A teacher friend of mine recently re-introduced me to the art of Quilling. It was an artform I’d seen before but completely forgotten about until she showed me what she was creating with her 4th grade students! I was immediately hooked and have been slowly researching about the craft with the hope of one day integrating it into my own art. The pictures above and below are some of her students’ work! Amazing, aren’t they?!
If you’re like me and enjoy learning a little history along the way, here’s some info on Quilling you might find interesting:
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Quilling is the art of coiling thin strips of colored papers and shaping them to form patterns and pictures. Over the years this craft has been called PAPER-ROLLING, PAPER-SCROLLING, PAPER FILIGREE, MOSAIC, AND QUILLING; today you will know it most readily by the name QUILLING. This craft is believed to date back to Ancient Egypt, and over the centuries quilled art has matured into many forms. In the 16th and 17th centuries nuns in the monasteries of France and Italy perfected the craft, and later the genteel ladies of Europe built an even greater range of technique to the artistic possibilities of quilled art. Nuns decorated reliquaries and holy pictures, adding gilding and much ornamentation to the coiled paper making it difficult to tell that it wasn’t real silver or gold filigree. Ladies of leisure in the 18th and 19th century Europe enjoyed creating panels and coats of arms, as well as ornamented boxes, frames and even tea caddies. In the past century quilling has continued to grow in popularity.
At its infancy this artform was reserved for the church or the elite and “leisure class” crowd, but now it is an art readily available to everyone. There are many places you can purchase supplies, books, and kits to get you started and I’ve included some links below.
Happy Quilling!
Quilling Resources:
Check out Cecilia Lorett’s wonderful creations on her ETSY site.
Where to get Supplies:
Book recommended by Cecilia Lorett
Reference & Research: HERE, HERE, and HERE
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