Bullseye Cane Bonanza, Part Five: Feather Cane

Finally, the feather cane.  It is a beautiful cane that is surprisingly simple to make...lots of steps, but not really all that difficult.  

I'm just using three colors for this one (I've used five or six brighter colors for more contrast and a livelier look)

As usual, wrap a couple of logs with a sheet of clay (I'm using a thinner setting for this cane)

Reduce the cane until it's several times it's original length (I'm reducing to about a quarter inch in diameter)

Flatten each cane so that it will fit through the pasta machine

Roll through on the thickest setting...you'll get a long, flat noodle-looking thing

Cut in about one inch lengths

Offset and layer each piece in the color pattern you like...do one side and then reverse for the other side; save one piece for the top part of the feather; when I demoed this at a clay meeting, Kim said she makes the pieces longer and makes one side and then cuts it in half.  Less work and better matching.  Oh, she's right (as usual!)

Roll a medium thick sheet of clay for the middle vein of the feather; place the two layered pieces on either side of the vein and insert the top piece (it might need to be trimmed or reduced a bit to fit)

Compress and reduce as desired.  Ta-da!  A feather cane!

Here's a group picture of the canes in this series....

Hope this helps and thanks for stopping by!