Quilling Cards

Quilling cards can be very satisfying and impress your friends too!

"Quilling or paper filigree is an art form that involves the use of strips of paper that are rolled,
shaped, and glued together to create decorative designs.
~Wikipedia"

The process of quilling cards or making paper filigree is deceptively simple. You roll a strip of paper onto your tool, then ease it off. You can either use a tiny bit of glue to tack down the end of your paper before you allow the coil to relax, or you can let it go on the table and allow it to become a loose coil before you glue it to stop it unfurling any more. Quilling guides provide a place where coils can be allowed to unfurl to a given size, thus allowing you to make uniform sized coils.

A coil can then be shaped further by pinching part of the circle to form leaf or tear drop shapes and eliptical shapes. This is where I started.

The Tools

The tools and papers can be bought from some craft stores and it is worth searching online for them as well. You can use any kind of clear glue. Here I show Stampin' Up!'s Crystal Effects (it's a very strong glue, not just a dimensional or glazing product) but you can use any other kind of adhesive, as long as it dries clear.

You can also see the rainbow coloured papers I used. All of the thin paper strips are joined together at the top and bottom with adhesive. Just select a strip in the colour you want and carefully remove it from the whole to start.

The quilling tool I show in the picture is a basic one that is not slotted like a darning needle or split like a brad. You can purchase tools with those sort of 'needles' and you can also buy them in different sized bores so you can make different sized coils with smaller or larger centres in them.

I put together a little video showing you how I made my flower for the card in the picture. I will be publishing it for subscribers soon, so look for a notice in your inbox about that. If you are not yet a subscriber to Paper Twists it's not too late! You can opt in to receive free papercraft information right now!

Making a Quilled Flower

I trust you are now ready to start quilling cards at your own craft desk! And when you do, please share your card on PaperCraftCentral. I am so inspired by your work!

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