Christmas 2017 - Make You Own Christmas Decoration Quilliing Instructions

Quilled Christmas Decoration MAKE YOUR OWN

Instructions HOW TO QUILL Wind a strip of paper around your quilling tool until the entire strip is wound tight. Remove the coil from the tool carefully holding it closed. This is the basis for all the shapes you’ll make.

For a tight coil, glue the end closed immediately. For a loose coil, let the coil gently expand to the size you want, then glue the end closed.

For a marquise make a loose coil, hold it gently and squash each edge to a point so it makes an eye shape.

Pattern

QUILL SHAPES TIGHT COIL

LOOSE COIL

SMALL MARQUISE

MARQUISE

WHAT TO MAKE - 7 x tight coils - 2 x loose coils - 8 x small marquise - 8 x marquise Cut 25 strips of paper, 10mm x 280mm.

Lay all the shapes on the pattern. Glue the edges that touch and gently press together to form one overall solid shape.

Finish by threading a ribbon through the top loose coil to hang.

LOOSE COILS

SMALL MARQUISE MARQUISE

TIGHT COILS

100mm X 100mm

What is quilling?

Quilling or paper filigree is an art form that involves the use of thin strips of paper that are rolled, and shaped to create decorative designs. The paper is wound around a quilling tool to create a basic coil shape and these coils are arranged to form flowers, leaves, or various ornamental patterns.

Historically birds’ feathers, or quills, were used to coil the strips of paper around, hence the name. During the Renaissance, French and Italian nuns and monks used quilling to decorate book covers. The paper most

Try your hand at quilling We’ve included simple steps and a pattern overleaf so you can try quilling yourself.

Our pattern is for a snowflake and uses just four basic quill shapes.

If you want to try something more elaborate, google quilling and you’ll find a wide range of contemporary patterns and designs!

Use white paper for a more traditional feel, coloured paper for a festive feel or, if you want a more vintage aesthetic, try using recycled pages of old books or magazines.

Uncoated paper will work best, and something with a bit of thickness.

Quilled Snowflake

commonly used was strips of paper trimmed from the gilded edges of books. Quilling often imitated the original ironwork of the day.

2017’s Christmas stamps have been handcrafted using a contemporary form of quilling.

New Zealand Post had the pleasure of working with UK artist Yulia Brodskaya. Yulia puts a modern twist on this old traditional art form to create her own contemporary style which she uses on posters, murals and art pieces.

Each stamp in the New Zealand Post 2017 Christmas series features a hand crafted quilled art piece by Yulia.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED: STRIPS OF PAPER You can purchse pre-cut quilling paper online or at a craft store, or you can cut your own using a craft knife or guilotine. The thinner the width of your strips, and the tighter you roll, the smaller your overall design will be.

QUILLING TOOL You can buy quilling tools online or at a craft store, or you can make your own quilling tool out of a toothpick.

Cut a small slit in one end of the toothpick with a craft knife about 10mm from the end. You’ll use this to roll your paper around.

GLUE Clear-drying, suitable for paper.

RIBBON For hanging your decoration.