Quilling

[Leanne]

What is quilling? To begin with, this craft has been around for a few hundred years. It is a very ornate way to decorate things using rolled strips of paper. While the technique is very simple, the design element is very complex.

In Malinda Johnson’s book, The Book of Paper Quilling, she states what is needed, “…two functional hands, some colorful strips of paper, one quilling tool…” You will want to use a lightweight paper. Cardstock will not roll very easily. You will also need a wet glue that is acid free.

The quilling tool is similar to an embossing tool. It has a wooden handle with a metal piece coming out the end but it has a point.

http://scrapbooking.com/mar2000/images/quill3_small.jpg

The first thing to do is to practice a few basic quilling shapes. Start with a tight circle. Using the quilling needle, wet the end of a 1/8” strip of paper with your mouth. This allows the paper to roll around the needle for the initial start. Holding the paper flat against your index finger, press the needle on top of the tip and proceed to roll the paper around the tip of the needle. Once you are done rolling, hold it tightly and glue the end of the strip to the roll that you just made. Now, take it off the needle. Congratulations, if you accomplished the tight circle, you are on your way!

http://scrapbooking.com/mar2000/images/quill2_small.jpg

http://scrapbooking.com/mar2000/images/quill4_small.jpg

The next one to try is the loose circle. Do the same steps as above but before you glue down the end, take the roll off the quilling tool and set it down on the table and let it unwind (loosen) a bit. Now you can glue the end down. This is another basic shape that will allow you to make so many more.

For a lot of the other basic shapes, you will need to make the loose circles and pinch them in order to create different shapes. Here are a few examples of some basic shapes.

http://scrapbooking.com/mar2000/images/quilldone_small.jpg

The possibilities are endless with this technique. So, get yourself a quilling needle and some strips of paper and hop to it.

[Leanne]

"V" Shapehttp://www.handcraftersvillage.com/images/vshape.gif
Fold the strip in half and roll the ends on the outside of the paper, away from the inner crease.


Feelershttp://www.handcraftersvillage.com/images/feelers.gif
Roll only a small part of the paper strip, leaving the rest of the strip straight. Feelers can be made with the strip folded in half as in this example, or just with one coil from an unfolded strip.


Peacock http://www.handcraftersvillage.com/images/peacock.gif
This can be made from either a loose or tight coil. After the coil is made pinch one side. A petal can be formed by bending the tip of the peacock eye slightly to one side.


Contoured http://www.handcraftersvillage.com/images/contpeg.gif
After rolling a tight coil, push the peg up from underneath the center to contour it's shape. Used to add dimension to a design.

[Leanne]

Peg http://www.handcraftersvillage.com/images/tight.gif
Roll a strip of paper tightly and glue the end while the coil is still tight. Pegs can be used in the design or glued to the underside of another shape to raise it creating dimension.


Quoteshttp://www.handcraftersvillage.com/images/quotes.gif
Fold the strip in half, roll the ends in the same direction. One coil will be rolled toward the center crease, the other away from it.


Open Heart http://www.handcraftersvillage.com/images/openhrt.gif
Fold the strip of paper in half and roll the ends toward the center of the crease.

Tendril http://www.handcraftersvillage.com/images/tendril.gif (Note this got smashed in the scanner it should be open and springy looking)
Roll in a spiral shape around the toothpick as tight as desired, also known as a spiral, rope or twist.

[Leanne]

"S" Shape http://www.handcraftersvillage.com/images/sshape.gif
Roll from both ends of the paper but on opposite sides of the strip.


Diamondhttp://www.handcraftersvillage.com/images/diamond.gif
Made from either a loose or tight coil. After the coil is made pinch two opposite sides. Also called a marquis or an eye-shaped coil.



Leaf Shape http://www.handcraftersvillage.com/images/leaf.gif
If you bend one or more ends of the diamond, you form a leaf shape.


Oval http://www.handcraftersvillage.com/images/oval.gif
Squeeze a loose coil into an oval shape, but try not to point the ends.

[Leanne]

Square http://www.handcraftersvillage.com/images/square.gif
Roll a loose coil and form a diamond. Pinch the smooth sides into points forming a square.


Rectangle http://www.handcraftersvillage.com/images/rectangl.gif
Squeeze first into an oval then pinch the corners to form a rectangle.


Triangle http://www.handcraftersvillage.com/images/triangle.gif
Pinch a loose coil into a 3-sided shape. Usually this looks better if you keep the center a round as possible.


Closed Heart http://www.handcraftersvillage.com/images/clsdhrt.gif
Pinch a triangle, then push in one side to form an indent.

[Leanne]

Half Moon http://www.handcraftersvillage.com/images/moon.gif
Pinch a loose coil on two sides while placing your finger in the middle of one side, this will cause an indentation on that side.

Tulip http://www.handcraftersvillage.com/images/tulip.gif
Pinch a loose coil on two sides while pushing in toward the center at one side.

[Leanne]

Using the quilling shapes above you should be able to make this
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v721/leetaylor21/snowdrop.jpg
Please show us your design if you decide to make anything.

[Kay]

hmmmmm I dont know if I would like that....Never tried it tho so I must try it ... looks ok...

[Leanne]

Looks nice, maybe a bit too arty for me. If I ever get some spare time I might try it and I will let you all know how I go.

[Kay]

Yeah a bit arty is the way It could be put

[imalittlecorgis]

Oh wow this looks like fun, but can anyone tell me is it actually designed to be put in book as such? Wouldn't it get all squished and well....................flat looking?

Am probably sounding dumb here but hey you never know things unless you ask!

[Kay]

I would think the same thing.. I thought it was ment for things like Cards or crafts... but I do think scrapbook will squish but then it if a tigter sorto of I mabey not hmmm dunno

[mummy_bec]

Thanks Lee, I already know how to do it, and what the basic shapes are, I was more after places to get paper and things. Thank you again tho!

And girls, I would say that things may get slightly squashed is you used them in books, guess it depends on the size of the paper you are using.

It's much easier than it looks too!

[mummy_bec]

Oh, and the tool that I use doesn't have a point, it has two .. like the top of a needle with the middle bit ( where the little circle is ) cut out of it and stuck in a piece of dowel.

[Leanne]

Oh ok I thought you could use normal paper and cut into strips.

[mummy_bec]

You probably could, but you can buy it in packs. It's pretty cheap too!

[Leanne]

ok I will keep an eye out for them.

[Leanne]

Here (http://cgi.ebay.com.au/6mm-acid-free-quilling-paper-red_W0QQitemZ8250996660QQcategoryZ37578QQcmdZViewI tem) is some 6mm acid free quilling paper from ebay

[Leanne]

I think would be better for cards

[Kay]

I totally agree lol

[Kylee]

awww really so u dont think theyd look good on a layout?

[Kay]

oh it would look good on a layout, but I dont think its realy my thing lol...
but on cards i would do it, Dunno why, lol3

[Leanne]

i think it would look good on both but more suited to cards

[mummy_bec]

I did a christmas card this way, and it turned out really nice. But they look good on layouts if you make fish, bunnies, bears .. I've got some done at home, I'll have to take some pics!

[lexwithbub]

OMG OMG OMG...

I did quilling when I was about 10-11 LOL

[mummy_bec]

Here's my quilling .. I'm yet to scan my Christmas card.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v175/bec1984bec/Mums%20Meeting/1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v175/bec1984bec/Mums%20Meeting/4.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v175/bec1984bec/Mums%20Meeting/3.jpg

[Amanda]

wow they look great but i don't have the patients to do anything like that hehehe

[Kylee]

i just won these off ebay:)
http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n37/kyleejoshy/gfrgfdg.jpg
http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n37/kyleejoshy/fdgfg.jpg

[Kay]

oh u did a GREAT job bec.....

[mummy_bec]

You could have made those Miss Kylee .. hahaha

You can make just about anything!! Some of the things people make are amazing!