I started off this best homemade Peacock costume with a dance leotard that my daughter had from a recital. I got the feathers from friends and an online resource.
Steps to make the tail:
1. Get a sturdy plastic oriental folding fan
2. Measure a 2″ satin ribbon to fit around your (or child’s) waist, and cut to size, PLUS 3 inches
3. Hot glue the ribbon onto the fan so that it is even on both sides.
4. Hot glue 1″ of Velcro to each side of the ribbon, starting 1/2″ from the end
5. Start hot-gluing the feathers onto the fan, making sure that the colorful “eye” is facing toward you.
6. Continue gluing feathers, cutting 2-3″ from the quill each layer, until you get a full and colorful tail
7. Once your feathers are all glued on, work on your leotard. My leotard had a tutu already attached, but you may need to make one yourself. There are a lot of tutorials online for that. Have your child try the leotard on and the tail. The tail is very light, but made of feathers and the slightest wind will catch the top and make it fall over. I solved this by finding 2 picture frame hooks, and gluing them onto the tail, measuring first where her shoulder blades were on the leotard. I marked on the leotard where I placed the hood on the fan, and then sewed loops of thread (thick thread) where her leotard was marked. Then, you hook the thread onto the loops after Velcroing the ribbon, and you’re ready to go!
8. For her little hair piece, I used Crayola Model Magic, made a rectangle, painted it blue, and put in the little feathers. Once it dried, I glued the model magic onto a hair clip. VOILA!
NOTES:
* I found a tutorial for her eye makeup on YouTube. Just search PEACOCK MASK MAKEUP and you’ll find it
* I found her earrings at Walmart, also on clearance, but I see them everywhere.
* I got her shoes on clearance at Target, but black shoes would look just fine.
* although this is literally “light as a feather” it does not fare well in crowded areas or windy weather. My daughter had to “side shuffle” a lot. The tail is 6 FEET wide!
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I have a few questions about your costume as this is the best one I’ve seen!
Happy to help! What are your questions?
I have a few questions about your costume as this is the best one I’ve seen!
How many feathers did you use? How big is the fan? What size feathers did you use? Also how exactly did you glue them on the fan? It looks so real and natural! Can you see the fan from the back? Thank you for any info!
I used well over 100 feathers, and you can find them on ebay for pretty good deals. The feathers were all at least 30″ long, and I cut them as they layered down.
As far as the gluing, there was a lot of hot glue! One feather at a time; you’ll get it once you start. Peacock tails are not very pretty from the other side, so the back tail view was not “pretty” as there isn’t much color.
How many feathers did you use? How big is the fan? What size feathers did you use? Also how exactly did you glue them on the fan? It looks so real and natural! Can you see the fan from the back? Thank you for any info!
I used well over 100 feathers, and you can find them on ebay for pretty good deals. The feathers were all at least 30″ long, and I cut them as they layered down.
As far as the gluing, there was a lot of hot glue! One feather at a time; you’ll get it once you start. Peacock tails are not very pretty from the other side, so the back tail view was not “pretty” as there isn’t much color.
I don’t know why I’m having a hard time picturing how you did the loops to keep it up against her back… Do you have any pics? Thanks! Beautiful work!
Hello! I don’t have photos of the thread loops. Let me see if I can clarify the loops. Basically, I took a needle and thread. I knotted the thread just as you would to start sewing. Then, I just kept going from inside the dress, poking the needle through up and then back down into the dress in the relative same spot where I knew the picture hooks matched when the tail was held up. I didn’t pull the thread through when making the loops. I kept my finger so the thread would loop around it. I repeated about 6-8 times for a thick bulk thread loop, and then I did the same thing on the other shoulder blade area. Hope this helps a little!
Hi..what a beautiful costume! What kind of fan did you use? how big was it, and how many feathers approximately did you use? Thanks so much!
I don’t know why I’m having a hard time picturing how you did the loops to keep it up against her back… Do you have any pics? Thanks! Beautiful work!
Hello! I don’t have photos of the thread loops…let me see if I can clarify the loops. Basically, I took a needle and thread. I knotted the thread just as you would to start sewing.Then, I just kept going from inside the dress, poking the needle through (up) and then and back down into the dress in the relative same spot where I knew the picture hooks matched when the tail was held up. I didn’t pull the thread through when making the loops. I kept my finger so the thread would loop around it. I repeated about 6-8 times for a thick bulk thread loop, and then I did the same thing on the other shoulder blade area. Hope this helps a little!
Hi..what a beautiful costume! What kind of fan did you use? how big was it, and how many feathers approximately did you use? Thanks so much!