Quilling Fringed Flower #3: How to Make Gerbera Tutorial and Pattern

Quilling Fringed Flower #3: How to Make Gerbera Tutorial and Pattern

Learn how to make fringed gerbera flowers using a slotted quilling tool. Quickly add highlights of color, without needing to add another colored strip to your fringed petals. Subtley color your blossoms beyond the color you've cut. Then add them all to a blank greeting card, protected by a pillow box card.

Download the free Fringed Flower Gerbera SVG file.

Download the free Fringed Flower Daisy background card in PDF file format.

Watch the Quilling Fringed Flowers #3 tutorial video

Previous Quilling Fringed Flowers Tutorials:

Quilling Fringed Flowers #1 Dandelions tutorial video
Quilling Fringed Flowers #2 Daisies tutorial video

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Quilling Curve Challenge - Day 7

Quilling Curve Challenge – Day 7

How have you improved your quilling in the past 7 days? 

Did you practice curving these 6 shapes using my 3 simple techniques? Did you see improvement? Were you able to achieve the smooth arcs more quickly?

In this video, I'm going to show you how to tackle the challenge using conventional quilling strips and a standard needle tool, just so you know you can do it regardless of type of paper or tools. Heck, you can even make shapes with a toothpick and ruled paper!

Download the 7 Day Quilling Curve Challenge PDF, watch the video tutorial, then tag me #7dayquillingchallenge and/or @paperzen_cecelialouie – I'd love to see what you make!

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Quilling Lowercase Letter f - How to Outline Tutorial

Quilling Lowercase Letter f - How to Outline

It's easy to tame the curves of the lowercase letter f. To know the exact length of each strip, simply lay your paper on top my of PDF e-book of patterns Quilling Lowercase Letters.

Watch my tutorial video showing how to outline the Lowercase Letter f, using softening and rubbing techniques to shape the curves. 

Download a free template and try quilling the Lowercase Letter a

Quilling Lowercase Letters can be purchased in my Etsy shop

Thank you for commenting on my blog or YouTube channel. Reading your enthusiasm is what motivates me to keep coming up with more ideas. If you end up making something, please show me – I'd love to see it!

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Quilling Fringed Flower #1: Dandelion Tutorial and Pattern

Quilling Fringed Flower #1: Dandelion Tutorial and Pattern

The first time I saw a fringed flower, I fell in love immediately. I had no idea quilling could take on such dimension. I knew then and there, someday I would buy an electric cutter and make flowers to my heart's content! 

In this video (the first of a series of fringed flowers), I'll be showing how to 

• fringe by hand
• fluff your petals to give them life
• make a smaller bud
• mix colors for a multicolored pom-pom or fireworks
• add them to a free printable card

To celebrate this Valentine's Day, I decided to challenge myself to design a card without the use of any pink or red. I love to listen to Ruth B while quilling, and thought the lyrics of her song, Dandelions, would be a great backdrop for this card. I hope you'll agree this card is just as sweet, even without the traditional colors.

Download the free SVG file here.

Download the free card template here in PDF format.

Download a free PDF of greenery to cut by hand. Simply print this on a sheet of green paper and then follow the lines. I've spaced them out to make it easier to cut with scissors. 

Watch the Quilling Fringed Flowers #1 tutorial video here

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Quilling Snowflakes - Free Pattern and Tutorial

Quilling Snowflakes - Free Pattern and Tutorial

Do you want to make a quick and easy snowflake? It's easy to line everything up using my free pattern and template.

Quilling an Arctic Snowflake

I first offered my free snowflake pattern and quilling tutorial back in 2015, and decided to update the content by making a video to show you the process I go through. 

I also wanted to offer the SVG cut files to fellow hybrid crafters, like me, who love to combine quilling AND die cutting!

Circle Templates

In this video, I also explain why I have foam squares on the bottom of my dollar store circle template.

Circle Template Board

Although I have the Quilled Creations Circle Template Board, there are some pros and cons.

Quilling Shape Direction

Did you know quilling shapes have a direction? Find out my method of remembering which way to face them.

Snowflake Grid

Take the guesswork out of making snowflakes by simply following my pattern.

Neenah Stardream Metallic Text Weight Paper

At the time I filmed this video, I'm using a color called Bluebell by Neenah Papers. However, I was dismayed to learn it's been discontinued. You can still find it in some online stores or other colors on Amazon. I love the weight of this paper because it's slightly thicker than conventional quilling paper, but still supple enough for quilling.

Quilling Snowflake Pattern and Grid Template - PDF format

As with all my patterns, you can simply lay your strip on top of my template and cut it to the right length – no rulers needed!

Download Quilling Snowflake Pattern and Grid Template - SVG Cut File

I want to know if there are lots of HYBRID crafters out there! Please type HYBRID in the comments of my video to tell me I'm not alone in the love of combining both quilling and die cutting! I currently use a Cricut Explore Air to cut my quilling strips.

Thank you all for following me on an amazing year of quilling and paper crafting! I hope you get to slow down and savour the small moments with loved ones this holiday season!

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Quilling Glue Basics - 5 Helpful Tips

Quilling Glue Basics - 5 Helpful Tips

Do you have a hard time with glue showing on your quilling? In this video I’m going to share all the gluing tips I’ve learned since I started in 2006.

Tip 1 – Smear Your Glue Puddle

I often see instruction to pour out some glue, and then to dip your quilling into the puddle, but it’s easy to overcoat your quilling strip this way, which means your glue will be seen on your final work surface.

Instead, I prefer to use another piece of plastic to smear the puddle flat. This way the depth of your glue puddle is very shallow.

This allows you to gently press the innermost coils into the glue, coating every bit of it.

When I pick it up, I pre-loosen the inner coils so the glue’s suction won’t destroy the smooth arcs.

After lifting, I always turn it upside down to check if I’ve missed coating any of it. If I did, I’ll simply re-dip again.

Tip 2 - Missed Spots

Now, if you coiled your strip unevenly, it’s quite easy to miss getting it dipped fully into the glue. Or maybe you missed dipped a certain section. What do you do if your strip is already on your work surface? Let me show you how to add glue in a case like this.

Apply glue to a scrap piece of quilling paper and slip it under the areas that are missing glue, the press your strip down.

Tip 3 - Glue Dipping and Smearing Cards

When smearing my glue for dipping my pieces, I prefer to use a plastic card that has a matte surface rather than a high gloss surface. I usually use the Oyster card I got when I visited London.

Tip 4 - How to Undo Glued Pieces

As all quillers know, our work is hard to undo. If you’ve glued something down, don’t just tear it up. You’ll end up tearing the fibres of your work surface.

Instead, I extend an x-acto knife and slowly slice through the glue horizontally. This is another reason why it’s good to use as little glue as possible. 

If you have some stubborn bits, you may need to scrape the surface a bit. I then use an eraser to gently scour the fragments. Finally I use a bone folder to smoothen the surface as much as possible. 

I only remove my quilling as a last resort, and you’ll get the best results the faster you make your decision before the glue fully dries. I do suggest that you practice on a scrap piece first.

Tip 5 - My Favorite Quilling Glue Brand

I’m often asked what brand of glue I use. My favourite is Aleene’s Tacky Glue because it’s thick and dries fast. I use the large bottle when I need to smear it for dipping, and I put it in a fine tip bottle for applying directly onto my quilling strips. I store it upside down in a shot glass with a wet tissue at the bottom so it doesn’t clog and is always ready to use. 

I hope these tips help you with your quilling. I love reading your comments and hearing which tip you found the most helpful, because then it helps me decide what to show you in the future. Or if you have any tips to share, please comment so we can all learn from you as well.

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Free Pillow Box Template for Protecting Quilling Cards

Protect Your Quilled Cards with a Cushion of Air

Do you want to shield your precious quilling as you hand deliver a greeting card? Then I have a simple solution for you!

In the past, I've simply used an extra large envelope, letting the excess size accommodate the bulk of the quilling strips. The bulge was not great, but it got the job done fast. I did worry about squishing more fragile quilling designs though, because obviously the envelope is touching my quilling as it's going in and out.

I've also purchased sturdy boxes designed for jewelry to offer great protection for mailing. You can watch the video I made about it here. It was certainly more expensive to buy those boxes, and I'd do it for a special occasion like a wedding or for mailing; but I had to buy several of them at a time from a store that I don't visit often, which meant they sat in my closet, taking up storage space.

So imagine having a quick envelope on hand that completely surrounds your quilling with a puff of air! I'm talking about a simple pillow box, which looks just as it sounds. It has minimal gluing and tabs, making assembly quick and easy. The curved side flaps automatically force the paper away from your quilling, making sure nothing is touching your quilling.

Since I'm making a series of smaller cards showing how to quill Lowercase Letters, this is the perfect time to introduce this free template to you for your projects. This template is customized to fit a 4.25 x 5.5 inch card, which is exactly a quarter of a letter-size sheet of card stock.

Watch my YouTube Video or follow these directions:

1. Download the template:
   a) PDF file for hand cutting or
   b) SVG file for electric cutting machine (Cricut Explore or Silhouette with applicable software).
2. Score along the dotted lines. If you're cutting by hand, you can use a dried up pen or scoring tool.
3. Cut along the solid lines.
4. Always pre-fold your scores lines to make it easier on yourself later.
5. Apply glue along the tab, and glue the pillow box together.
6. Fold down one side (it doesn't matter which one you do first).
7. Insert your 4.25 x 5.5 inch card and fold the other side down. All the flaps are notched so it's easy to open.

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Quilling Lowercase Letter a and How to Quill a Peacock Feather Tutorial

Quilling Lowercase Letter a and How to Quill a Feather Tutorial

I have always found lowercase letters to be cuter than their uppercase counterparts. Uppercase letters tend to look more rigid and structured because of all the straight sides. But just because lowercase letters are cute, doesn’t mean it’s easier for quilling. It’s actually much more challenging to deal with all these curves.

Follow along with me in my latest video! Try quilling the Lowercase Letter a – download the free template.

In case you didn’t know, I also offer a free template for the upper case letter A.

You can watch it in another video called “Quilling Letter A - How to Outline”.

So if you haven’t tried quilling letters yet, what are you waiting for?

Also in this video, I'll be showing how tapering your ends gives your quilling strips a soft, feathering look that subtley fades away. The first time I ever made a strip "fade" was for some fireworks in a Mickey Mouse project.

After watching my video, please let me know what you think in the comments below. I want to know if you think it’s too difficult to deal with, or whether you’re really enjoying the look regardless of the effort. I haven’t written a book of lowercase letters yet, because I want to know if there’s enough interest first. To be honest with you, it takes a while for me to write a book of quilling patterns, and if I get 100 people telling me they want this, then I’m up to the challenge.

So, give it a try, let me know how it goes, and whether you’d like a book about lowercase letters! As always, your comments are what fuels me. I’m inspired by your feedback. I want to keep improving what I do. Tell me which tip is the one that’s new to you, or let me know what you’d like to see in future videos! Or ask me a question and I’ll try my best to answer!

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Quilling Numbers E-book, 13 Patterns and Templates for Quilling Numbers and More

Quilling Numbers E-book for Birthday Cards

Are you celebrating a friend’s birthday? Or commemorating a special anniversary? Or maybe you’re helping a bride and groom make their wedding day unforgettable.

All these memorable moments in life are marked in numbers. If you’d like to start quilling numbers, add punctuation marks, or quill an ampersand, then I’ve made this book just for you.

Just like my previous book, Quilling Letters, you don’t have to use a ruler to measure anything. Just lay your strip on top of my template, then score and snip where indicated. Each segment has a corresponding number matching the template so you can follow along easily.

Anniversary Cards

Learn how easy it is to make these simple hearts for the pair of sweethearts in your life.

Wedding Table Numbers

If hand quilled table numbers are just the finishing touch for a dream wedding, you can learn how to easily assemble the printable pieces without worrying about last minute changes.

Free Printable Template for Quilling Number 1

Want to try quilling a number before buying my e-book? Download a free template for the number 1 here: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1XsoH20b-BbsKe6B4vx-wDf7bpmeChkew

Quilling Numbers Video

Watch how to outline the Number 1 on my YouTube video, as well as an overview of the printable templates you'll find in my latest e-book. 

Quilling Numbers E-book

My Quilling Numbers e-book is now available in my Etsy shop for immediate download.

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Northern Hawk Owl - Quilling Easter Egg

Easter is coming soon, and this year it is celebrated from Good Friday on March 30th, until Easter Monday on April 2nd - making Easter Sunday fall on April Fool's day. For this occasion, I would like to show you my new quilled Easter egg - a Northern Hawk Owl.

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How to Mail Quilling and Other Box Storage Ideas

How to mail quilled cards

That's a question I get quite often. The very nature of quilling means we want to protect it from any rough handling, so how do you present or mail it to someone without ruining all your hard work?

Hand Delivering Quilled Cards

If I’m giving my card in person, I use a stiff jewelry box (affiliate link):
https://www.amazon.com/Cotton-Filled-Cardboard-Jewelry-Retail/dp/B078SFKHK9/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1521138565&sr=8-2&keywords=White+Cardboard+Jewelry+5x7

Mailing Quilled Cards

The postal service is notably rough on packages. So I surround my jewelry box with crumpled paper, and put it inside a corrugated box. This way it has protection from conveyor belts, dropping, and other types of rough handling.

Divided Boxes for Quilling Components (ex. Snowflakes)

I save chocolate boxes because they have divided sections, and the cardboard is very stiff. A divided chocolate box comes in handy when you’re quilling component pieces like snowflakes. It’s shallow so it’s great to stack and label your work in progress. Best of all, it’s free!

CD Cases for Quilled pieces

CD cases are great for storing quilling pieces that are too big for the divided chocolate boxes. They’re clear so you don’t have to guess what’s inside and they stack well. It’s not great for smaller pieces because they could fall out of the side area after you’ve removed the insert.

Stationery Boxes for Large Quilled Projects

If you’re working on a large piece, stationery or filing boxes can be found at garage sales.

If you have ways of mailing or storing your quilling, please share your ideas with everyone in the comments below!

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How to Find the Right and Wrong Sides of Quilling Paper

How do you find the right and wrong sides of quilling paper? 

It's barely noticeable, but your fingers will feel the slight downward facing edge created when a guillotine blade cuts down across all the sheets.

Can you spot the right and wrong sides of the coils, sitting side by side? 

In my latest YouTube video, I show how to spot the edges simply by shining light on the coils.

And after all the microscopic investigation, I'd like to ask you, “Does it matter?” 

My answer would be, “Only if it bothers you.” 

If you can’t see or feel it, then I would suggest you don’t worry about it. Most non-quillers are too busy enjoying the overall quilling piece. Besides, when you quill an S-scroll, you’re faced with both a right and wrong side, and there’s not much you can do about that.

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