QuillingQuilling is an easy paper craft that requires minimal tools. It produces amazing results which can be used for decorating birth announcements, wedding invitations, and other embellishments.
The art of twirling paper started during the Renaissance when nuns decorated bibles and religious texts with swirly strips of paper. Back then, they used feathers (quills) for writing and it is believed that they rolled the strips of paper around the quill - thus the term "quilling".
Unlike origami, quilling is very easy to learn. Once you've spend an hour doing it you can launch into other projects without further instructions. Books will give you creative ideas and specialized techniques, but the basic quilling method is all that you need to get going. Quilling Books
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In quilling, a narrow strip of paper (¼" or ⅜" wide) is rolled around a slotted quilling tool to form a tight roll (called a coil). The loose end of the coil is glued onto the roll to prevent unrolling. The coil may be allowed to unroll itself slightly before the loose end is glued on: this forms a "loose coil". Loose coils can be shaped by pinching the ends to form teardrop or crescent moon shapes. These coils are then arranged into flowers, fruits, animals, and any shape imaginable.
Quilling requires very few tools. For a beginner, you will need strips of paper, a slotted quilling tool, and glue. However, as with any craft, you begin to desire more tools as your projects progress in complexity. For example, serious quilling enthusiasts will use a circle template, a cork board, pins, forceps, scissors, and a quilling fringer.
