Learn How Paper Quilling Started Centuries Ago and Why It’s So Popular Today

Supplies for Paper Quilling

Want to try paper quilling for yourself? Here are some of the basic supplies to get started.

Quilling paper. Quilling paper is ready for you to start using right away. The strips come in the standard widths for quilling so that you can make a variety of shapes. If you want even more color choices, here are metallics!

Slotted tool. This tool will help you in evenly rolling the paper.

Ruler

Scissors. Invest in a good pair of scissors—you’ll thank yourself later. To ensure they stay sharp, only use them to cut paper.

Tweezers

Clear-drying glue suited for paper. Tacky Glue is a long-time crafter’s favorite.

T-pins. For piercing the paper.

Straight pins. These will hold your designs in place as they dry.

How to Learn Paper Quilling

YouTube has many videos that show you the basic shapes of paper quilling and how to recreate them for yourself. This one, by HandiWorks, will show you how to make 35 paper quilling shapes.

There are also books that will show step-by-step techniques for paper quilling projects. Here are a few texts to try:

Paper Quilling: All the Skills You Need to Make 20 Beautiful Projects. Author Elizabeth Moad shares how to make quilled cards, gift boxes, tags, and more.

Quilling Art. Intended for beginners and advanced quillers alike, this book by Sena Runa demonstrates 20 modern designs with instructions and templates for each.

Quilled Mandalas: 30 Paper Projects for Creativity and Relaxation. Can’t get enough of mandalas? This book by Alli Bartkowski explains the basics of quilling and how to create mandalas from this paper art.

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Sara Barnes

Sara Barnes is a Staff Editor at My Modern Met, Manager of My Modern Met Store, and co-host of the My Modern Met Top Artist Podcast. As an illustrator and writer living in Seattle, she chronicles illustration, embroidery, and beyond through her blog Brown Paper Bag and Instagram @brwnpaperbag. She wrote a book about embroidery artist Sarah K. Benning titled "Embroidered Life" that was published by Chronicle Books in 2019. Sara is a graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art. She earned her BFA in Illustration in 2008 and MFA in Illustration Practice in 2013.
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