Doing handkerchief tricks is surprisingly difficult and requires quick reflexes and a casual demeanor. Relentlessly practicing the art of handkerchief magic tricks is the key to getting a trick just right. Try tricks out on your family and friends to gain practice in front of an audience and ask for their feedback. Dress the part of a magician to lend credibility to your performance. If a tuxedo is out of the question, wear a white, button-down shirt and vest.
Reading books about magic will give you knowledge about how to do tricks, as will watching video demonstrations. Use a combination of both venues to learn how to do magic tricks. Books, including the "Klutz Book of Magic" and "The Illustrated Compendium of Magic Tricks," show pictures in addition to descriptions for how to do magic tricks.
In the "Disappearing Hanky" trick, a magician inserts a hanky into his closed fist, then seemingly makes the hanky vanish. For this trick, you need a "Magician's thumb." The thumb resembles a human thumb but it is hollow and holds the "missing" hanky. Purchase a magician's thumb at a magic shop or online.
The "Changing Color" handkerchief trick requires that a magician stand before an audience, holding a colored hanky in front of him. After giving the hanky a few strokes of his hand, ta-dah!, the hanky changes colors in front of your very eyes. The prop needed for this trick is a handkerchief within a handkerchief, which is available at magic shops or online. When the hanky changes colors, it is because the inner hanky has been pulled out.
A handkerchief magic trick so easy that anyone can do it is the "Jumping Hanky." A magician tightly balls up a handkerchief that is made from thin plastic, similar to a plastic party tablecloth or any other stiff, yet flexible, fabric. Then, she secretly places the balled-up hanky into the crook of her arm, where the elbow bends. When the arm is quickly straightened, the hanky jumps out, surprising everyone.