For a change of pace, this papercrafting post focuses on a purely decorative craft instead of the practical papercraft I’ve been discussing in earlier posts. But quilling is quite lovely and fun to do; it’s something you can easily add to gift tags or greeting cards, and it can be done alongside ornare for an even more crafted look.
What is Quilling?
Quilling is the art of rolling paper into beautiful shapes for decorative purposes. First a distraction for the wealthy, it is now a very approachable art form for all people. Coiling, pinching, and twirling thinly-cut pieces of paper yield delicate and ethereal miniature sculptures!
Quilling basics @ Wikipedia.org
What is It Used For?
Mostly, quilling takes a low-priced medium (paper) and uses it to embellish other items for a very high-style look. You can add all sorts of rolled-paper decorations to handmade greeting cards, wall art, decorative trinkets, and even furniture! (I could definitely see a glass-topped table with colorful or metallic quilled paper underneath the glass in small niches, able to be seen but not squished.)
Types of Paper to Use
Printer/computer paper can work while you’re trying to learn the craft, but you can also use lighter-weight paper like origami paper (and possibly even tissue paper for a wispier look, though I haven’t tried this). Any paper seems to work well–just cut it into thin strips first so that the coiling process will be easier.
If you want to practice and you have no thin-cut paper to hand, even a straw wrapper will suffice. Get rid of boredom while waiting for your food at a restaurant AND practice quilling at the same time!
How to Start Quilling with Just Fingers
- Taking one end of your cut piece of paper, roll it as tightly and roundly as you can (i.e., no folding it over and over itself) until you get to the other end of the paper.
- Slowly release the paper so that the coil expands a bit.
- Holding the coil with two or three fingers, affix the last end of the paper to the closest side of the coil so that it won’t come apart. A small drop of glue (something a bit stronger than white glue, but no superglue, please) should work.
You now have a beautiful little coil of paper! Once you have mastered this design, you can start to make other shapes that work off of the basic circular coil.
More Advanced Quilling Techniques and Tools
For excellent tutorials and more advanced quilling work, these two websites show more than I could possibly do, being a novice quiller myself. Try this out–have fun coiling, gluing, and twirling!
More Quilling Basics and Intermediate Techniques @ HandcraftersVillage.com
Advanced Techniques and Quilling Tool Advice @ Craftzine.com