Quilling Questions?

Paper quilling is the art of rolling and shaping strips of paper to create beautiful designs. I first found out about this through an article in a magazine which then led me to a website. I was very impressed with many of the designs I had seen, so I read the directions and it sounded easy enough. Many different designs can be made and used to embellish frames, cards, invitations, birth announcements, gift bags, gift tags, and even scrapbooks. Above are some pictures of some frames and decorative objects I have done, the top one even used as a wall hanging.

Steps:

1. Acquire the necessary supplies and tools needed. This includes quilling paper, a needle tool or slotted tool used to roll paper, glue, ruler, scissors, and tweezers. Once you have created a few different shapes and designs from rolling the paper, you can decide on what you are trying to design, whether it be a picture frame, scrapbooking page, or a wall hanging, and then buy the remaining supplies for your specific project.

2. The very simplest standard shape, often used to make a flower center or bud, is a tight circle. To roll a tight circle, cut a strip of paper to the length specified in the instructions. The longer the strip, the bigger your circle will be.

3. Moisten one end of the strip slightly, and place that end against your index finger.

4. Position the tool at the end of the paper, and press the paper around the tool with your thumb. Roll the paper without turning the tool, keeping the edges as even as possible.

5. Slip the needle from the roll's center, grasping the roll with your fingers to keep it from unwinding.

6. Apply a small amount of glue to the strip's end, press the end in place against the side of the roll, and hold the shape until the glue sticks.

Tips:

-There are so many different shapes and designs to choose from so pick one that best fits your needs or style.

-Once you have made a few different objects, including hearts, flowers, leaves, and other shapes, you can arrange and glue them to your final piece.

-It may be beneficial to buy a quilling designer board. They are inexpensive and well worth purchasing as the upper surface of it has many different molds to ensure you are molding the correct size.

-Tweezers are a great substitute for your fingers when you're positioning tiny shapes during assembly and adjusting coils in loose circles and eccentric shapes

-For more help on quilling, check out this great site: http://www.handcraftersvillage.com/quilling.htm