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. Read More

So, the 20 Best Basic quilling shapes guide for beginners includes the easiest and basic shapes. you can create many quilling projects using these basic shapes. This is the best guide for quilling beginners as here you will get step by step instructions on how to make different quilling shapes.

Paper quilling is pocket-friendly art and for this art, you need few supplies, check out “What do I need to start Paper Quilling with Minimum Budget” this will help you to get started with quilling supplies. For beginners, we would recommend going with a 5mm or 10mm paper strip as this width is comfortable to hold and shape.

Following is the list of the materials you will need to get started with paper quilling. checkout our Recommended Quilling Products here you will get all the materials required for paper quilling.

• Paper quilling strips
• Slotted tools
• Glue
• Scissors

How to start with rolling

Before getting started with basic quilling shapes let me show you the technique of holding the strip and quilling tool.

The slotted tool is a commonly used quilling tool and this tool is widely used by beginners as it has a small slit or cut on the edge of the tool which helps to hold the end of the strip while rolling. Rolling the strip is the very first thing you will learn in quilling. All the shapes are created by creating a coil by rolling the strip with the help of this tool.

To begin first, hold the tool with your dominant hand whichever you are comfortable with. Hold the tool with its tip on the top like you hold the knife.

Now insert the edge of the strip into the slot of the tool, and try to get the edge of the strip and the edge of the tool into one line. Try not to leave the extra paper strip on the edge of the tool.

Once the strip is set now it time to roll the tool, you can roll the tool towards you or away from you (clockwise or anti-clockwise) whatever you are comfortable with. Hold and maintain the strip firmly with your other hand. Roll the strip till the end and then remove it from the tool, keep it on the desk and allow it unroll. You have just created a loose coil.

Using a slotted tool leaves a small crimp in the center of the coil and it is natural but if you leave more paper gap it will be more visible in the center. All advanced Quillers use a needle tool to avoid this small crimp in the center of the coil.

Basic Paper Quilling Shapes:

To create a basic shape all you need to know is how to create a paper coil and how many sides are needed to be pinched and also how close these pinched points should be, depending upon the final shape you want.

In the beginning, you will need lots of practice so get ready to play with colorful paper strips and to make creative small quilling projects.

01. Quilling Tight Coil

First, we will start with a tight coil and for creating a tight coil you need to insert one end of the paper strip into the slotted tool and start rolling the paper around the tool by holding the paper strip in one hand and the tool by the other hand. Please note that don’t pull or hold the paper very tightly because it may tear the strip or don’t keep it too loose. Maintaining proper tension on the strip is important. After rolling the entire strip glue the end of the paper strip before removing it from the tool. Thus Quilling Tight coil is ready.

If you need a large coil then you have to stick more strips of paper to increase the length of the paper strip. Also, you create coils of more than one color by sticking different colors of strips together and then start rolling with the color you want in the center of the coil.

Tight Coils are commonly used in many quilling projects, you can create tiny flowers on cards or tags. You can also create a beautiful quilling portrait by just adding different colorful coils of different sizes. Have a look at this video in which the majority of work is done by using different sizes and colors of strips and creating various sizes and colors of the tiny tight coils.

This Portrait falls under Ornamental Quilling and you can create many portraits like this.

02. Quilling Loose Coil

The basic and most important shape in quilling is the Loose Coil. The loose coil is very important in quilling as you can create many shapes by creating the foundation of a loose coil.

Start rolling the paper strip from one end to another with the help of a slotted tool but do not roll the strip too tightly. When you finish rolling don’t apply glue on the edge of the strip. Carefully take the coil out from the slotted tool and keep it on the table and allow it to uncoil, when it stops uncoiling pick it up carefully, and apply glue at the end of the paper strip by using a toothpick or fine glue applicator and stick it. Thus Quilling Loose Coil is ready.

If we need the same size of Loose coils then we have to use a Quilling board or Circular template in which several circles of different diameters are available. Just leave the coil inside of the desire circular shape and allow it to uncoil, once the coil is uncoiled pick it up and glue it. This circle template is helpful for creating the same size of the coils to make flowers, leaves, etc. 

03. Quilling Tear Drop:

As its name indicates this shape looks like a drop of water. This shape is mostly used for creating petals of Quilling flowers.

So you will first need to create a loose coil and then hold the coil by both hands and gently pinch one side of the coil with the thumb and index finger. Apply gentle force while pinching, only one end of the coil is needed to pinch and this will create the shape of a water drop which is pointed at one end and the other end will be rounded.

To create a Teardrop flower we need to create a minimum of 5 such shapes but don’t forget to use the Quilling board because all loose coils should be of the same sizes. Glue all the petals together to create a teardrop petal shape flower.

You can create ample of projects using teardrop shapes like flowers, leaves and if you glue two teardrop shapes together it forms a heart shape, there is no count on using this shape as it is a basic and most commonly used quilling shape.

04. Quilling Curved Tear Drop:

As the name suggests, this shape is a modification of the basic Teardrop shape. First, you need to create a Teardrop shape and with the help of thumb lightly press the pointed end of the teardrop around the round handle of the quilling tool to create a curved petal-like shape.

In this quilling card, you can see that leaves are of Curved Teardrop shape.

05. Quilling Eye shape or Quilling Marquise Shape:

This is another important quilling shape, you can create many other shapes using this shape. For creating this shape first you will need to create a loose coil and hold it with the index finger and thumb of both hands and pinch it gently from both sides. Thus we will get two pointed ends that create an eye-like shape. Eye shape is widely used in many projects like for creating flowers, leaves, mandala, etc. 

This card is made by using different sizes of eye shapes, glue the shape in descending order and the Quilling Lavender flower card is ready.

06. Quilling Curved Eye Shape:

This shape is a variation of eye shape. First, make the eye shape, and with the help of the thumb by applying gentle pressure bend the points in the opposite direction to create an alphabetic “S” like shape. This shape is generally used for making quilling leaves.

This card is made by Curved Eye-shaped flowers, you can also glue a few shapes to create half flower as shown in the card.

07. Quilling Gumdrop Shape:

Gumdrop shape is also known as semi-circle shape. For creating a gumdrop shape make a loose coil and with the help of both the hands pinch the coil from two ends creating a half-circle. Please note that do not pinch too harder, we need to create a smooth curve and for that, you need to pinch gently. By sticking two gumdrop shapes you can create petals or leaves for your project, the same as shown in the above image or below video.

08. Quilling Half Moon Shape:

This shape is a variation of the Gumdrop shape, for Creating a half-moon shape you need to repeat Gumdrop instructions after creating the gumdrop shape take any round object pencil, pen, or handle of the quilling tool and press the shape with it, this will help you to get a curve shape which will look like a half-moon. This shape can be used in quilling mandala art.

09. Quilling Square shape:

Geometrical shapes are easy to create, the only thing you need to remember is the number and placements of the points to be pinched. To make a square shape you need to first create a loose coil.

Square shape has 4 sides and 4 points, all are of the same size. So you need to first pinch two points opposite to each other like we create eye shape and then hold the eye shape verticle and again pinch two points exactly in the center of the shape means two diagonally opposite marquises. Thus you will get 4 sided square shape.

This shape is not often used in quilling but it can be used to create some fun projects like if you glue 4 square shapes together it can form a large box and glue a small paper bow on its top and your quilling gift box is ready. Many more projects can be made using these shapes.

10. Quilling Star Shape:

This is a variation of Square shape, for creating a Star shape first create a square shape, but pinch the points a little harder this will create a slite curve between the points and thus you will get a star shape. 

11. Quilling Rectangle Shape:

As we know the rectangle has 4 points and 4 sides but two sides are larger and two sides are shorter and for creating a Rectangular shape we need to first decide the pinching point of the coil. First makes an Eye shape and rotate it and pinch again to create two more points but these points will not be in the center, unlike square shape. All points should be placed like a rectangle means it should not be opposite facing like a square.

12. Quilling Diamond Shape:

This is the variation of Rectangle shape and creating this shape first create a rectangular shape but for creating a diamond shape just pinch the points a little harder and this will create a curve between the points. 

13. Quilling Triangle Shape:

Quilling Triangular shape is simple and for this first, create a Gumdrop shape and then gently pinch the curve side from the center to create a triangular shape. Later pinch all three points to sharpen them. All three sides should be of the same size.

14. Quilling Oval shape:

The oval shape has no sharp points so you have to be very gentle while creating it. Just make a loose coil and with the help of your index finger and thumb press the center of the circle very gently and the oval shape is ready. 

15. Quilling Duck Foot or Quilling Tulip Shape:

For creating a tulip shape, first, you need to create a Marquise shape and by using the fingers of both the hands pinch a point in the center of the eye shape.

16. Quilling Arrow Shape:

For creating an Arrow shape, first, create a teardrop shape and hold a thin object like a quilling tooltip to give pressure in the center of the curved part of the teardrop and you can easily pinch two points to give an arrow-like shape.

17. Quilling Heart Shape:

First, create a Teardrop shape, now hold the pointed end in one hand and press the curved side with the help of the tip of the tool or you can also use a toothpick gently press the curved part to create an easy heart shape.

18. Quilling Bunny Ear Shape:

You need to first create a Teardrop shape and then hold the point of the drop and pinch again near the first point to create the second point. Gently apply little pressure between both the points to create a curve, by this quilling ghost shape is ready.

19. Quilling Ring Coil:

Ring coil is a very common and easy shape to make and it is also a majorly used shape for making quilling jewelry. The ring coil is created by wrapping the paper strip around any round object of the desired radius. Apply glue on the end of the quilling strip before removing it from the object. You can use any round surface like a bottle, bottle cap, or Border Buddy this lool has many circles of different diameters and it is of great use. 

20. Quilling Scrolls:

For creating this scroll take 4 different shades of paper strips. the length of the strips is the same. Glue the strips one above another and then roll it using a slotted quilling tool or toothpick. Once the strips are rolled glue another end of the strips together and roll it in opposite direction.

Paper scrolls are another commonly used shapes, these shapes look beautiful and give a charm to any quilling projects. There are many types of different scrolls but the scroll I am covering here is the most common and commonly used. You can use this scroll in any quilling card to enhance its beauty.

If you are a beginner then these basic quilling shapes are great to get started with your creative and beautiful Paper Quilling journey. All you need is a bit of patience and practice. Once you are comfortable with these 20 Quilling Basic shapes you will easily be able to create any desire quilling projects.

I hope you find these basic quilling shapes helpful, you can also check out our Recommended Quilling Products list where you will get all essential quilling tools under one roof.

Happy Quilling!!!

The post 20 Best Basic Quilling Shapes Guide for Beginners appeared first on Craftylity.

So, What kind of paper is used for paper quilling? Well, Quilling is all about paper. Selecting the right paper for a quilling project is important. Paper quilling is done with strips made from text weight paper which is somewhere around 75 to 90 gsm. These papers are good for quilling as it rolls smoothly and does not tear or bend. In this post, I am sharing the types of papers you can use for quilling. However, every quillers has their own opinion on this topic and this is my opinion. 

Paper quilling art involves the use of paper strips that are rolled, shaped, and bend to create amazing beautiful patterns. Today, we get paper quilling pre-cut strips easily in local stores as well as online stores. You can also cut your own strips by yourself. Both include the pros and cons of using them. I will be sharing the types of papers, types of strips, and pros and cons of pre-cut strips and cutting your own strips.

PICTURE

What Kind of Paper is Used for Paper Quilling?

One of the important factors of paper is, its GSM. GSM is “grams per square meter” this is a term which is used to measure the weight of paper. Actually it is the thickness of paper, higher the GSM thicker the paper. Standard GSM of paper is 80GSM. Weight of paper makes difference as thinner and thicker paper rolls differently, For quilling, the standard GSM paper is good as it is not very thin and not very thick to roll. Let’s have a look at the characteristic of paper used for paper quilling.

text weight paper is used, a paper which is around 75-90 gms. Also, some paper are acid-free and some are not, these are few important things to keep in mind while selecting a paper for a quilling project.

Text Weight: 

Text weight paper is not very heavy not very light paper, its GSM varies around 75 to 90 GSM, These papers are usually good for quilling as they don tear up quilling and give a good roll to the coil.

Writing weight:

Writing weight papers are generally lightweight papers. It is similar to the weight of the paper used for writing or printing. These paper are thin and thus it can tear easily while quilling. If you want to work on a delicate quilling design then you can go with this kind of paper.

Card Stock

These are heavier weight papers. These papers are difficult to roll as it tends to bend and not roll due to its thickness. However card stock is good for Quilling outlines and typography projects. These are thick hence it can bend gently into a curve line and give a perfect outline to quilling project.

Acid-free:

Most of the pre-cut paper strips mention on their labels that paper is acid-free or not. If you are making quilling cards or tags then any quilling stips will be okay to use and it will not last too long. But if you are planning to create a quilling frame which you want to last long then you should select acid-free paper strips as these strips don’t change the color of stirps, don’t turns yellowish or getting spotty over time.

This is important if you are making things to last longer as you always them to stay in good condition. Some brands mention on their label that the paper strips are acid-free or not and mostly bigger companies strips are acid-free. Local companies don’t mention anything on paper strips maybe they are not acid-free. If you are selecting paper to cut on your own you can get an acid-free paper and later you can cut them into strips.

Pre-Cut Paper Quilling Strips

You will find a variety of options to select from pre-cut quilling strips which are easily available in local craft stores as well as online stores. Pre-cut strips are available in different sizes like 3mm, 5mm, and 10mm and are also available in various colors. The length of strips might differ from different brands, generally, it is around 17 inches, but you can also get from 15inches to 18 inches.

Also, the thickness of strips can vary from brand to brand, as a coil made by using one strip can be smaller or bigger from the coil made from one strip of some other company.

Pros of buying pre-cut strips

• It is the most easy and convenient way of getting strips of desire size and color.
• As stated earlier, it is longer in length. Generally, Pre-cut strips are 17 inches long.
• Most brands offer acid-free strips.
• They are even in width.
• Pre-cut strips are of perfect thickness.
• They have smoother edges.
• Strips come in individual packages, this helps to store them crumple free.

Cons of buying pre-cut strips

• Limitation in a width of the paper, if you want to create a delicate quilling flower and for that, it is hard to get 1mm quilling strips in the market. Pre-cut strips generally come in 3mm, 5mm and 10mm wide.
• It is expensive, price may differ from brand to brand.
• Limitations of colors, Some times the color of your choice is unavailable or out of stock. You may not find all color strips.

Cutting your own Quilling stips

You can cut your own quilling strips at home, this option is great if you want to quilling from a patterned paper or cardstock paper of your choice. There is limitations in pre-cut paper strips, selecting a good paper of desire color which is best for your quilling project, then you can proceed with cutting this paper on your own.

There are 3 options to cut your own paper strips.

Using Paper Shredder:

Manual Paper shredder is available in 2 sizes A5 and A4 paper sizes. These are small plastic kinds that come with a handle.  Generally, the width of paper it shreds is 3mm

Using Paper Trimmer

It comes with a marked base and a ruler with grid lines and measurement. It has a transparent ruler which helps hold the paper firmly in place while trimming.

Cutting paper manually:

For this, you need a cutting mat, pencil, cutter, ruler, and paper.

Place the paper on the mat and mark it on both sides.

Join both side markings.

Grab cutter and cut it carefully.

Pros of Cutting your own strips:

• It is less expensive
• No need to store access strips, as you can cut your own strips when needed.
• You get the freedom to cut the paper of any width of your choice. You can cut 1mm, 2mm, 7mm, 9mm etc. as these sizes are not available in pre-cut strips.
• You can select any color paper for your project, no need to be stuck at colors available of pre-cut strips.

Cons of Cutting your own strips:

• It is time-consuming
• You need to be accurate and careful while cutting as you can end up cutting uneven strips or may have rough edges after cutting.
• It can be expensive if you are planning to buy paper shredder.
• If you cut the strips in large numbers, you need to figure out the way to store them without crumping.
• Strips are as long as the paper you selected to cut, mostly A4 size paper is used and it is around 11 inches.

You can check out my post on “What do I need to start paper quilling“.

Other Characteristics of Paper Used for Paper Quilling

Metallic Paper Strips

Metallic paper strips look very attractive and most kinds are available in text weight. You can find pre-cut metallic strips in stores. these strips are mostly used in detailed and vintage design quilling work.

One-Sided paper strips

These strips have printed on one side and the other is blank. It means it’s only one edge of the paper that shows. It is good for outlining shapes and is not good for coils or other shapes.

Vat-Dyed Color Strips

Color papers add beauty and color to quilling. It is easy to cut, its edges are smooth, easy to roll, and also you can find it easily. Make sure to select the acid-free paper for quilling, if you want your quilling project to the last long and nice.

How do you store your quilling paper?

For storing quilling paper strips I use clear sheets. I insert the strips flat in clear sheets. Stock all colors in each sheet and place the sheet colorwise. This helps me to store the strips crimple free and is flat. File clear sheets colorwise and thus it is easy to find the stips colorwise.

Another way is, using a plastic flat box. Use a box of around 2 inches in height. place the bundle of strips in it. Thus the strips will not crimple and will be easy to store.

Pre-cut strips come in individual packing, you can simply store these with their packets in drawer or box.

The post What Kind of Paper is Used for Paper Quilling? 2 Best Options to choose from appeared first on Craftylity.

So, what kind of glue to use for paper quilling? For Paper Quilling, water-soluble glue is good as it dries quickly and will dry clear. The glue should be water-based and also not too sticky or thick. Commonly white glue or clear glue is used for papercraft. Also, Tacky glue and Hot glue is also used. But you have to use the right glue depending on quilling work or project. 

Glue is the most important thing in all crafts. It goes in a long way to ensure successful and durable results. Every quilled coil needs to glue at the end to secure it, glue is also needed to stick two or more shapes together and stick the shapes like flowers or leaves on the surface like paper or frame depending on the project. Basically, any craft glue or paper glue will work for paper quilling, but you have to choose the right glue depending on quilling work or project.

There are many types of glue available in the market. Even though the glue dries clear doesn’t always mean that it is invisible. If you are using more glue it will show as shine or shiny glob, it will be clear but not invisible. Sometimes after drying glue turns out to be yellowish and hence and changes the appearance of your project.

Below You will find which glue is used for papercraft or paper quilling and which cannot be used:

Know what kind of glue to use for paper quilling

There are several types of glue with different purposes. And hence it is possible that the glue you are using for your project may be or may not be the ideal type of glue you are working with. The best choice of glue will always be which is thin and quick drying. Sometimes you just need a different kind of glue for different jobs. Everyone has their own opinion, and these are my opinions on the glue. Here I am sharing 4 kinds of glue every quilling artist needs to have with them and will also share how to use them.

White Glue

White glue is Polyvinyl Acetate (PVA), it is all-purpose glue and most common craft glue. It is typically a water-based formulation. It will be white in color as it is water-based but the glue will dry clear. It is easy to work with and dries fast. It dries clear soo you need not worry about some extra glue on your project. This glue is most often used by crafter and quillers. It is used for sticking the edge of coils or sticking the shapes together. It is also applied inside of the paper domes to strengthen them.

Generally, it comes in a squeezy bottle with a nozzle for application. you can even apply it directly on the surface, you can even draw a thick line directly with a bottle or you can squeeze the glue on cardboard, paper, or plastic and use a toothpick to apply it on small areas to give fine details.

Clear Glue

Clear glues are also commonly referred to as solvent-based glues. Clear glue is also easy to apply and goes on clear after drying. If you are working on a dark surface or with dark color strips it is not easily visible. It is good to use with smaller shapers and fine details. Clear Glues are also very commonly used by crafters and quillers as it is clear and is not visible if there is some extra glue left in your final project.

Tacky Glue

It is a PVA Glue with a thicker consistency, but it dries clear. Original Tacky Glue is non-toxic and water-soluble. It is all-purpose glue and is used for many surfaces like wood, glass, metals, etc. It dries clear and also permanent. The thickness helps in making 3-dimensional creations. As it is thicker from other glue it is good for using with a heavier piece of the project like 3D quilling flower and you don’t have to hold it for a longer time waiting for glue to dry. Only one drawback if this glue is that it takes little more time to come out of the bottle.

Hot Glue

Hot glue is usually melted with a hot glue gun, it is actually a solid glue stick which is melted in order to stick on project surface, Melted glue becomes solid again as it cools. Usage of Glue gun comes with a warning that glue guns can get hot and hence it is not recommended to use it while you are working with small kids and it needs close supervision. if you are making some large quilling home décor, which contains larger flowers or leaves to be a stick, then you can use this hot glue. You can use this glue for a heavy-duty project. It is the most stronger and durable gluing method available.

Also read: What do I Need to start Paper Quilling

What is the best glue for paper quilling?

When it comes to the best glue for paper quilling, a glue that is water-soluble is good for paper quilling. Also, a glue which dries off quickly and clears. Few clear glue change color after drying, try to avoid that. Of course, some glues are all-purpose, but why not try and experiment and select the best glue for you. As I said, just about any glue will work for paper quilling.

How to stick quilling paper?

If you want to glue a quilled object on a surface, like gluing a quilling flower on the card. Take some glue on paper or plastic and spread it evenly. Now hold the quilled flower with tweezers and dip it gently in the glue layer. Thus you have applied even layer on the other side of the quilled flower and now place that flower directly on the surface of a card.

Quilling Basic Glue Tips:

• Apply Glue evenly and remove excess glue from the project before it dries.
• Excess glue can turn beautiful quilling into ugly, as a big drop of glue is even visible after it dried.
• You can also use the needle tip applicator bottle, just pour some glue in this bottle and use it to apply glue on finer detailed quilling.
• If you are gluing 2 or more quilling strips together, then apply the glue using a toothpick. Using toothpick you can apply a very small amount of glue on the tip of the strip and thus avoid excess glue on the strip.
• Using a toothpick to apply glue on finely detailed quilling is a good idea.
• Always pour some glue on cardboard or plastic surface and spread it into a flay glue layer. Now just dip quilling shapes on that glue layer and stick it on the surface. Thus you have applied even the amount of glue all over the shape and you can avoid applying excess amount glue on the project.
• Some Paper Adhesive comes with a gloss effect. This glue is water-soluble and becomes water resistant-too after drying. You can coat your paper quilling project with this if you want them to be water-resistant. This glossy adhesive will give a shiny finish to your quilling project.
• Matte finish glue gives a matte look when you do want your quilling project to shine and want them to give a perfect paper look.

I hope you got an idea about, what kind of glue to use for paper quilling? As I said that any glue will work with paper quilling. Why not give a try to these glues and select the best for your quilling projects.

The post What Kind Of Glue To Use For Paper Quilling? 4 Best Options To Choose appeared first on Craftylity.

What do I need to start paper quilling? To start with paper quilling all you need is paper, one simple tool, scale, pair of scissors, glue and lots of patience. You can start Quilling with minimum budget, as Quilling can be done with basic materials that are easily available in your home. There is no such need to buy any expensive tools or materials for this art to get started. Hence quilling is also known as budget-friendly art.

Tips: There is no such need to buy any expensive tools or materials for this art to get started.

All you need to know about getting started with paper quilling

Quilling is a paper art that involves rolling, coiling, and shaping narrow paper strips into various shapes or scrolls and arranging them to create a beautiful design. You can decorate greeting cards, gift items, pictures, picture frames, gift boxes, gift tags, etc. using quilling shapes.

Quilling is an easy, fun, decorative, mesmerizing, and relaxing art. Once you get hands-on quilling it will give you happiness and also it can turn into your new hobby. It is amazing that you can create complicated shapes and designs just by using simple paper strips and glue.

In the beginning, start with a rolling simple paper strip using a quilling tool to create basic quilling shapes. Once you are comfortable in creating basic shapes you can proceed with complex and advanced shapes. Once you are clear with shapes and you can create any small and easy quilling project like a quilling greeting card or decorate Scrapbook cover.

How to do Paper Quilling with Minimum Budget

As you have got an idea about Quilling, that this art basically involves using paper and hence the basic material we need for quilling art is paper strip. Also, I will introduce you to other materials used for paper quilling with their substitutes which are easily available in our homes. You can start your beautiful quilling art journey by using these materials and would be able to create many quilling cards and other quilling artworks.

Tips: You can start paper quilling with materials that are easily available in our home.

We need the following basic and important materials for Quilling.

1. Paper Strips
2. Round tool (a tool which we can use for creating paper coils)
3. Glue

So let us have a look at these materials in detail and also find the substitute for these materials which are easily available at our homes.

Using Right Paper Strips For Quilling 

Quilling strips are basically narrow paper strips which are easily available pre-cut in local craft shops and also in online stores. You can also cut your own quilling strips at home by your self, later in this post I will share the tips and tricks of How you can cut your own quilling strips of different sizes and this makes quilling more pocket-friendly art.

Paper strips used for quilling comes in many different widths like 10mm, 7mm, 5mm, 3mm, and even 1mm. Choosing the proper width of quilling strips for your project is important also this depends on the designs and skills you have in quilling.

Tips: If you are a beginner then start by using 5mm or 10mm quilling strips as these are broader and easy to hold.

As stated earlier that these strips are easily available online as well as offline stores. You can also cut your own quilling strips at home all you need is color paper, cutter/scissors, ruler and pencil. Choosing the right paper for quilling is also important. As paper strips are rolled to create coils, a paper should not be thick or should not be very thin.

Don’t use paper which is thick like card paper or any paper which is around 150 gsm or 200 gsm as this thick paper will not give smooth rolled coils. Also, don’t use very thin paper as it can tear while rolling. You can use magazine papers (depending upon the gsm), any xerox papers, or any paper which is around 75gsm.

Following are step by step instructions on how you can cut your own paper strips for quilling:

1. Take any color paper of your choice.
2. Take scale (ruler) and pencil and start marking on-page. Here I want to create 10mm strips hence I am marking 1cm on top and bottom of the page.
3. Place paper on cutting mat (this is used so that you don’t damage your tabletop) and start cutting it with the cutter.
4. If you don’t have cutting mat or cutter at home you can draw a line on paper and cut it using scissors.

You can cut any size of paper strips depending on your design, 5mm is also a good option to get started with.

Budget-Friendly Quilling Tools You May Use

As for quilling, you need a tool, selecting a proper quilling tool is very important. Initially, you don’t need to buy any expensive quilling tool to create paper rolls and coils. You can use materials that are easily available in our houses, for example, you can use a round toothpick, bamboo skewer, sewing or yarn needles (which are around 1mm or 2mm thick), knitting needles or a cocktail stirrer instead of quilling tool (be careful while using these needles) and kick start your Quilling journey. You can also use any round things like a pencil or even ball pen refills, etc. to start or practice quilling.

Tips: You can use a round toothpick, bamboo skewer, sewing or yarn needle, knitting needles or cocktail stirrer for quilling.

Width of the surface will decide the center thickness of the coil, thinner the surface is the smaller center of the coil will appear and thicker the surface means thicker the center of the coil will be.

Once you fell in love with this art you can buy a quilling tool if needed.

Quilling tool is a one-time purchase tool, as you can create many and many coils and shapes using this tool. You only need one tool with which you can roll the paper strip and create a coil. Basically there are two quilling tools available in the market. One is the slotted tool, this tool has a slit on its tip where you can hold paper strips and roll, this tool is largely used by beginners or intermediate level practitioners.

A disadvantage of using this tool is that in the center of the coil created by using this tool has a tiny crimp. Another tool is a needle tool, this is the ultra-fine tool and is used by advance level, the coils created by using this tool has a perfect round center, using this tool is a bit difficult.

Below you can find how you can use a toothpick for quilling:

Yes, you can quill using toothpick too. Roll paper stirps around the toothpick as done with another quilling tool to create a coil. Use Round toothpick to roll paper strip, if you don’t have round toothpick then you can wrap little masking tape around square toothpick this will help to create round coils.

1. To get a start, moist the tip of paper strip (this will help in rolling) and place the toothpick on the tip of the strip.
2. Roll the strip of paper around toothpick using thumb and index finger.
3. Once the paper strip is completely rolled, carefully take the coil out from the toothpick.
4. Apply glue on the end of the strip to stick that coil and prevent it from unrolling (skip this step if you are creating loose coil or scrolls)

Which Glue To Be Use In Quilling

You can use any water-soluble glue which is clear or white and after drying it would be clear or would not be visible. Also, you can check out What Kind Of Glue To Use For Paper Quilling? 4 Best Options To Choose. Use the proper amount of glue on the project, excess use of glue can be visible and can ruin the beauty of your project. You can always add more glue later but you can not remove extra glue from the project, hence it is advisable to restrict the use of glue from starting. Remember the designing rule “Less is More”.

Check out this amazing tutorial on How to make Paper Quilling Dream Catcher.

Tips: Use Transparent or white glue for quilling.

Other materials required for paper quilling

• Sharp scissors
• Ruler
• pair of tweezers
• circle board (A circle sizing board)
• pencil

These are just a few essential materials you required to get started with quilling. Soo collects all the materials and gets ready to enter into the beautiful world of quilling. Initially, you will need little practice and patience and once you get on the track you can speed you cand create your own beautiful artworks and amaze your family and friends.

Welcome to the world of quilling, and Happy Quilling!!!

The post What do I need to start Paper Quilling with Minimum Budget appeared first on Craftylity.

Materials you need are:

1. 5mm Quilling strips
2. Slotted Quilling tool
3. Card paper or any thick paper
4. Glue

Step 1:

Take a card which measures 6 by 8 inches. Leave 1.5 inches from all 4 sides and draw a rectangle.

Step 2:

Glue 5mm strips on that rectangle and draw a line inside it.

Step 3:

Take three 5mm quilling strips of green, lavender and maroon color. Stick the edges of the strips together, one over another and roll it using a toothpick. Take the toothpick out from coil and pull one by one strip to create a scroll. At the end, you will get uneven strips, cut it in one size and glue it together. Thus paper quilling scroll is ready. Create one more such scroll.

Step 4:

Take 5mm pink quilling strip of 17 inches and roll it using slotted quilling tool. Take the coil out from tool without applying glue, leave the coil in the 17th circle of the circle guide to unroll. Once the coil is unrolled take the coil out from the guide and apply glue at the end of the coil. Hold the coil with both hands and pinch it from one side to create a drop-like shape. Thus quilling teardrop shape is ready, create 6 such shape in all.

Step 5:

In this step, we will create an eye like the shape it is also called a Marquess Quilling shape. Take 5mm lavender quilling strip of 8 inches and create a loose coil. Hold this loose coil with both hands and pinch is from both sides to create “Eye” like shape. Create 6 such eyes like quilling shapes.

Step 6:

Now we will create tiny tight coils of yellow color, For this take 5mm yellow quilling strip of 4 inches and roll it with a quilling tool. Apply glue to the coil before removing it from the tool. Create 16 such tiny coils.

Step 7:

All quilling shapes required to make this card are completed, so now its time to glue them all together on a card. First will stick Quilling Scroll on a card.

Step 8:

After sticking the paper quilling scrolls, its time for sticking other shapes.

The post Paper Quilling Flower and Scroll Greeting Card appeared first on Craftylity.

Also, check out our Recommended Quilling Products.

Materials required for making these frames are as follows:

1. Quilling strips
2. Quilling tools
3. Glue
4. Circle guide
5. card paper
6. Tweezers (optional)
7. any round object of 6cms in diameter or geometric compass to draw the circle

Step 1:

For the base, I am using a card paper that measures 7 by 9 inches.

Step 2:

Draw a light circle on the card paper as this is just for reference, the diameter of my circle is 6cms.

Step 3:

Take 8 inches of purple quilling strip and create a tight coil.

For creating a tight coil, roll the paper with a quilling tool till the end and apply glue at the end of the strip to secure the coil. After applying glue take the coil out from the tool and thus our first tight coil is ready. Create more such tight coils.

Step 4:

Glue these tight coils on the drawn circle.

Step 5:

Draw three-light wavey lines as shown in the above image.

Step 6:

Create a few more tight coils by using 8inches of different colors of quilling strips. and stick one coil in between the line and 3 at bottom of the line.

Step 7:

For creating feathers, I am using 16inches of quilling strip. Roll the strip with quilling tool and take the coil out without applying glue on it. Keep the coil in the 19th circle of circle guide and allow it to unroll. Once the coil is unrolled, carefully takeout the coil and glue its end. Hold the coil with both the hands and pinch it. after pinching you will get Eyelike shape, bend this shape in opposite directions to create Alphabet “S” like shape.

Thus we have created our first feather. create more feathers of different colors.

Step 8:

Stick these feathers randomly at the end of the line as shown in the above image.

Step 9:

Now measure the line and cut the strip of that size. Apply a thin stroke of glue online and stick the strip. For applying the glue you can use a Glue applicator which has a thin narrow end which helps in applying such thin strokes or pour the glue on a plastic surface and apply it on a card with the help of toothpicks.

Step 10:

Now we will create a small ring coil by using 16inches of pink quilling strip and a small round object with 1.5 to 2 cms of diameter.

I am using a cap of the glue bottle, you can also use a round pen or pencil. Start rolling the strip around this cap, apply glue on the start of the strip and roll it.

Keep on applying glue on the strip while rolling, roll the strip-till the end. After creating a ring coil, stick this coil in the center of the circle.

Step 11:

Now take 8inches of quilling strip and create an “Eye” like shape.

For creating eye shape, roll the coil using the quilling tool. Take the coil out from the tool without applying glue and keep this coil in the 10th circle of the circular guide.

Allow the coil to unroll. once the coil is unrolled, take the coil out carefully and stick the end of the coil to secure it.

Now hold this coil with both hands and pinch it from both sides, thus you will get an eye-like shape.

Step 12:

Stick these shapes in the center as shown in the above image.

Thus paper Quilling Dream catcher is ready.

Final look…

I hope you like this project. Don’t forget to leave a comment below and also do subscribe to my youtube channel and click the bell icon for the latest updates…

Happy Quilling!!!

The post How to make Paper Quilling Dream Catcher appeared first on Craftylity.

Link to download Krishna Painting is mentioned below:
Krishna Painting Template

Get your materials required for making this quilling painting are as follows (Click to find the available products):
Quilling strips | Quilling tool | Card paper | Glue | Scissors | Tweezers | Kundans | poster/acrylic colors  |  brush

Step 1:

The very first thing we need to do is to create the base of painting and for this, you can take the printout of Krishna painting or can draw on thick paper. Paint it with the poster or acrylic colors.

Step 2:

Once the paint is dried completely, take Scissors and cut it. Now stick this cutout on another card paper of your choice, I am using sky blue card paper.

Step 3:

Creating First multi color coil, for this take 3mm red, white, green and yellow quilling strips each of 22cms long. Stick these strips together to form one long strip. Roll this strip with quilling tool to create a coil. Apply glue at the end of the coil before removing it from the tool. Thus our first coil is ready.

Step 4:

We will create one more such coil but this time quilling strips should be 10cms long. Also, create tiny coils of a single color ie green, yellow and white using 6cms long strips.

Step 5:

Its time to stick these coil on painting.

Step 6:

Similarly, create many small coils of various colors and Stick it on painting.

Step 7:

Create a small coil of green and blue color, roll a coil with quilling tool and take the coil out without applying glue to it. Allow a coil to unroll a little and after unrolling it will be the loose coil and now apply glue at the end of the coil. Now hold the loose coil with both the hands and pinch it from one side to create a drop like shape, thus we have created drop shaped feathers for painting.

Step 8:

Create these drop shapes in different sizes by using a different length of strips.

The post Quilling Krishna ornamental painting appeared first on Craftylity.

Paper between clip should be around 2 to 3mm. Take sharp tip scissors and start cutting the strip, the gap between each cut should be 2mm, cut should be striaght like 90 degree to the edge of the paper. You can fringe the strip narrower or wider depending upon the flower you wants to make, to create delicate flower you need to make cuts narrower. So let’s get started and make 10 different types of quilling fringed flowers.

To make these flowers you need:

1: Paper Quilling fringed flowers with center

This is most common fringed flower, for making this flower take a quilling strip of 10 mm thickness and 9 inches length fold it in half and hold it in a bulldog paperclip with a straight edge. Start cutting the strip using the straight edge of the clip as a guide. Move the clip along the length of the strip as you keep cutting. Once done cutting, unfold it carefully. Take a yellow colored quilling strip of 3 mm thickness and 7 inches length glue it to one end of the pink strip. Use a quilling tool to roll the strip starting at the yellow end. Once all rolled up, glue it to hold it in place. Once done, flare out the cut portion of the rolled up strips to give it a floral look.

2: Double color pom pom fringed flower without center

Take 2 quilling strips of different colors (eg. Red and orange) each of 9 inches length and of 10mm in width. Place the strips on top of each other and hold them in a paper clip with a straight edge. Start cutting the strips using the straight edge of the clip as a guide. Move the clip along the length of the strips as you keep cutting. Use a quilling tool to roll the strips. One done apply the glue at the end of the strip to secure it. Now open the flares to give flower look.

3: Double Layered Fringe Flower

Take a 9 inches long blue coloured quilling strip. Fold it in half and hold it in a paperclip with a straight edge. Start cutting the strip using the straight edge of the clip as a guide. Now Take a 5mm thick quilling strip (9 inches in length) and repeat the same as above. After cutting both the strips, glue the end of one strip and stick the end of other strip to attach them and make a long strip. Use a quilling tool and start rolling from the yellow strip. After rolling the strip stick the end of strip to secure it. Carefully flare out the cut portion of the rolled up strips to give it a floral look.

4: Triple Layered Fringed Flower

Take a 15mm thick pink colored quilling strip (12 inches long). Cut the strip by repeating the same process. Take a yellow colored quilling strip of 3mm thickness and 9 inches length. Glue the strips in order of their thickness in a line. Take a quilling tool and start rolling from the yellow strip all the way to the thickest pink strip. Now as done earlier roll the strip with quilling tool Once the strips are all rolled up, glue them in place. Carefully flare out the cut portion of the rolled up strips to give it a floral look.

5: Twisted Fringed Flower

Take a red colored quilling strip of 10 mm thickness and 10 inches length. Fold the strip in half along the length. Hold the open side of the folded strip in a paper clip with a straight edge. Start cutting the folded side diagonally using the straight edge of the clip as a guide. The gap between each cut should be about 2mm. Move the clip along the length of the strip as you keep cutting. Take a yellow colored quilling strip of 3mm thickness and 6 inches length. Attach the yellow strip to the red one in a line. Take a quilling tool and start from the yellow strip. Roll it and open the flars to give a floral look.

6. Shaded Fringed Flower

Take a yellow colored quilling strip of 10 mm thickness and 10 inches length. Fold it in half and hold it in a paperclip with a straight edge. Start cutting the strip. Once done cutting, unfold it carefully. Take an orange colored quilling strip of 3 mm thickness and 6 inches length. Glue it to the yellow strip to make one long strip. Use a quilling tool to roll up the strips starting from the orange side. Once all rolled up, glue it in place. Flare out the cut portion to give a floral effect. Take an orange colored sketch pen and make lines from the center of the flower to the end of the petals to give it a 3D look.

7: Double Colored Fringe Flower with center

Take a pink and a purple colored quilling strip of 10mm thickness and 8 inches length. Place them on top of each other and Hold it in a paperclip. Start cutting the strip. Move the clip along the length of the strip as you keep cutting. Take a brown colored quilling strip of 3 mm thickness and 8 inches length. Glue it to the cut up quilling strips so that they are in one line. Use a quilling tool to roll up the strips starting from the brown strip. Once all rolled up, glue it in place. Flare out the cut up portion to give it a floral look.

8. Half colored Fringed Flower

Take a yellow colored quilling strip of 10 mm thickness and 8inches length. Place a scale on the strip showing about 4 to 5 mm. Take a red marker or sketch pen and fill in the part covering showing from under the scale. Fold the strip in half and hold it in a paperclip with a straight edge (do not hold the red side ). Start cutting the strip. Take a red colored quilling strip of 3 mm thickness and 4inches length. Glue it to the yellow strip so that they are in one line. Use a quilling tool and start rolling up the strips starting from the red strip. Keep the colored part inside. Roll the strip and glue it at the end. Flare out the cut up portion to give it a floral look.

9. Striped Fringed Flower

Take a cream coloured quilling strip of 10 mm thickness and 8inches length. Place a scale on the strip and make two blue lines (one dark and one light) along the length. Fold the strip in half and hold it in a paperclip with a straight edge (do not hold the blue lined side in the clip). Start cutting the strip. Take a blue coloured quilling strip of 3mm thickness and 4inches length. Glue it to one end of the cut up strip. Use a quilling tool and start rolling the strip starting from the blue strip. Keep the coloured side inside. Roll it and apply the glue at then end if the strip. Flare out the cut up portion to give it a floral look.

10: Single Color quilling pom pom flower

Take a green coloured quilling strip of 10 mm thickness and 17 inches length. Fold it in half and hold it in a paperclip with a straight edge. Start cutting the strip. Take a quilling tool and start rolling up the strip. After rolling till the end apply glue at the end of the strip to secure it. Take the rounded end of the quilling too and give the rolled up strip a push at the bottom (not on the cut portion). This will push the centre of the flower in a dome-like shape. Add some glue at the bottom to hold the shape in place. Flare out the cut up portion to give a floral look.

The post How to make Paper Quilling Fringed Flowers appeared first on Craftylity.

For creating paper Quilling Hat Keychain you need following materials:

• 10mm, 3mm and 1.5mm Quilling Strips
• Quilling tools
• Scissors
• Glue
• Circle Guide
• Curved Tweezer (Optional)
• Jump Rings
• Keychain ring
• Jewelry Pliers
• Small Semi bead stickers
• Card Stock / Color paper

Creating Base

Step 1:

Take 3mm red quilling strip of 17inches long and create a loose coil with the help of quilling tool. For creating the loose coil, roll the strip of paper with a tool and take the coil out from the tool without applying glue. Now take circle guide and keep the coil in 20th circle of the guide to unroll it. Once the coil is unrolled, pick the coil carefully and apply glue on the end of the strip.

Step 2:

Now hold this loose coil in one hand and press the center of the coil with handle of quilling tool to create “C” shape (refer above image). Once we get this “C” shape, take 8 inches of a red strip and wrap it around the shape. Start by applying glue and then wrap it around the shape, secure the end. Create Total 12 such shapes.

Step 3:

Now take same color card stock or thick paper and draw a 37th circle from circle guide. Cut the circle and fold it. Now cut the inner part as shown in above image. This you will get Donut like shape.

Step 4:

Apply glue on cardstock and start gluing the shapes.

Step 5:

Now take 3mm red quilling strip of 8 inches create the similar shape. For this use 14th circle to unroll the coil and pinch the loose coil with Quilling tool as shown above and for wrapping use 4 inches of red strip. Create 5 such shapes.

Step 6:

Take 3mm red strip of 4 inches and create tight coils. Create 6 such tight coils.

Step 7:

Glue all small shapes and tight coils together to form a flower. Later Glue this flower on card same size card stock.

Step 8:

Take 10mm Red strip of 12 inches and wrap it around that flower base in such a way that flower should be above facing.

Step 9:

Glue this ring in the center of the base (Created in 3rd step).

Step 10:

Now take 3mm yellow strip of 5 inches and glue it around bottom of the ring.

Step 11:

Now take 5 inches of 1.5mm yellow strip and create small tight coil. Create a tiny flower by glueing 5 such yellow tight coils together. Also glue on red tight coil inside the flower. Create 2 such flowers.

Step 12:

Take 1.5mm green strip of 4 inches and create small shaped marquise leaves. For creating this leaves, create loose coil and pinch it from both the sides and twist it to form “S” like shape. Create 4 such tiny leaves.

Step 13:

Take the string of semi bead sticker and glue it over the yellow strip as shown in above image.

Step 14:

Glue 2 flowers and 4 leaves on hat as shown in above image.

Step 15:

In the end, take one jump ring and open it. Insert the key chain and connect it with hat and close the jump ring with the help of pliers.

With this our Paper Quilling Hat Key chain is completed, hope you like this project. Don’t forget to visit my youtube channel for more such quilling tutorials and subscribe to my channel if you like my projects. Also, leave your valuable comments below which keeps us motivated.

Happy Quilling!!!

The post How to make Quilling Hat Key Chain appeared first on Craftylity.

DIY Paper Quilling Flower Pot Pocket Card

For making this card you will need following materials:

• 3mm and 5m quilling strips
• quilling tool
• circle guide
• bulldog clip
• shape edge scissors
• glue
• curved tweezers
• semi pearl beads
• cardstock
• border punch
• heart punch
• Decorative Tape

Creating Large Blue Flowers:

Step 1:

For creating the large flower, take 3mm blue strip of 17 inches and roll it with the quilling tool. Take the coil out from the tool without applying glue to it and place the coil in 17th circle of circle guide and allow it to unroll. Once the coil is unrolled take the coil out from the circle guide and now apply glue to its end and secure it. Create teardrop shape by pinching the coil from one end. Thus we need more 4 teardrop shapes to create 1 petal.

Step 2:

Take all 5 teardrop shape and start gluing them together. Note that center petal is the highest and rest all petals are in descending manner. Refer to above image.

Step 3:

Thus create more 5 such petals and glue all the petals together to create one flower.

Step 4:

In this step, we will create the flower and that is a fringed flower. For creating this flower we need to take 5mm blue strip of 17 inches and yellow strip of 8 inches. Take a blue strip and fold it from a center and hold the strip with the paperclip (Bulldog clip) and start cutting with sharp edge scissors make sure that the gap between two cuts should not exceed more than 2mm. Similar cut yellow strip. Glue both the stips together and start rolling it with blue strip till the end of the yellow tip. Apply glue at the end of the strip and take it out from a tool. Glue this flower in the center of big blue flower created in previous steps.

Step 5:

Also, Create two small buds by sticking 3 teardrop shapes together.

Creating Pink Flowers:

Step 6:

For creating second types of flower, take 5mm pink strip of 8 inches. As done in the previous step create a coil and leave the coil in the 13th circle and allow it to unroll. Take the unrolled coil out from the circle guide and secure its end by applying glue. Create Teardrop shape by pinching it from one end. Create 6 such teardrop shape and glue all the shapes together to form the second flower. Make 3 such pink flowers.

Creating Red Flowers:

Step 7:

So let’s create the third flower and for this take 3mm red strip of 17 inches and create the tight coil. Create 5 such tight coils and glue them together. Take 3mm brown strip of 5 inches and create tight coil this is center part of a flower so glue this in the center of a red flower. Create 5 such flowers.

Creating Leaves:

Step 8:

For creating the leaves, take 3mm green strip of 17 inches long and create eye shape by creating loose coil and pinch it from both the sides. Create 3 different sizes of leaves by changing the length of strips and also different size othe f loose coil.

Step 9:

Take 3mm yellow strip of 9 inches and the brown strip of 2 inches and glue both the ends of the strip together. Start rolling it from the yellow Strip as I want yellow color in the center. Roll until the end of the yellow strip and one round of brown strip, leave rest brown strip as this will be used for sticking all the elements together.

Creating Card:

Step 10:

Now it’s time to create our card base, Take orange (you can take any colour of your choice) card stock of 24cms by 12cms and mark 12th and 24th cms on both the sides. Fold the marks in “Z” Shape as shown in above image.

Step 11:

Take Border punch and punch the borders as done in above image.

Step 12:

Mark 2cms on both sides and cut it with a cutter.

Step 13:

Trace this orange card on another cardstock and cut it. Cut this cardstock 1cms smaller than an orange card. Also keep 2cms to 3cms blank space as shown in above image.

Step 14:

Apply Glue on both the border of the sides and stick it. Also, Stick the top portion of the orange card.

Step 15:

Cut White or any light colored cardstock and stick it on yellow cardstock as shown in above image.

Step 16:

It’s time to glue all the flowers and leaves on the card. Stick them on black space which we had kept in yellow cardstock. Don’t Glue anything to the pot as at the end we need to take the yellow cardstock out from the pot.

Thus our Paper Quilling Flower pot pocket card is ready, hope you liked it. If you have any query creating this card then leave your questions in a comment section.

Happy Crafting!!!

The post DIY Paper Quilling Flower Pot Pocket Card appeared first on Craftylity.