Follow these simple steps to learn the basic shapes for quilling…

Follow these simple steps to learn the basic shapes for quilling… then combine them to create fun pop-up cards designs of your own! 1. Cut the ends off your Q-tip and use it to roll one of your paper strips into a tight coil. (I find that rolling towards me is easiest, but that’s just personal preference.) 2. Apply a small amount of glue to the end and press it down for a few seconds. 3. Now pull out your Q-tip “quill” — you have just completed your first tight coil. 4. Roll another coil the same way, but when you get to the end, pull out your quill and release your grip just a little so your coil begins to expand. You can let it expand a lot or just a little—it’s up to you. A small amount of glue will hold it in place at the size you want. We’ll call this a loose coil.

 5. Now make two more loose coils. Pinch one of them on one side to form a teardrop shape. Pinch the other one on two opposing sides to form an eye shape. 6. To make a graceful “S” curve, roll a strip halfway and release it. Then roll the other end of the strip halfway in the opposite direction and release again. 7. A heart shape is made by first folding your paper strip in half. Then roll each end in toward the middle, releasing when you get to the size you want your heart shape to be. 8. After making each of these basic shapes, it’s easy to make triangles, squares, and more. 9. Finally, use small amounts of glue to assemble your shapes into all kinds of fun designs. Make strips fast with a paper shredder Cut ends of Q-tip to roll strips Apply glue to end of strip with a toothpick Tight coil Loose coil Open coil Teardrop shape Eye shape S curve Heart shape Triangle shape Square shape Quilled Butterfly Quilled Crab Quilled Octopus Quilled Sea Star Quilling Cards Octopus Quilled Fish Building a complicated design with quilling can take some patience! It’s a good idea to start with a small project like a greeting card, which will help students learn new skills and experience success without feeling frustrated by a project that takes too long to complete.