How to Make Fabric Fairy Wings



Materials Needed:

     12 gauge wire
     organza fabric (color of your choice)
     wire cutters (with needle nose pliers)
     hot glue gun
     hot glue sticks
     scissors
     one yard of half inch wide braided elastic
     spray paint (color of your choice)
     glitter (optional)
     tulips fabric paint (optional)
     fake flowers (optional)
     22 caliber wire a.k.a florial wire (optional)
     feathers (optional)



Step A: Designing Your Wings

First, sketch out the general shape you want you wings to look like. Think about the size, shape and color scheme. You can take inspiration from several different creatures like dragonflies, butterflies, fish tails, bat wings, anything!



Step B: Bending Out the Wire

First cut two pieces of wire equal in size. Bend out one wire in the shape of your design using the needle nose pliers. Its best to lay the wire on the ground and shape it from there. This way your frame will lie flat, making it easier to attach the fabric later on. Be sure to leave an length of 7 inches of wire on both ends to make the two wings connect. Bring the ends together and wrap the wires around each other to close the wing. There should still be enough wire to make the harness. Once you are finished shaping one side, use that as a template for your other wing. This way both wings will match up.

(Optional) To add extra stability cut two pieces of wire for each wing. Using 22 caliber wire, twine the extra bars of wire to the base of the harness and tips of the wings. This will separate each wing into three sections.


   



Step C: Attaching the Fabric

The fabric you use on the wings is a transparent organza. The stiffer the organza the tighter it will look on the frame.

1. First you will want to spray paint your wire to match the color of the organza you will be covering it with.
2. Start by ironing your organza, make sure there are no creases in your fabric. Then lay the organza down and place the wire wing frame on top. Cut around the shape leaving one to two inches of excess fabric around the outside edges of the frame.
3. Next cut slits into the excess fabric horizontally towards the wire. Repeat around the entire frame.
4. Squeeze out a short line of hot glue on to the wire at the base of one of the flaps you cut. Immediately fold over the flap before the glue drys. Make sure the crease connects to the wire. Repeat this connecting all flaps to the wire. (while gluing the flaps be sure that all the fabric stays taught on the frame)
5. Now that your fabric is attached to the frame you can cut off the extra fabric from the flaps.

(Optional) If you added the extra stability bars to the frame, cut the fabric for each panel of the wing and glue each one on separately.


   

   

   


Step D: Attaching the Two Wings Together

Twine the lengths of excess wire together to form the square shaped harness. After they are connected wrap ribbon around the harness to hide the wire.




Step E: Decorating Your Wings!

This is the fun part! Nows when you give your wings your personal touch. There are several different way you can decorate your wings. Many of which can be found online. Here are a few of my favorites.

1.Spray paint the tips of your wings whatever color you wish. I've always like to fade the tips off to a different color.
2. Using tulips fabric paint, paint veins throughout the wing and sprinkle glitter over them. The fabric paint catches the glitter.
3.To give the harness more glamor, hot glue fake leaves and flowers at the base of the wings and on the wire.




Step F: Wearing Your Wings

Tie length of the elastic strip to the top and bottom bars creating a back strap. Repeat on opposite side. The wings are worn like a backpack.




Here are some links to other on-line wing tutorials!


Nylon fairy wings
Cellophane fairy wings
Various fairy wings


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