DIY Quilling Strips Tutorial with Free Files

I've talked about cutting my own quilling paper because I prefer a slightly heavier weight than standard quilling strips. Seeing Honey Moser's blog post and a reader's question on Jin's Craftsy post prompted me to make these files. I use a Silhouette SD to cut mine, and whether you want to cut your own by hand or by machine, I hope my files may be of help to you.

HAND CUTTING METHOD
There are 4 pages in the "DIY Quilling Strips.pdf" file, containing varying widths of 1/8, 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2 inch markings on top and bottom. You'll see the measurement listed along the top left. Ensure your option for "Page Scaling" is set to "None" when printing, so it comes out at actual size.

Option 1
You can certainly print these markings right on top of your sheets of 8.5x11 inch paper, keeping a margin all around so it's tangle-free during storage after cutting. However, I know some people who are aghast at any paper wastage, and if you are one, keep reading.

Option 2
Another way to cut your strips and use every inch of it is to print the file and slice off the markings.

Place the paper you'd like to cut on your cutting surface. I've taken metallic envelopes apart to use for quilling strips in this way. Align the paper edge with the first marking, then tape the markings in place above and below - ensure they are parallel or else your cutting will be off. Align your ruler to the markings and start cutting away. You can re-use this method many times over.


MACHINE CUTTING METHOD
For those who have a digital die cutter, I have compressed 4 SVG files or DXF files (for Silhouette Studio) with varying widths. They all contain a border because otherwise I find my blade may catch on the edge of the paper. The files are readily changeable for those who have a different size paper.

If anyone uses these files and found it helpful, I'd love to hear about it!

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UPDATE: March 2019

I was asked if electric cutters can manage 1 mm and 2 mm strips. I think it depends on your cutter, so I've made the SVG files for you to download and try it yourself. Please come back and comment below to let everyone else know your specific model and how well it worked for you.