Quilling is an easy project to do with children.
Quilling is the art of twirling small strips of paper into decorative swirls and coils. These swirls of paper are arranged to create animals, flowers, and other shapes and patterns to use as standalone pieces of art or to embellish cards, book covers, invitations and more.
Instructions
1. Squirt a blob of white glue onto a piece of scrap paper and set aside.
2. Insert one end of a strip of paper into the slot on the tip of the quilling tool.
3. Place an index finger on the tip of the quilling tool where you just inserted the paper. This will stop the paper from sliding out of the slot and off the tool when you are turning the paper strip into a coil.
4. Hold the tool with your free hand and turn it toward you, guiding the paper with the thumb of your hand holding the paper. Guiding the strip will make sure you make a nice, even coil.
5. Continue turning the tool and twirling the paper into a swirl until you reach the end of the strip. Then turn the tool a quarter-turn in the opposite direction.
6. Pull the coiled swirl of paper off the quilling tool gently. Do not pull the tool out of the coil or it will distort the paper shape you are creating.
7. Dip one end of the toothpick into the glue and dab a bit onto the loose end of the paper coil. Press this end onto the coil and hold in place until set. This will ensure your paper swirl keeps its shape.
8. Make paper swirls of different shapes by curling the paper looser or tighter. Pinch the ends to make a teardrop shape. Push the center of the coil out for more dimension. Experiment twirling and shaping the strips to make a variety of paper art swirls.
