I start with a curvy line, spine around the entire quilt, then do 'bump back' petals on the right side, all the way around, and once I've come all the way around, i do the left side the same. Occasionally, I'll add a swirl or something to fill in a gap, but mostly just differing sizes of petals to fill the sides.
On one quilt, I worked out making two ropes of feathers intertwine. It was fun, but nerve wracking. https://www.pinterest.com/pin/535083999460677467/. It's a wide border on a Radiant Star quilt.

It took me a long time to grasp doing feathers, but my biggest breakthrough came from Judy Woodworth. I was taking a class from her when she passed on a tip to imagine going over a coin for the top of the curve before going down to the spine. It was priceless!

Where did you find the video series called Feather Boot Camp? I didn't find it on youtube.

I can’t seem to copy the link here but recently there was a discussion on feathers in borders. In search, I typed in feathers in borders and it came to the link. There is a great YouTube video.

It is Tips on Feathers started by Watson.

Angela Walters has a U-tube video on this--she says you don't have to do one long feather. Google her as she has lots of good ideas.

The link to Feather Boot Camp is:

http://www.suzanneearley.net/feather-boot-camp/

I don’t remember where I saw this idea, but this is an idea to do feathers that I found on a blog, that even I could make work. Start with a piece of tissue paper the size of the area (border, block,etc,) that you want to fill with feathers. Draw a “spine” line where you want the feathers to go, then using a coin (or something round of the desired size), trace coins down both sides of the line, and one at the terminal end of the line. See first example. Now, using another color pen or pencil, retrace the coins but terminate the lines in the top of the next coin. See second example. Please remember that I sew because I can not draw. Now pin your tissue to your quilt section and follow the second set of lines only. Feathers made.

yes, I try to start at the half way point of the sides and go to half way of the top/bottom--it frames the quilt and on larger quilts I personally think it's more interesting. and that does put some head "south" I've also done Angela Walters' "wild feathers" and gone from the side of the main part of quilt and go out to the edge of border (remember to leave your 1/4" for the binding) and then done straight lines to fill in the spaces. (this was a customer quilt that had 10"borders!)

Here is a link to the feather boot camp you mentioned, I believe. http://wp.me/PqREJ-1Lu