Quilling for beginners

Quilling is a fascinating type of needlework that has become widespread and popular in most countries in the last decade.

The art of quilling or paper rolling originated in the 14th century. This type of needlework is similar to the Japanese art of origami, but Europe is the birthplace of quilling. Delightful quilling crafts in the Middle Ages were considered a great art. European craftswomen made amazing masterpieces, however, due to the fragility of the material, these products have not survived to our times.

Today, paper rolling crafts are an original and cute gift suitable for many special occasions. Anyone who has the desire to create and patience can master the art of paper rolling. To understand the principle of creating a unique quilling picture, postcard, bouquet of flowers, just look at a few detailed master classes. In this case, it is better to choose training lessons designed for beginners.

Quilling for beginners

To create quilling crafts, there is no need to purchase special tools, because almost every home has all of them.

• Quilling tool (QullingStick) - it is with the help of this tool that spirals are wound. It is usually an aluminum alloy wand with a forked tip and a comfortable plastic or metal handle. This tool can be replaced with an ordinary awl or toothpick.
• To work, you need a thin awl - you need to wind strips of paper on it. In addition to the awl, you need tweezers to make it convenient to grab the paper; sharp scissors; PVA glue and, of course, paper.
• A ruler template is also useful - a ruler with circles of different sizes, which is used to form identical circles.
• Glue - PVA is usually used, it does not leave stains after drying. Glue is necessary for gluing the spirals, fixing the elements together. Double-sided tape - used in the same way as glue - for fixing.

Quilling paper

Quilling paper is strips of paper of a certain density cut in a special way. Paper strips can be in all colors of the rainbow, as well as shiny and matte , metallized and mother-of-pearl . Quilling paper can be double-toned (lighter on one side) and with the effect of constantly changing color along the entire length of the strip. Special paper is necessarily colored and cut.

If you do not have the opportunity to purchase special paper for quilling, you can make it yourself. To do this, pass the paper through an office paper shredder, and then cut it. The only thing is that the variety of colors and shades of ordinary colored paper is not as much as in ready-made strips.

The paper strips are typically 3 mm wide. Also, the paper should not be too thin, otherwise the curled elements will not hold their shape.

Basics of quilling technique

To create each element of the composition, it is necessary to twist a strip of paper with an awl into a tight roll or spiral about 1 cm in size. Next, slightly unroll the roll and glue the ends of the paper. From such a blank, you can make any figure by slightly pressing with your fingers.

Press on one side and you will have a leaf. Press on both sides, get a boat. If you press on one side and bend the spiral inward on the other, you get a heart.

Using this type of art, you can make original crafts with your own hands, decorate postcards, create paintings and more. It remains for you to wish only inspiration and creative impulses.