Feather boro pendants?

[kokeshikitten]

These are lovely, and a neat jumping off point for a project I have in mind. I am NOT out to rip anyone off. But, I am wondering how these are made? Sculpting/flattening boro rod, and raking color, then adding a glass loop/bail? http://pinterest.com/pin/206673070372706676/ Any other ideas?
I did a search on feathers, and got lovely, feathering, texturing posts, but nt exactly what I was looking for. Thanks!

[Max Hardcastle]

It looks to me like a stringer is wrapped repeatedly around the tip of a rod and then the whole bit is flattened, raked, and stretched. The edges appear to have little cut marks in them - probably just heat and clip with scissors.

The stringer color looks like some kind of silvery or metallic glass. My first guess would be boro, but I bet you could get similar results using double helix glass or some of the other fancy soft glass colors. Seems like the top is just flipped over towards the back to create a loop. They do look really cool. I bet they could be expanded on a bit - add different color stringers in the same feather, or a twisty to get a more mottled look like a turkey feather... that or just do a half clear half colored stringer to get the fade affect.

http://www.photo-dictionary.com/phra...feather.html#b

[kokeshikitten]

Thanks! That makes sense. It should be fun to play and find out. I was thinking of fuming and adding a pecock feather eye, and trapping the silver fume in with clear and making it shine and bling.

[Dragonharper]

Looks to me like they made a pair of large lollipops, put the color on one, then sandwiched and twisted. They could then be raked down the center or cut with scissors and rejoined, like making a heart. Finally shape as desired. (This is my guess at how I would try to achieve the effect shown, not saying that is how it was accomplished.)

[beachbeads]

Ask the artist.

[essiemessy]

They're absolutely gorgeous!

[shawnette]

Originally Posted by Dragonharper

Looks to me like they made a pair of large lollipops, put the color on one, then sandwiched and twisted. They could then be raked down the center or cut with scissors and rejoined, like making a heart. Finally shape as desired. (This is my guess at how I would try to achieve the effect shown, not saying that is how it was accomplished.)

Almost.

These can be made in soft glass or boro using the same technique. I made a bunch a few years ago as a custom order. It's basically a big fat twistie and it's pretty much the same as making leaves. You just make a few decorative changes for it to be a feather.

1. Choose a base color and make a semi-large gather and squish into lollipop.

2. Stripe on whatever contrasting colors you want to use and punty the other end with whatever color you want the tip to be.

3. Melt into a football shape and twist (tight) but don't pull it too long. 1-2" is about the length you want at 6-10mm thick.

4. Melt off the tip end, leaving about 10mm of the tip color

5. Mash into lollipop again.

6. Heat the center from to bottom to top, getting it soft.

7. Rake from inside the tip color to the top. Repeat on the other side. (optional)

8. Heat the edge and snip with scissors. (I do 2 on each side.)

9. Re-attach the tip colored punty, heat the entire thing and stretch to desired length/shape.

10. Heat & pull the loop from the top rod.

11. Pull the tip to a point and detach rod.

12. Put in the kiln.

[shawnette]

(Sounds complicated but they're super easy and only take a couple of minutes to make.)

[essiemessy]

Awesome! Thanks for that, Shawnette
I have an idea in miniature.

[kokeshikitten]

Whoa, these are yours, shawnette? I just saw them on pinterest and fell in love. incredible. Thanks for the info!

[shawnette]

No no no! They are not mine. I've made lots of pendants and drops just like them.

[Lizzydee]

Thanks for sharing.