Thursday 25 February 2010

How it all began

Well, everyone has to start somewhere! And I've just found the very first piece of quilling I ever did - back in 2006, when I was inspired by a chapter I had read in a card-making craft book. I bought some strips, got a little black plastic slotted tool, and tried my best to create some half-decent coils ... I can well remember how frustrating I found it at first! Here's what I made: a 'not very good' Christmas tree. If only I'd had a pattern to follow, it might have looked better - but at least it was a start!


For some reason, I found it very difficult to roll coils in those early days, so I quickly moved on to alternate side looping and started making butterflies - and that's when I really got 'hooked'. I used the butterflies to decorate the woven paper bags and purses that I sometimes make, like this one:




I don't make many bags these days, although I'd like to get back into it - such fun to do, using recycled magazine pages and gift wrap. There are plenty more examples on my Flickr page, if anyone is interested! http://www.flickr.com/photos/philippa_reid/sets/72157616173603679/

I'd love to hear about other people's first attempts at quilling.  I'm sure it would reassure beginners to know how much easier it gets with practice!
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4 comments:

  1. Ann Martin25 February 2010 at 19:30

    Oh gosh yes, I remember it was one of the most frustrating crafts I'd tried, but I loved the look of it so much, I was determined to learn. I kept thinking if others can do it, so can I. Only after a nice person on a message board told me to make sure I was dampening my fingertips before rolling the paper around the needle, was I able to make some real progress. Now I wonder why on earth I didn't think of that myself?!

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  2. Custom Quilling Supplies25 February 2010 at 19:39

    I can so relate, I fell in love with quilling back in 1975!

    You can read my story here:

    http://customquilling.blogspot.com/2009/03/what-difference-year-makes.html

    Continued here:
    http://customquilling.blogspot.com/2009/03/my-very-first-quilling-project.html


    Keep on Quillin',
    Denise
    http://www.customquillingbydenise.com/shop
    http://customquilling.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous27 February 2010 at 10:15

    Great idea Philippa and show your work. Congratulations.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Charlotte Canup4 March 2010 at 12:22

    Hi, Philippa,

    What a beautiful butterfly and I love the idea of attaching it to a woven purse. You need to do a tutorial on that.

    As for how I got starting in quilling, I have torn strips of paper and hand rolled them as a nervous habit for as long as I can remember (still do, actually - LOL!!!). While in high school I came across a quilling book and learned that I could actually create designs with the rolled paper. My mom bought me the book ("Decorative Quilling" by Mrs. Maud Wallace), a quilling tool, and two packs of paper quilling strips -- ivory and bright blue.

    My first quilling piece was Winsome Willie the Owl. The quilling looked OK, but really ... a blue owl? I have quilled off and on ever since and still love it. There is just something about the feel of paper in my fingers and I really like.

    Charlotte
    www.theartofquilling.com

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