Paper Quilling Starter Kit

Quilling strips are precision-cut to a consistent width (1/8 to 3/8 inch) and weight — a consistent strip rolls a consistent coil, which the design depends on. Cutting your own from paper rarely achieves the consistency. Pre-cut strips (in hundreds of colors) are the medium; the consistency is the craft's foundation.

A cork or foam board with circular guides of various sizes — you drop a loose roll into a circle to size it precisely (a 1-inch circle, a half-inch), then pinch it to its final shape (a teardrop, a marquise). The board's guides make uniform shapes possible; freehand sizing varies. The board is the quiller's jig.

It holds the paper's leading edge in a slot so the tool rolls the strip into a tight, even coil — a needle tool (for loose coils and centers) is harder to start. The slotted tool is the beginner's and the production quiller's tool; the needle tool is for the fine, hole-less centers. Both have their place.

A thin white craft glue (PVA) applied with a fine tip — a tiny dab at the end of the coil to hold the roll, and a tiny dab to tack the shape to the design. Too much glue soaks and warps the paper; the right amount is barely visible. A fine-tip glue bottle (or a toothpick) controls the amount; restraint is the skill.