Twirly, swirly, pieces of colorful paper made to look like flowers, snowflakes, leaves, butterflies, and more, paper quilling is the perfect choice for anyone who loves paper crafts. It’s been enjoyed by generations ever since the invention of paper.
There are lots of kits you can buy in stores, but we always love to get creative and make our designs at home. We’re covering paper quilling for beginners with these 26 helpful tips, tutorials, and projects.
What Is Paper Quilling?
Simply put, paper quilling is the art of rolling paper. Paper is cut into long, thin strips and then rolled and pinched. You can create a variety of shapes and different designs, from basic swirls to unique and intricate pieces of art.
Paper quilling can be used to decorate all sorts of things, from picture frames and gift bags to cards and boxes. As you become more familiar with creating designs, you can even make jewelry like pendants and earrings, use them to decorate a cake, or make three-dimensional art pieces.
No one knows exactly where or when the art of paper quilling began. Some think that it started in ancient China, where paper was invented. Others credit the nuns in the 13th century who would cut strips of gilded paper from books and roll them up to imitate the iron metal ornamentation that was used in homes. They would then use the paper rolls to decorate religious books and objects. As years went on, it was a popular pastime of 18th century female aristocrats, and a decorative element used by American colonists.
Today, beginners can learn to create designs in as little as an hour or two. But before you begin twirling strips of paper, you’ll want to take a look at these paper quilling essentials.
5 Paper Quilling Essentials to Invest In
Check out our list of 5 beginner tools and materials you should invest in before you start paper quilling.
- Quilling Board – A quilling board is designed to help you roll strips of paper into spirals. Most importantly, it allows you to create spirals that are the same size. This board features a pinhole grid as well as a horizontal slotted grid. It also allows you to store posts in a small pull-out drawer.
- Paper Quilling Tool – You’ll need a slotted paper quilling tool to help you roll up your paper strips. Simply place one end of the paper through the tool and turn it to create a neat coil. These slotted rollers are comfortable to hold and allow you to apply glue more evenly.
- Paper Quilling Strips – These pre-cut paper strips are made just for paper quilling. The lightweight paper is easy to roll and comes in a pack of 60 different colors. If you prefer to make your own strips, you can use a paper trimmer to cut your paper to 12 inch lengths and ⅛ inch wide.
- Liquid Glue – Liquid glue is what helps to hold your rolled coils in place and add paper edgings. The tip on this glue bottle allows for more precise and full coverage application.
- Piercer Tool or Toothpicks – If you’re using paper that is too thick for a slotted quilling tool, you can use a piercer tool or even a toothpick to help roll up your paper strips. Toothpicks are also great for applying glue to your paper and paper edges.
Paper Quilling for Beginners: 6 Tips & Tutorials
Paper Quilling for Beginners | HGTV Handmade
This video tutorial is super easy for anyone looking to get started with paper quilling. The Crafty Lumberjacks walk you through the steps to create a gorgeous art piece.
Quick Tips for Neater Quilling | The Papery Craftery
Tiny pieces of paper and glue can get frustrating and can also make a big mess. Avoid disaster and get the neat results you’re looking for with these handy quick tips.
35 Paper Quilling Shapes | HandiWorks
Who knew you could create so many different shapes? You’ll learn to make 35 different paper coil shapes that are designed for beginners.
Quick Tips for Neater Quilling | The Papery Craftery
This video goes over ways to make your paper quills a little bit neater, a little bit cleaner, and easier to work with.
Quilling Glue | 5 Basic Tips to Avoid Showing Glue | Paper Zen
Paper quilling involves a lot of glue, which can get messy very quickly. Keep your designs need with these five glue tips.
Tips for On-Edge Quilling | The Papery Craftery
You’ll learn how to make on-edge quilling to finish off your designs beautifully. It can be tricky at first, but this video will show you how to manage it easier.
20 Paper Quilling Projects for Beginners
- Paper Quilled Snowflake Craft | Artsy Craftsy Mom
- Paper Quilling Owls | The Blog Cabin
- Barbie’s Birthday Cake | Autodesk Instructables
- Paper Quilling Heart Balloon Cards | That Kids Craft Site
- Quilled Reindeer Gift Tags | Red Ted Art
- Paper Quilled Butterflies | The Blog Cabin
- 20 Basic Quilling Flowers | Shivani Creations
- Quilling Rose Tutorial | Creative Paper
- Paper Quilling Easter Egg Craft | Artsy Craftsy Mom
- Easy Paper Quilling Emoji Cards | Red Ted Art
- Quilled Monogram Letter | Craftastical
- Quilled Coasters | Rania Nadeem
- Quilled Poinsettia Wreath | Sugar Spice & Glitter
- DIY Paper Quilled Photo Frame | Autodesk Instructables
- DIY Paper Quilling Christmas Tree Ornament | Artsy Craftsy Mom
- Quilled Pumpkin Paper Craft | The Soccer Mom Blog
- Quilled Rainbow Art Paper Craft | Mom Does Reviews
- Paper Quilling Animal Bookmarks | Craftylity
- Paper Quill Heart | Emily Dawe
- Paper Quilled Christmas Tree Cards | Red Ted Art
Ready to start twirling? We’ve made paper quilling for beginners’ fun and easy to learn with these 26 tips and tutorials.
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