Quill Pens And Berry Ink...

In the 1700s and well in to the 1800s, people wrote with quill pens. Such writing was not easy, and skill came only with alot of practice. They say the merit of a quill pen is it's ability to produce a fine line with none of the harsh qualities common to a steel tipped pen. It's sad, but these days we can go days without even picking up a pen, and we send out missives on our computers instead of handwriting personal notes.

Here is a fun idea if you still enjoy writing as well as doing crafts. If you have older children they may appreciate this as something to keep them busy during the summer months if they write or pen missives to far off friends and relatives. Do be careful of berry stains, but if you get them, check my archives on ways to remove them.

Berry Ink Ingredients:
1/2 cup ripe berries (blueberries, cherries, blackberries, strawberries, elderberries, raspberries, etc.)
1/2 Tsp. Vinegar
1/2 Tsp. Salt

Fill a strainer with the berries and hold it over a bowl. Using the rounded back of a wooden spoon, crush the berries against the strainer so that the berry juice strains into the bowl. Keep adding berries until most of their juice has been strained out and only pulp remains. Add the salt and vinegar to the berry juice. The vinegar helps the ink retain its color and the salt keeps it from getting moldy. If the berry ink is too thick, add a tablespoon of water. Store in a baby food jar. Only make a small amount of berry ink at a time and, when not in use, keep it tightly covered.

To Make Your Quill Pen:
A large feather (find your own or purchase one from a craft store)
Craft knife
Paper
Berry ink
Paper towels

Tips of fresh shafts on the feather must be hollowed out before cutting to remove all oil or fatty material. Thoroughly dry the quills. Use a craft knife to cut the tip of the feather at an angle. (this is best done with a very sharp knife and a hard surface, such as a block of wood, under your quill) Carefully, cut a slit in the tip. Dip the feather into the berry ink. Dab the end on a paper towel. Repeat as needed. Now, write your masterpiece just like our ancestors did!

Writing with your quill pen tip:
Hold the quill as if writing and make small circles with it on the back of your other hand (Try this without ink!) When you can make slight indentations on your hand without leaving a slight scratch mark, you are using the proper pressure to write. The pressure most of us use to write with today is too hard to use with a quill. There is no substitute for practice.

Enjoy your new quill pen!