How to Paper Quil Cards and More

With the holidays finally here, I wanted to share an easy and beautiful DIY that you can do with only a few materials. Paper Quilling is the art of curling paper into shapes, which you can combine together to create a beautiful 3D image.

Materials:

Let's start with what you will need: quilling paper and a tool. I have a link for quilling paper above, but you can also pick up a package from your local craft store (I did have some difficulty finding this item at my local Joanns, as it wasn't located with other paper art supplies, so I can't say what area you can for sure find it in :( . Second, you will need a rounded, thin tool to wrap the paper around. Because I work with polymer clay, I used my needle tool from my sculpting tool set. If you have toothpicks or a larger needle at home however, you can use that too. Something that has a handle like my tool works the best so the paper doesn't slip, but other tools without will work fine. There are also tools specifically designed for paper quilling that come in different sizes, which you can purchase here.

Where to start:

The first shape you will want to learn to make is a simple circle. Below are some pictures to walk you through it, but making this one is as simple as rolling the quilling paper tightly around the needle tool. Pull the completed circle off the tool to allow it to relax (if you want to keep it tight however, you would glue the end now). After you have the shape you want, find the end of the rolled quilling paper and apply a very tiny amount of craft glue. Press gently for a few seconds and you are done! If you want to create an even looser shape, place the needle tool back in the center of the shape and unroll the paper. Then help the paper roll back into it's original shape.

As you will see, I simply pinched the circle to form a teardrop shape. Below are some other common shapes that can be made by pinching the sides of a circle shape or curling both ends of the paper.

To apply the shapes to paper, apply a small amount of glue to the bottom and press gently.

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