The art of Paper Quilling has been around for centuries and certainly regained a new appreciation as a great form of art lately. Quilling uses long strips of paper to create coils and shapes, with a quilling tool, which are then formed together to create beautiful patterns such as quilled flowers. This paper art is also known as paper filigree which comes from the way that the paper is rolled.
If you are looking to learn how to do quilling, it can be really simple. For beginners, you can use strips of paper cut on a paper cutter (if you cannot find quilling strips in your local craft store). Just be sure that you do not use a thick paper like cardstock since it is very difficult to coil nicely. Then you will need to roll the strips around a toothpick for example (if you do not yet have a quilling tool to make it easiest). You will find that although you can use some of these cheap alternatives for quilling, the best way to create professional looking and easy to make quilling designs is to invest a few dollars into quilling paper strips and a few proper quilling tools. The basic tools and supplies you need for quilling can be purchased for under $20 so it really is an inexpensive art or craft compared to most.
Practice making your coils into a variety of shapes like squares, teardrops, marquises, and triangles. There are many more basic shapes you can also make to create an amazing and intricate completed pattern, but these are some of the basics.
Remember that quiling is a 3D art form so you can create layers of quilled shapes and not just lay them flat in a single level on your card. Quilling is a beautiful form of art that will certainly amaze and inspire many when they see your beautiful creation. And don’t forget that quilling is also a great craft for children since they can coil paper and create designs as well.
If you need some ideas on what to create with your quilling paper, just look around your house at some of your favorite items and begin to form those shapes with your paper strips until you have a complete pattern. If you are a beginner this will take some time, so for now just continue to practice the basic quilled coils and shapes so you can make larger designs in the future.
Quilling is a beautiful way to express your creativity with paper and a few simple tools. Remember to use a variety of colors and shapes and have fun creating quilled designs. If you need some lesson and want some patterns to follow, check out www.LearnQuilling.com for free quilling instructions and a fun quilling pattern for beginners.
