Quilling is a papercraft that was popular in medieval times. Monks and nuns decorated objects, such as book covers, this way. It was a cheaper option than using metal filigree. When the paper was covered in gold paint, it was hard to distinguish from metal.
You will need:
- A toothpick
- 8 strips of paper around 0.5cm wide, per flower.
- Glue
- A piece of card
To make the centre of the flower:
- Start by wrapping a strip of paper around a toothpick to make a tight spiral. Hold it in place as you take it off the stick, then glue the inside of the end piece to secure it. This is the centre of the flower.
- Glue your flower centre on to the card.
To make 7 petals:
- Follow the same steps to make the flower centre, but allow the coil to relax before you stick down the end piece. This is called a loose coil.
- Pinch the end of the coil to create a petal shape. Glue each petal on to the card around the centre coil. (You might want to do this in a different colour to the centre flower).
- Repeat this process with all 7 petals.
To make the stem:
- Shape the stem and leaf from a strip of green paper by twisting it into shape.
- Glue the stem in place.
Tip: Use a toothpick to apply the glue. If you haven’t got any card, you could use a magazine cover.
