Mary-Quilly

I have recently learned about quilling and now is my turn to learn you my dear readers the easiest basic forms.
Before it let us pick up all neaded for our work.

To Begin You will need:

• Strips of paper of varying widths. The standard width in the MD is 4mm for most items, 1.5mm for fine narrow work, and 6mm, 9mm, or even 12mm for folded roses and fringed flowers.
You can buy quilling strips from hobby and craft shops, but to start off with you only really need ‘scrappy’ stuff to practice with, so I’d recommend using scrap paper put through a shredder: they tend to give 3mm wide strips. The edges can be a bit ‘fuzzy’ with un-detached paper scraps, but they’re good enough to practice rolling the strips at first.

• PVA glue. It’s easiest to use if it comes in a bottle with a nozzle, but if you can’t get one like that you can pour some out into a container for use.

• Tweezers. Although eyebrow tweezers will do if you can’t find anything else it’s best if you get ones that come to a narrow point, as fine as possible, without any ridged surface that could crumple the paper. A good craft shop should stock something like this.

• Sharp scissors: they’re handy for trimming ends of strips, fringing flowers etc.

• A flat surface to work on, preferably plastic or something similar.

Optional tools:

• A quilling tool. It can make learning how to roll the paper easier when you start, which is good, although it also makes large spaces in the centre of your roll, which can make it look less delicate.

• A cocktail stick. Use this to transfer glue from the pool poured out to the end of your strip that needs gluing.

To begin with I'd like to say that there are closed rolls and opened scrolls in the quilling technique. So let me start with:

Closed rolls

Tight roll

Tightly roll our paper strip around the tool. Use a toothpick to a small ammount of glue to the end of the strip, then press the end against the roll for a few seconds before removing the roll from the tool. That's all with the tight roll.

Loose roll
Make a tight roll,but remove itfrom your tool before you glue it. Lay the roll flat, lland allow it to uncoil to the desired size before gluing the end to the roll. The longer you wait before you glue the end the larger and looser your roll will be. Enjoy it...

Teardrop
Roll and glue a loose roll. Now, pinch one side of the roll
between your index finger and thumb.
Great work..

Triangle
Make a teardrop. In one hand, hold the teardrop between your index finger and thumb. With the other hand, press the rounded end inward to form three points. You are very talented!

Dart (arrow)
Make a teardrop by pinching one end. Then, holding the pinched end, use your finger to push the other end towards your other hand forming an indentation. Pinch the points to sharpen up the shape. Gorgeous!

Eye (marquise)
Roll a loose circle. Using both hands, hold the coil between your index fingers and thumbs. Pinch points at the opposite sides at the same time. That's all!

Square

Make an eye. Then turn it ninety degrees and pinch two more points on the opposite sides. Each side should be about the same size forming a square. Bravo!

Opened scrolls

Heart scroll
Pinch the paper strip in the middle. Wind each end toward the middle. The rolls are allowed to spring apart and are usually left unglued.