Sunday, December 20, 2009

VIDEO: What is the Most Popular Quilling Design and Other Items I Can Quill?




Want to start quilling and need some ideas on what you can make? Check out this video and then head over to your free lesson at LearnQuilling.com

Sunday, December 13, 2009

What Are Quilling Kits?

You may see quilling kits on the market and wonder if that is the right option for you. In case you are not familiar with quilling kits, they typically include the tool, the paper you need to make a few specific designs and a few patterns within one category all in one place. I typically do not recommend that you use a quilling kit for a few reasons.

First, the paper is typically cheap and that makes the glue difficult to adhere to it properly. You are sure to go crazy trying to quill with cheap paper and it will probably frustrate you immensely and drive you away from quilling.

Second, unless you are an advanced quiller, it will be difficult for you to follow the patterns without first knowing the basic steps needed to create the shapes for the complete design.

Instead, if you are looking to start quilling and want to learn how to do the art of paper quilling, I’d love for you to check out my course that is made for beginner quillers. You’ll learn all the basic steps to creating amazing quilling work plus learn how to make all kinds of great patterns with ease. You’d have to buy dozens of quilling kits to get the same amount of patterns you’ll learn how to make with my course, “Secrets to Quilling Success”. Beyond that you are going to get all my special tips which will really help you out. Check it out at learnquilling.com

What Else Can I Make Besides Quilled Flowers?

Although quilled flowers are very popular, you will quickly find that there are so many more patterns that you can quill besides simply flowers. Just about anything you can think of, you can quill! From animals to lettering to cars and trucks, you can quill all kinds of patterns using the basic quilling shapes you have learned how to make. The possibilities are really endless since you have complete control over the way you create a design with the basic quilling shapes. Quilling is an art form so just like any other art, you can make ANYTHING you’d like and have your finished piece of artwork look unique. Check out paper quilling instructions and patterns at LearnQuilling.com

Quilling designs can be used to jazz up any scrapbook, even for boys, since you can quill all kinds of toys, cars, animals, and other items that little boys enjoy to adorn the pages of their scrapbook.

Is Paper Quilling a Craft that Children Can Do Too?

Yes, children will definitely love quilling as a fun paper craft to do with all kinds of colored paper strips! You can show kids how to roll the paper into different shapes and then give them a chance to create something unique on their own. You may want to give them paper that is a little bit wider so they can handle it more easily. Making coils and scrolls are simple enough for most children to do and then you can give them some guidance as they glue them together into a design or you can allow them to create whatever they desire! If your child is having trouble rolling the coils, then help them out with that and allow them to do the gluing.

Kids especially love to try to make their favorite animals and cartoon characters with quilling. Older children can look at photos or drawings of the items they would like to quill and can get design ideas that way. You could even draw a basic design on paper and have them fill in the design with different quilled shapes similar to a puzzle! Allow your child to have fun twirling the paper and gluing their coils and scrolls down however they like.

Quilling is a great craft for kids since it requires very few supplies and is inexpensive so you can allow them to use as much paper as you’d like! Children will enjoy giving their quilling works of art as gifts or using them to decorate pieces of paper or cards for others.

Since I'm writing this post in December I will say that the Christmas holiday is an especially great time to have your children helped with quilling paper since they are sure to have fun making santas, wreaths, trees, and other holiday decorations. They can even add beads, glitter, sequins, ribbon, or other embellishments like buttons to jazz up their paper quilling creation. Have your child draw a tree on a piece of paper and then use quilling designs to decorate the tree! Doesn't that sound like a fun paper craft idea that everyone can enjoy doing? You can even give this as a gift if you want to frame it or add their design to a holiday gift card.

Ready to start learning how to make quilled creations? Check out my course at http://www.LearnQuilling.com

How long does it take to create designs with paper quilling? It seems a very time consuming craft.

Although most popularly called quilling, this paper craft has a few other names it is known by as well. Maybe you have heard it called Paper filigree, rolled paper décor, paper rolling, or filigrana. Whatever you chose to call it, try quilling once and you’ll surely be hooked. Quilling makes gorgeous artwork to jazz up any craft. Whatever name you call it, paper quilling is a lot of fun and easy to do with my step by step instructions.

Surprising it does not take long to make beautiful quilled creations once you get the basic shapes learned. However you can certainly spend hours on larger and more intricate designs if you’d like. Large quilled patterns are usually works of art that stand alone and can be framed for show. Most of the designs you’ll probably make when you are quilling will be smaller items to embellish other crafts you are doing so rest assured that it does not need to take all day just to make a few quilled flowers; although your friends might think so! The great thing about quilling is that it looks a lot more difficult than it actually is to do!

Quilling paper is a lot of fun and a great way to be creative with the basic coils and scrolls you’ll learn how to make. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised with the works of art you can create with just a few different types of quilled pieces. Just remember that you need to have a bit of patience (especially as a beginner quiller) since you are working with small tools and small pieces of paper. Each small coil or scroll will be just one tiny portion of the overall design. Remember to have fun and make your designs as detailed and intricate as you’d like. Take time for some trial and error as you learn and you’ll soon be amazed at how quickly you are able to make some really cool quilled designs.

More advanced quillers may spend hours and days or even weeks to create a very involved design. Some are even 3 dimensional which is really neat but of course takes quite a bit more time to be so detailed and intricate.

If you are ready to learn the art of quilling so you can start adding some new paper designs to many of your craft projects, I’d love to teach you with your first free lesson at www.learnquilling.com

What Is Quilling?


Quilling (also called paper filigree) is a paper craft where you learn to coil, curl, twist, or fringe strips of paper into a variety of intricate shapes, creating patterns and pieces of artwork. Quilling takes some practice to get the hang of but is a much easier craft to do than it seems. You’ll certainly be complimented by many people when they see your quilled creations since this is a paper craft that looks very detailed and time consuming. However, you will find with simple to follow step-by-step instructions, the basics of quilling are easy to master. Then you can start to make your own patterns and designs with ease!

The history of quilling dates back hundreds of years but is recently gaining a renewed popularity since quilled paper art is a great way to embellish scrapbooks, invitations, announcements, and home-made cards. Besides that, the cost to get started with quilling is comparatively lower than almost any other craft you could do! Although this craft has been around for quite some time, it is not very popular in craft stores so you may have a hard time finding supplies unless you know where to look.

Often people wonder what types of designs they can created with quilling paper. The majority of work you will see is probably flowers since quilled flowers are a lot of fun to make and are very popular. Beyond flowers, you’ll find that you can quill almost any design you can think of! Everything from animals to letters to fire engines are great items you can learn to quill with paper! You will have a lot of fun experimenting and trying new ideas with quilling even if you don’t have a pattern to follow (although it definitely helps for beginners).


Want to start quilling right now? Grab your first lesson free at LearnQuilling.com

What is Quilling? (Also known as Paper Filigree Art)

Quilling (also called paper filigree) is a paper craft where you learn to coil, curl, twist, or fringe strips of paper into a variety of intricate shapes, creating patterns and pieces of artwork. Quilling takes some practice to get the hang of but is a much easier craft to do than it seems. You’ll certainly be complimented by many people when they see your quilled creations since this is a paper craft that looks very detailed and time consuming. However, you will find with simple to follow step-by-step instructions, the basics of quilling are easy to master. Then you can start to make your own patterns and designs with ease!

The history of quilling dates back hundreds of years but is recently gaining a renewed popularity since quilled paper art is a great way to embellish scrapbooks, invitations, announcements, and home-made cards. Besides that, the cost to get started with quilling is comparatively lower than almost any other craft you could do! Although this craft has been around for quite some time, it is not very popular in craft stores so you may have a hard time finding supplies unless you know where to look.

Often people wonder what types of designs they can created with quilling paper. The majority of work you will see is probably flowers since quilled flowers are a lot of fun to make and are very popular. Beyond flowers, you’ll find that you can quill almost any design you can think of! Everything from animals to letters to fire engines are great items you can learn to quill with paper! You will have a lot of fun experimenting and trying new ideas with quilling even if you don’t have a pattern to follow (although it definitely helps for beginners).


Want to start quilling right now? Grab your first lesson free at LearnQuilling.com

Friday, December 11, 2009

How Did I Discover the Art of Paper Quilling?

In this blog post I'd like to answer the question posed to me recently...by my husband who wondered "how did I discover paper quilling?" One day suddenly there were boxes of quilling tools and quilling paper in various colors and designs showing up on our doorstep and I've been talking about quilling non-stop. So how did I discover the art of paper filigree? I have no idea! :) I was looking online for some new craft projects (I keep craft stores in business with the amount of supplies I purchase every month!) and I stumbled upon quilling. And I'm GLAD I did!

Paper filigree (quiling) is one of the coolest paper crafts I've ever seen! And believe it or not, its one of the easiest! I'd never tackle origami, but quilling is something that can be easy to learn how to do if you have the proper instructions. And paper quilling looks AMAZING; it seems that I put so much more work into than I actually did. And its a relaxing craft that I simply enjoy.

I hope you will discover a new craft that can really help jazz up and complement what you are currently doing. Check it out at www.LearnQuilling.com

Enjoy your paper filigree crafts!
Jenn

Thursday, December 10, 2009

The History of Paper Quilling

Paper Quilling is an art form believed to have evolved over many centuries. Once known as 'paper filigree', the term 'quilling' was derived from the feather quill used to roll out narrow pieces of paper. Quilling is deeply rooted in world history, popularly believed to have come into being in China, after the discovery of papermaking. Members of spiritual communities were the first inventors and users of the quilling process. Gradually, this enjoyable art form spread to other countries and eventually became an important part of the common persons’ life.

Quillings’ main concept involves the use of a hatpin, rolling fingers, or quilling tools to roll paper into desired shapes. Multiple shapes are rolled individually and then connected to one another to construct a final shape or design. Finishing touches are then made to add to the beauty of the piece and to secure it in place. These finishing touches might include using acid free matte board or shadow box framing.

Now that you’re aware of the origin and some aspects of quilling, let’s explore some details of quilling history.

Research has established that a form of quilling metals was performed as early as the mid-4th and 5th centuries. Gold and silver wires were applied to pillars, vases and other objects and jewelry was also fashioned using this technique. By the 13th century this form of metal quilling had become well-known and was practiced world wide.

The conversion from metal to paper use probably occurred as materials became scarce, or were unavailable to the lay person wanting to create pieces. Metal quilling was commonly referred to as metal filigree, and as the technique incorporated the use of paper, was commonly referred to as paper filigree. Early use of paper filigree was primarily confined to religious groups promoting their beliefs and embellishing sacred messages. The shift to the common folk practicing this art brought the term ‘quilling’ into regular use. Paper quilling implemented many techniques similar to jewelry styles, utilizing strips of paper, free rolls and edging. In the 17th and 18th centuries, quilling art expanded to tea caddies, coat of arms designs and photo frames.

There are few facts, but many stories, attributed to the origins of quilling. Some say it was developed in ancient times, not long after making paper was discovered. Others claim paper quilling was born in the 13th century when nuns were unable to purchase metal filigree due to its’ high cost. Still others believe that quilling began in the Americas. And yet, further evidence points to quilling being used in the Mediterranean region. With so many conflicting claims, no one can say for certain where quilling originated, but clearly it carries a truly international history.

Books of the Victorian Age and quilled pieces of that time indicate that proper young women practiced quilling to decorate furniture or purses and to create jewelry. Similar to the artwork of handicrafts, it has found difficultly surviving in present day times and its’ popularity has decreased. However, it is regaining its’ lost glory as an ancient art, practiced for centuries, since the technique can be used throughout the world for nearly limitless purposes.

Learn paper quilling to jazz up your scrapbooks and card making creations!!

Grab a free lesson on paper quilling at www.LearnQuilling.com

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Strip Length: A Quilling Article by Paula




I just stumbled across this article by Paula Bauer which answers the question, "How do you decide what length of strip or what width of strip to use when you create a design?"


Although my blog is geared more towards beginner and intermediate quillers, I thought this article would be helpful for advanced quillers who find my blog!


http://customquillingbydenise.com/FreePattern/PaulaStripLength.pdf


enjoy!
Jenn

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Another Craft I Love: Learn How to Make Holiday Decorative Bows



Here’s a list of great ways to use the many decorative bows you can make with all kinds of seasonal ribbon available at craft stores. Remember, you can make the same decorative bows they sell in craft stores for $7 to $70 with just a few dollars of ribbon. There are a bunch of great ways to use the bows you have made. Here are eight of my favorites:


1 – Use a decorative bow around the base of a pillar candle. (Be sure that candle flame doesn’t get close to ribbon as it burns down!)

2 – Use a decorative bow to add some fun to a gift basket.

3 – Use a decorative bow to give a car or bike as a gift. You can make really large bows that will work well for this.

4 – Use a decorative bow to dress up a wreath or tree for Christmas or other holidays.

5 – Use a decorative bow on a wrapped present, gift tin, or gift bag.

6 – Use a decorative bow in a centerpiece display for your table. Use ribbon that will coordinate with the season, meal being served, or even your fine china.

7 – Use a decorative bow to decorate a table for a craft fair, flea market, or yard sale.

8 – Use a decorative bow to create a beautiful fireplace display. Add pieces of greenery or other items to complete your display.

As you can see, there are many fun ways you can use decorative bows once you learn how to make bows. Be creative! I’m sure you can think of even more ways to use your home-made decorative bows once you see all the wonderful ribbon available at the craft store. Also take a look at the pre-made bows they sell in the store to get a lot of ideas on decorative bows you can make and also ways that you can use them around your house and for the holidays. Save a lot of money by creating at home your own decorative bows!

Sunday, December 6, 2009

Quilling Article ("Quilling Guidelines") That I Wanted To Share With You!

Fundamental Quilling
Essentially, quilling is the act of rolling a strip of paper around a quilling tool to create a tight coil. Always work with strips of the correct length and width for your pattern re...

The ancient art of quilling has seen the rise and fall of its’ popularity over hundreds of years and throughout the world, proving its’ durability as an art form. In this blog post, we'll share the fascinating techniques under the concept of quilling.

Essentially, quilling is the act of rolling a strip of paper around a quilling tool to create a tight coil or scroll (coils and scrolls are the two main categories of basic quilled designs). Always work with strips of the correct length and width for your pattern requirements (you'll find this in your quilling instructions) and for the shape you wish to produce. If you use a slotted tool, but sure to insert your strip correctly and then hold the tool firmly while turning it to roll the paper strip into a coil. Use your other hand to guide the strip and keep the coil tight. Then slip the coil from the tool and glue the end to the coil to hold it, or leave it unattached for use as a loose, or tailed, scroll. ***These are VERY basic instructions that will not make sense to most beginner quillers so I suggest taking a look at "Secrets to Quilling Success" at LearnQuilling.com

Here are the basic quilling shapes you'll need to learn in order to make quilled patterns:

Coil
Roll your paper strip tightly using your needle tool and then let the coil release and expand slightly. Next glue the strip end to the roll. This is the most basic quilling shape that nearly all other shapes start off as, and is also known as a relaxed, filler or loose coil.

Teardrop
Roll and glue a loose coil, then, while holding it with the thumb and finger of one hand, use the thumb and finger of the other hand to pinch one side of the coil to a point, creating a teardrop shape—also known as a peacock eye.

Marquise
Roll and glue a loose coil, then holding the coil with both hands, pinch each side of the coil simultaneously to create double points. This distinctive shape is also known as a diamond.

Half Circle
Roll and glue a loose coil, then create a teardrop. Next, pinch a second point near the first point that made the teardrop shape. The distance between the two points determines the height of the shape.

Loose Scroll
Roll a loose coil, leaving a substantial portion, or whatever your pattern or desire calls for, unrolled. These shapes are also known as ‘tailed’ scrolls.

V-Scroll
Fold your strip in half lengthwise. Then roll a coil from each end of the strip. You may roll towards the inside of the fold to create a heart scroll, or towards the outside of the fold, to create a ‘V’ scroll.

T-Scrolls
Roll a ‘V’ scroll, then glue the unrolled ‘legs’ of the shape together to create a ‘T’ shape.

Fringed Loose Scroll
Roll a loose, or tailed, scroll, then carefully holding the shape with tweezers, cut the unrolled end, or ‘tail’ lengthwise with scissors. This creates a fringed ‘tail’.

Cutting Quill Strips Lengthwise
This technique, if carefully done, can reduce the bulk in your coils, and ultimately in your entire piece.

Saturday, December 5, 2009

Looking for Paper Quilling Instructions to Jazz Up Your Homemade Cards or Scrapbooks?


I have to tell you, it is DIFFICULT to try to follow patterns or so called "instructions" that so many websites provide for you to learn the art of paper quilling. I even tried numerous craft stores (the ones that even had any quilling supplies) and didn't find a single book that made instructions for quiling that are easy enough to follow and learn.

If you are as frustrated as I am with paper quilling and just want to know how to do quilling with simple and DETAILED instructions with DVD and photos, you have come to the right place. Check out LearnQuilling.com for more info.

enjoy!
Jenn
LearnQuilling.com

Friday, December 4, 2009

Paper Quilling Flower Designs


www.LearnQuilling.com



Want to learn the art of paper quilling with easy to follow instructions on DVD? Check out www.LearnQuilling.com

What is Paper Quilling? (Paper Filigree)


The art of paper quilling is a paper craft that uses a small tool (quilling tool) to coil strips of paper into a variety of shapes and patterns. (see photos on this blog post to see what I'm talking about..its really neat!!)

http://www.LearnQuilling.com

It definitely takes some practice to get the hang of this paper quilling craft but it is also a lot of fun and can be used to make paper designs for scrapbooking and card making crafts - the two most popular uses for paper quilling designs.

http://www.LearnQuilling.com

Basic tools needed for the art of Paper Quilling

• Proper instructions to roll and shape the quilling paper
• Quilling paper (comes in a variety of widths)
• Quilling Needle
• Slotted quilling tool
• Cork workboard for quilling
• Glue
• Ruler
• A pattern or design in mind

These are the basic tools needed for the art of paper filigree. If you want to learn more, check out LearnQuilling.com to help me make sure I have everything included in my new paper quilling instructions course on ebook and DVD.

Thanks!
Jenn
LearnQuilling.com

Photos of Some Paper Quilling Patterns

Learn Quilling - New DVD Course Needs Your Help

Ask a question about quilling you want to be sure I answer in this new course and I'll send you a free ebook with 660 recipes! PLUS give you a huge discount when I finish the course, if you want to check it out!

Only at: www.LearnQuilling.com

Thanks for your help forming this new paper quilling instructions course on ebook and DVD!
Jenn
www.LearnQuilling.com