finish!! Now costing me about £70 but is looking good. Hope this helps lu
Hi love this, just wondering if the lantern is round or an oval shape. Can’t tell but I suppose positioning of the feathers would naturally give it an oval shape.
Hi Lu! The lantern is round 🙂
Thank you, I’ve been looking every where for an oval shade at a reasonable price. I can buy the round I’ve found for £3 and start using my feathers now, I’ve got 7 metres fingers crossed it will cover a 40cm shade maths not my strong point. ?
The total cost is roughly $120.00.
14″ paper lantern–Amazon
Rooster hackle white dyed feathers x2–featherplace.com (comes in various colors)
The light pendant–Amazon
I couldn’t tell if she used a 16″ or a 14″. I went with the 14″ for my daughter’s small bedroom. Hope this helps and happy crafting!
what is the feather type used for the lantern? Goose Turkey Ostrich?
Joining the question to what kind of feathers used
Rooster – Hackle
I love this so much my heart hurts. Dust be damned. (I’d go over it with my blow dryer set on cool once in a while).
Just saw this popping up on my fb feed. Did you know a german magazine has featured you in their fb update? 🙂
My gah! Those walls!!! Just gorgeous. The lights not bad either;) Thanks for the awesome tutorial.
This is great! When I was young I had a somewhat similar sparkley version that I got at Ikea. My only advice is don’t leave it on for long periods of time (I used it as a night time reading light so sometimes I’d fall asleep with it on) or the feathers and paper shade will be come discolored overtime. Great work-so cute and airy.
what kind of feathers are they do you know? trying to find some to make this in australia. i absolutely love this! thanks x
I love this! My kitties would try to attack it – but it is beautiful.
One tip – if you’re worried about the heat of a standard light bulb, go LED. The produce almost NO heat and can be purchased to fit wherever a “standard” screw-in bulb would.
Love it… What a great project!
This is great! Love it so much.
http://www.ameliaholly.blogspot.co.uk
Oh gosh, this is absolutely wonderful! I love it! We want a chandelier type thing for our dining room but have been horrified at the prices so may end up doing a DIY job with something similar, though we might use twigs and fairy lights. Good inspiration, very professional result. P x
Wow, that’s awesome.
I really want to try this <3