Tutorial 2: Making sunflower and butterfly using basic shapes

In this tutorial I will show you how to make a sunflower and a butterfly using basic shapes. Let me first start with the basic shapes.
1) Loose coil -
The first 3 steps are same as that of tight coil. If you want to see the pictures of these steps , you may refer to Tutorial 1: Making tight coils.
Step 1:
Take the quilling strip having desired length and width in one hand and quilling tool in other(prominent hand).
Step 2:
Insert a tiny part of the strip's end into slot of the quilling needle holding the strip between the thumb and the index finger such that the needle rests on the index finger.
Step 3:
Start rolling the needle across the paper length maintaining the even tension using your thumb and index finger.
Step 4:Remove the coil from the needle and allow it to relax. It will form a loose coil. 

Allow coil to relax

Step 5:
Put a small quantity of glue on the free end of the strip and stick it to close the coil.Your loose coil is ready. 

Loose Coil

2) Teardrop -
Step 1:
Take a quilling strip of desired length and width and create a loose coil.
Step 2:
Now pinch the loose coil (better if pinched at the glued part) as shown in figure below to make a teardrop-

Pinch loose coil

Teardrop

3) Eye or Marquise -
Step 1:
Take a quilling strip of desired length and width and create a loose coil.
Step 2:
Hold the loose coil between both hands with thumb and index finger.
Step 3:
Pinch the opposite points of loose coil with both the hands at the same time as shown in figure below-

Eye / Marquise - Pinch at opposite sides

4) Loose scroll - 
Step 1:
Take a quilling strip of desired length and width and roll it as we do for loose coil but leaving some portion of quilling strip.
Step 2:
Remove the coil and let it relax. Your loose scroll is ready.

5) Heart scroll -
Step 1:
Take a quilling strip of desired length and width and fold it at the center.

Fold strip in middle

Step 2:
Insert one end of the strip into slot of the quilling needle and roll it the direction of second end. Remove the strip form the needle tool and let it relax.

Roll one end inwards

Step 3:
Now repeat step 2 with the remaining end.

Roll second end

Heart Scroll

6) Quilled Sunflower -
Step 1:
To make a Sunflower as shown in figure above, take a brown strip of desired length and width and make a tight coil. The quilling strip used for center tight coil should be of larger length than those used for petals.
Step 2:
Make a yellow teardrop shape. Put a small quantity of glue on the curved surface of the teardrop and stick it on the circumference of the brown loose coil.

Put some glue on curved surface of teardrop

Stick teardrop to center tight coil

Step3:
Make enough yellow teardrops to cover the entire circumference of tight coil.

Stick some more teardrops around tightcoil to complete the flower

Step 4:
To make stem, put some glue on the edge of a curved quilling strip of desired length and stick it as shown in figure below-

Add stem

Step 5:
To make the leaves, create 3 marquises using green color quilling strip.

Add leaves

7) Butterfly-
Step 1:
To make a butterfly create 4 teardrop and 4 heart scroll shapes using 2 different colors.

4 Teardrops and 4 heart scrolls

Step 2:
Glue the teardrop between the heart scroll to create wing as shown in figure below-

Put some glue on the inner bottom of heart scroll

Insert teardrop between the heart scroll to
create a wing

Step 3:
Repeat step 2 for remaining 3 teardrops and heart scrolls
Step 4:
Create a marquise using black/brown color quilling strip for the butterfly's body.

Butterfly body and wings

Step 5:
Glue all the 4 wings on the butterfly body (2 on each side) as shown in figure below.

Glue wings to body

Step 6:
You can add 2 tiny loose scrolls for quilling strips for antennae.

Make 2 loose scrolls for antennae

Stick antennae to the body

And here is the sunflower and the butterfly :)

Sunflower and butterfly

 I hope you enjoyed this tutorial. My apologies for the poor quality images. My camera had issues and I had to use my mobile phone camera to take the pics.

Tutorial 1: Making tight coils

In this tutorial, I will show you how to make tight coils.These are the simplest of all shapes.
Step 1:
Take the quilling strip having desired length and width in one hand and quilling tool in other(prominent hand).
Step 2:
Insert a tiny part of the strip's end into slot of the quilling needle holding the strip between the thumb and the index finger such that the needle rests on the index finger as shown in the figure below-

Insert tiny part of strip's end in needle slot

Step 3:

Start rolling the needle across the paper length maintaining the tension using your thumb and index finger

Start rolling

Maintain tension using thumb and index finger

Step 4:
Remove the coil from the needle and pull its free end gently to make sure that it is tight.
Step 5:
Put a small quantity of glue on the free end of the strip and stick it to close the coil.

Put small amount of glue of free end and stick it

Your tight roll is ready. You can make a lot of variations by putting your imagination to work :)

Finished tight roll

Tutorial 0 : Introduction to paper quilling

Paper quilling, also known as paper filigree, is an ancient art of creating beautiful designs by using paper strips. The coloured paper strips are rolled over a needle to create coils. These coils are then shaped and glued to form various patterns.

In this tutotial, I am going to introduce you to the various materials required for quilling.

Types of Paper

Various materials used in quillling

1) Quilling papers - You get a variety of pre-cut quilling strips in market with various widths too (3mm, 5mm, 10mm). You can also cut your own quilling strips. However the paper has to be of right thickness. Paper thickness is measured in gsm (Grams per square meter). Higher the gms value, thicker the paper. Ideally 100 to120 gsm should be good for quilling.

If you are new at quilling, would suggest you to buy a pack of quilling strips so that you don't run out of patience.

Quilling strips are available in various types like- Plain/solid color, Graduated, Two tone, Pearl, Metallic, Acid free and many more.

Slotted needle quilling tools

2) A pair of good scissors

3) Glue -You would need a fast drying clear glue. PVA glue / White craft glue works great. I prefer glue bottle with a nozzle. It helps in better glue application. You can use a toothpick or a thin brush too.

4) Quilling needle tool - This is optional and you can do fine without it too. You can roll the paper using your fingers only. But needle tool, especially the slotted needle tool is good for beginners.

Here is a close up of the slotted needle tool.

5) Quilling Comb - This is also an optional tool used for husking or creating wheatear coils.

6) Crimper machine - This is used for creating crimped paper i.e giving paper ridges and waves texture.

These are some of the basic materials used in quilling. So gather your supplies and get ready to learn and participate in the monthly quilling challenges.