by Carole Meisenhelter

Created on: August 01, 2008   Last Updated: June 28, 2010

The art of quilling

An online search will demonstrate that this ancient paper-craft is a most popular technique still today.  It is documented that the art of quilling evolved from as far back as the 15th Century, when papyrus was torn into strips and rolled around a bird's quill.  During the 17th Century, monks would use quilling with added gilding, to embellish religious panels to replicate gold filigree work.

This art is often used by ardent card-making enthusiasts to embellish cards in a truly unique and ornate style. If you're thinking to try your own hand at quilling for the first time, know that with a little practice, you will find it a most enjoyable and functional paper-craft to add to other card-enhancing elements.  Quilling displays a wonderful 3-d dimension, created by curling thin strips of quilling paper around the quilling tool.  

There are differing quilling tools available; the white one being suited only for “open scrolls”.  The red-handled tool has a fine needle, and  is used for well-formed and  “closed coils”.

You may have seen  the result of a quiller's artwork of more recent times. It appears delicate and intricate, but it is a craft that is easily learnt.  Quilling is probably most often admired on cards with a colorful and realistic floral theme. You can though, create many different themes such as birds and insects; Christmas decorations, a group of candles surrounded by holly perhaps; flourishes and scrolls; frogs, rabbits and ducks for children too.  Pretty much anything.

Items decorated with quilling may appear delicate, but are in fact, very stable.  Quilling will travel through the postal system easily  just by adding a couple of layers of bubble-wrap to protect.

What is needed to start quillng?

*Quilling Tool

*Quilling Papers 1/8th inch (standard)

*Ruler

*P.V.A. glue

*Toothpick (to apply glue)

*Lid from jar (to hold small quantity of glue to work with)

*Tweezers: long-nosed type (to pick up quilled shapes)

*Scissors *Kebab stick or skewer; for spirals

Let's make a "sampler" with the basic shapes that will be used most often. This will become a ready-reference chart for any design. This excellent Quilling Corner website (Parchcraft Aust) will assist too.

Notes:

For the first six basic shapes following, because they are considered as "closed shapes" i.e. glued down, tear the end instead of cutting with scissors. This will make for a really neat

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