Quilling is the art of making pictures, objects and 3D items from coils of paper that have been molded into various different shapes or structures. People generally start with 2D quilling and then move from there to the more complex 3D quilling. In this article I hope to explain a little of what quilling is as well as how you can go about making your own quilled creations.

Quilling is a Paper Craft

Like origami, quilling is a paper craft but in this case it uses thin strips of paper that have usually been wound into a coil before forming different shapes although some shapes may not require coiling of the strips before the shape is created. There are a number of basic shapes which make up any 2D quilling pattern including loose or tight coils, squares, triangles, half circles or moon shapes, etc. 3D quilling is more complex and usually starts with a fairly tight coil that is then extended to create different structures.

Creating Your First 2D Quilled Creation

Creating a 2D quilled creation does not need to be difficult and you should start by thinking about what picture you want to create and either making your own quilling pattern or buying a quilling kit that has the picture you want to create. If you are creating your own quilling pattern then break the picture down into different quilling shapes that you know how to create. Once you have your pattern you can start by creating the different shapes that you will need such as rolling coils, pinching these coils to form corners in different places for squares, triangles, rectangles, etc. Lastly put together the 2D quilled creation on a piece of paper.

Creating Your First 3D Quilled Creation

3D quilling is best begun using kits that will help to explain how to go about creating various different patterns. Use these 3D quilling kits and become familiar with the different structures that are used before attempting to create your own 3D quilling patterns.

2D and 3D quilling allows for great scope in terms of the type of items and different pictures you are able to create. Once you understand the basics of quilling shapes and patterns then it becomes easier to create your own quilling patterns and you will soon be able to create many different pictures, ornaments, gifts, jewelry and more.