2009-10-14 Paper Quilling Beginner Bouquet Tutorial

Last week I worked on Paper Quilling. I had one or two comments asking questions and a slew of requests via email on how to do this time honored craft. If you are very adept with your fingers, you can do paper quilling like days of old and just use a hat pin or an actual quill to wrap the paper strips around. But by far, the very easiest way is to use a slotted quilling tool. These can be found in large chain craft stores that sell quilling supplies for about $4. You can also make your own paper quilling strips by cutting any colored text weight paper into any size you like on a paper trimmers or even use your paper shredder if you have one.

So with very minimal supplies; here is what you will need:

Slotted Paper Quilling Tool
Quilling Paper (sample is 1/8″ strips)
Ruler
Clear drying glue
Stick Pins
Wax Paper
Mounting Board ( I used a cork board, but anything you can stick a pin into would be fine.)

Here is the list of paper strips and sizes you will need to make the sample I have shown:
9 RED (or what ever color flower petals) strips of 3 inches
5 RED strips of 5 inches
4 GREEN strips of 3 inches
1 GREEN strip of 5 inches
1 GREEN strip about 18 inches

Using your ruler, just tear the strips to the sizes described.

All of the petals and leaves are exactly the same shape, just different sizes. I made all of them at the same time as this will move the project along quicker.

Using the slotted quilling tool, tightly wrap the paper around the tool.

I did NOT use a quilling board (a plastic board with holes like a spaghetti serving sizer) to make regulated sized circles. Instead, I just released the paper and let it spiral all on it’s own. When it stopped expanding, I used a pin and applied glue to the loose end and adhered it, making a complete loose circle.

Once the glue sets (just a few seconds); pinch the spiral into a tear drop shape. As I mentioned earlier, go ahead and make all of the leaves and flower petals this same way.

Once you’ve got all of the petals made, you can start gluing them together to form a flower. (Here you see the 5″ tear drop flower.) Lay the petals out in front of you and form them into a circle. You can either put the points out, or towards the center for a different look. Here I put the points out. I used the stick pins on the board to hold the petals in place until the flower had dried.

I also glued the smaller (3″ tear drop flower) together and let dry. Here you see me adding it right on top of the 5″ flower) It’s as easy as that to make a double layered flower. Just glue it in place.

I have found it easier to just accordion fold the stem (18 inch strip) and glue it together. That way I get a double layer of paper for the stem. I can then rip off the tops to what ever height I’d like my bouquet to be. The best way to show you this was to pin it down on the board before gluing.

I took a pin and dabbed glue on the paper and just pinched and held the stems for a couple of seconds. I’ve ripped off the upper stems to the height that I think will look nice. I’ve also made some scrolls with the loose ends. (See the next step to show detail on this)

To make a flower “bud” I took the 5 inch strip of paper and folded it in the middle to make a “V” This is called a “V” Scroll.

Use the quilling tool and twirl the paper away from the “V”

Do the same thing to the other side. This is the same scroll that I used as decoration flourish at the base of the final flower arrangement.

Lay all of the pieces out in front of you. Tuck a red 3 inch tear drop into the “V” Scroll and glue in place. To make 1/2 of a flower I just glued 3, 3 inch tear drops together. Glue some leaves where ever you think they will fit in.

And here all the parts have been glued together. As the final step I’ll add a couple of my homemade dew drops for flower centers. If you don’t have these, you can certainly use a gem, pearl or a fancy bead. I’m ready to mount on a greeting card.

I have not yet mounted this onto a greeting card, but I do have other samples for you to see in case you missed them from last week. Here are the quick links:

Paper Quilled Bouquet #1

Paper Quilled Bouquet #2

Paper Quilled Bouquets #3 & 4

Paper Quilled Bouquet #5

Paper Quilled Bouquet #6

and a trio of cards done last April