When you’re learning to quill, it’s only natural that you want your finished quilling to look exactly like the pattern you’re following, but it probably doesn’t. There are many factors that affect the look of a quilled piece that most artists are not even aware of. Here are five quilling tips that explain the problems you may have and what you can do to create more consistent and professional quilling work that you can be proud of.
- Your scrolls and scrolls will be unique to you. They won’t look exactly like mine or anyone else’s. Everyone uses a different tension when winding the paper strips, resulting in variations in reels and rolls. Not only that, but your own picks will vary from each other depending on your mood and how you feel at the moment. To see for yourself, compare the rolls he did when he was tired or exhausted with those he did when he was relaxed and rested. You will notice a big difference. A good tip is to prepare all the strips for a project at the same time. This allows you to wind your strips one after the other, producing feathers with more consistent tension.
- Neatness counts, control the glue. Nothing will ruin the look of a finished quilling piece more than seeing glue chips all over it or glue drippings underneath it where it’s attached to its backing. Only the smallest drop is needed to seal the end of a coil or to join one coil or scroll to another while building your design. A little more adhesive may be needed to attach the quilling paper to the box or frame, but not much. Clean hands are an absolute must when working with paper quilling and you’ll want to wash your hands before beginning any quilling project. The best quilling tip I’ve found to help keep glue off your fingers is to keep a damp paper towel handy to wipe your fingers while quilling. Also, keep hand lotions to a minimum so the oils don’t discolor the paper.
- All quilling paper is not created equal. You’d think one 1/8-inch-wide pack of paper would be the same as another, but it’s not. As we all know, paper comes in different weights and even among those of the same weight, some papers simply have more “body” than others, making them more suitable for quilling. The weight of the paper used to create the strips will vary slightly between manufacturers and even within the same manufacturer. In fact, there is a manufacturer that sells quilling strips made of thin cardstock that is very difficult to work with, as it cracks and splits. If you’re having trouble writing quilling, before you give up in frustration, try a strip of quilling paper from another company. You may find that the problem with your coils is with the paper and not with you.
- Quilling paper has a “right” side and a “wrong” side. If you examine a strip of quilling paper, you’ll notice that one side has smooth edges that curve slightly downward. The other side has edges that curve slightly upwards. This is because the paper cutter blade pushes down on the paper as it cuts. The smooth side is considered the right (or top) side of the paper. You will want to start your curls with this side of the paper facing up. This difference is especially noticeable when several strips are joined together to form a large tight coil for use as a base, etc.
- Use the quilling tool that works for you. There are many commercial tools available for crimping paper, both with straight and grooved needles. A round toothpick or corsage pin can also be used. As for me, I prefer the most basic tool of all: my fingers. Keep in mind that quilling tools are just that, tools to help you create your desired coil or spiral. By all means, follow the instructions that came with the tool or the ones you find online, but if the instructions don’t seem to work for you, feel free to try using the tool in a slightly different way. The instructions that came with my first slotting tool told me to fold the paper towards me. I tried many times, but my fingers struggled with that movement. However, when I pushed the paper away from me, it felt good and that’s how I use that tool today. If you’re still having trouble using a specific type of tool, try a completely different tool. You will soon find the right one for you.
Put these quilling tips to work for you and you’ll see improved results in no time.
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