Quilling is an excellent activity for both children and adults, thanks to it leisure is spent with interest. The technique of creating compositions from thin twisted stripes is not only entertaining, but also useful, since you can decorate your house yourself and make an original gift to a loved one.
History
It is believed that art appeared in medieval Europe, where the monks made medallions, book covers and frames for icons. To do this, they wound paper strips with pre-gilded edges on the tip of the pen, which created an imitation of a miniature of gold. In the 15th-16th centuries, quilling was called art, in the 19th century it became women's entertainment, and most of the 20th century was completely forgotten. Only at the end of the last century did such an activity come back again and interest many.
Paper
Double-sided color strips can be purchased at the store or made independently at home to save money. The material chosen depends on the master and on his preferences. Many professionals like to produce raw materials with their own hands, because thanks to this they invest more energy in work. The width of the strips for quilling can be 2, 3, 5 and 10 mm.
Quality paper must meet certain characteristics and properties.
1. Must be not very light, but not heavy, just wrap up, and then open evenly, while preserving the intended shape.
2. Light-resistant material is selected so that the products hold a presentable appearance for a long time . When storing, strips for quilling should be well packed, since direct sunlight can still slightly distort the color scheme of future masterpieces.
3. Raw materials must be selected high-quality, so that the master, if desired, could cover the tape with golden and silver aerosols or varnishes. To do this, you need to distribute the material well and fix it on several sides, and then apply decorative elements, then wait until it dries completely.
4. For more delicate and sophisticated work, parchment is often purchased, since it has a pastel color.
Cutting Tools
In order to make do-it-yourself quilling strips, special tools are needed. The cutting process will become much easier if you buy a ready-made set for creativity. But you can dream up and make it yourself from improvised materials that can be found in any home. However, there is such an inventory that it will be difficult to replace anything. First of all, it is a self-healing mat, which is very convenient to use. Thanks to it, furniture does not deteriorate and every time you do not need to look for a place where strips for quilling will be cut. Another very convenient tool is a round or clerical knife, with which it is easy to cut a prepared sheet of paper.
Scissors are also used, but it will take a lot more time, and the effect will be a little worse, as they break the ends. You will definitely need a ruler to measure and draw a line at the right distance.
Slicing technique
If you want to do tape art, you need to know how to make strips for quilling yourself. There are several ways to make them:
1. It is necessary to prepare a sheet on which the distance of the future tape is marked on both sides. Then take a 20-30-centimeter iron ruler and attach it to the points, and then use a sharp paper knife to draw a line. This is best done on a self-healing rug, but if this is not the case, then a surface that will not be a pity to cut is perfect. The blade is carried out from top to bottom, so it is necessary to continue until the end of the sheet. This method is considered one of the fastest and easiest.
2. If it is possible to use a personal or office shredder to destroy documents, then a lot of tapes can be made in a short time. The main disadvantage of this technique is that the strips of paper for quilling will always be the same size. The advantage of this method is the ability to quickly cut any chocolate or candy wrappers and unnecessary leaves, all this is used as improvised material for creativity. It is a rather original idea, since the product always turns out to be interesting and unusual.
3. You can also prepare the material with a torch. The advantage is the ability to manufacture tapes of any size. The negative aspects include the high cost of the tool, as well as the need for certain skills. You need a confident, firm hand and a good eye.
Microsoft Word
There is a method in which you do not need to draw A4 sheets yourself to cut them into quilling strips. The template is very often used for such work, and it can be made using a computer program. To do this, in Word you need to draw a table and set the number of columns in it, depending on the width of the required tape. And also in the program the line thickness is selected. To set all the necessary parameters, you need to select the desired fragment and right-click on it, find the "Table Properties" tab, in this section all the criteria are set. After the task is completed, a template is printed on specially selected paper, and then the sheet is cut into ribbons of the desired size.
What can be done from strips
As mentioned above, quilling is an art through which real masterpieces appear. But first you need to figure out what forms can come in handy for creating the simplest crafts.
Closed:
- "Arrow". The wrapping is collected in a triangle, the middle of which is pressed inward.
- “Droplet.” Obtained by moving the center of the spiral to the side to form a twisted tip.
- “Leaf”. The spiral is compressed, and then it drops from two sides.
“The Semicircle.” The tape is twisted and pinched at the edges, and the formed space is leveled from one of the parts.
“The Triangle.” This is the same “drop”, but with a rounded and flattened part.
“The Crescent.” This is the slightly extruded middle of the previous item.
It is important to know that all forms are necessarily fixed with glue.
Open (they are created without spiraling):
- “Heart”. Two strips of paper are folded in half, and then folded inward after the ends.
- "Curl." The edges of the ribbons are twisted in all possible directions.
- "Horns." Parts are joined together, and then folded into different edges with scissors.
- "Branches." Both sides are fastened in a ratio of 1: 2, and then wound simultaneously in two parts in one line.
Quilling Tools
A device for screwing on tapes can be purchased in specialized stores where goods for creativity are sold. It is not very expensive and quite convenient to use. It is a long handle on which there is a forked metal tip.
Such a device can be made with your own hands, with the help of it it will be very convenient to wind strips for quilling. It is necessary to take a toothpick and cut it on both sides so that the sharp ends are removed. Then, using a knife, a longitudinal incision of 1 cm is required.
When preparing the tool, you can use another option. For it, you need to saw off the tip of the needle from the side of the eye so that a forked “fork” is obtained, and stick it into the cork or into a simple brush with the sharp end, having previously removed the bristles from it. Such a device is perfect for any size of strips for quilling.
But still a professional device is more convenient and easy to use.
Assembly
To connect twisted tapes it is necessary to use glue, PVA is most often used. Those who perform large works, such as paintings, can purchase a liter jar and pour it into small containers for ease and convenience.
And also many professionals use a glue gun, with which they fix quilling strips. Its composition does not require time for solidification, you can immediately begin further work immediately after graduation, without fear of a shift in the elements.