Paper Quilling: Strip – Curl – Masterpiece

A super popular craft, easy to do and maha versatile…paper quilling is the ‘in’ thing at the moment – not just in India but worldwide.

Think jewellery, greeting cards, boxes, wedding invites, bookmarks, photo frames and even figures…this affordable and eco-friendly craft has quietly crafted its niche in the market.

Also known as paper filigree, the art imitates metal filigree work in design and is achieved by using strips of paper that are rolled around a quill to create a basic coil shape and then glued at the tip. These shaped coils are then arranged to form various ornamental patterns.

The craft has gone through many transformations and changes through the ages using new techniques, styles and materials. Dimensional quilling creates 3D items.

Quilling Origins

Some sources suggest that many of the techniques we use today were originally practiced in Ancient Egypt. It grew in popularity in the 16th and 17th centuries as French and Italian nuns decorated holy pictures using this technique of ornamentation. In fact, poorer churches favored religious pictures with rolled decoration as when gilded or silvered; it was difficult to distinguish the paper filigree work from real gold or silver filigree work.

The craft was then practiced more by the elite class and genteel ladies. It was a decorative craft used for covering tea-caddies, workboxes, screens, cabinets, frames etc. As per an interesting post in the ‘The New Lady’s Magazine’ in 1786 ‘….it affords an amusement to the female mind capable of the most pleasing and extensive variety; and at the same time, it conduces to fill up a leisure hour with an innocent recreation.

Unfortunately after the early 19th century, quilling all but disappeared. A lady named Margaret Carlson, in Kansas, USA revived the art in the mid 1950’s. A Quilling Guild was formed in 1983 in England and in 1993 a small group of American quillers formed a North American Quilling Guild. These quilling guilds played a large part in reviving this art. Another important factor in the current revival has been the internet where there are numerous blogs, websites and Facebook groups devoted to quilling.

Today, quilling is seeing resurgence in popularity with quillers (people who practice the art of quilling) on every continent and in every walk of life. No longer confined to the “upper classes”, this is a people’s art form and the beauty of the art is always expanding. The craft has become increasingly popular due to the low cost of the material.

Even companies such as Home Depot, Ford and Google have used Quilling in their advertising.

Quilling By Design

Photo – Farah Al Fardh, Ace UAE Quiller

Ninety percent inspired by nature, most quilling designs are floral in nature. Easy to learn, quilling requires minimum tools and maximum imagination. While bonafide tools make the twirling process easier and simpler, one can also use toothpicks and drill bits to create shapes like tear drops, triangles, circles and eye shapes.

An Awesome Learning Activity

A good craft for kids to learn, quilling helps improve dexterity, hand to eye coordination and creativity.

A strong STEAM activity, it teaches them discipline, strengthens their mental focus and is an activity that utilizes their free time very well. They can see their imagination at work; can create something out of nothing; and get new ideas every time they have a go at it.

At Toy-Kraft we have versatile kits for quilling. From Jewellery to Greeting Cards, Key Chains to Decorative Boxes and tea light holders….we are continuously exploring new designs in paper quilling.