I just love paper quilling and have been doing it for over 50 years now. I learned when I was a kid and at first, I wasn’t always satisfied with the results.
The coils weren’t perfectly coiled (I’m talking about you paper crimp in the center) and there were other imperfections that probably didn’t stand out to anyone else, but were incredibly obvious to me.
Over the years, I have practiced my techniques and that alone has made a big difference. I’ve also learned some tips and tricks from others that helped me level up my paper quilling.
Disclosure: Some of the links in the post below are affiliate links provided for your convenience. This means that if you purchase something through one of these links, I get a small commission at no added cost to you.
How to Level Up Your Paper Quilling
1 – Tear the paper instead of cutting.
When you glue the end of the quilling paper down on your coil, you’ll find that a torn edge tends to blend in better. Cutting the paper often leads to a stark edge that stands out more and may not be as pleasing to your eye.
2 – Hide the seams.
Whenever possible, hide those cut/torn edges within your design so they don’t show at all. This isn’t always possible (and that’s when I use the tearing technique) but if you can hide them, it makes for a cleaner design.
3 – If you must cut, don’t use scissors.
I like to use those thread snippers made for sewing instead. Because they’re smaller and made for thinner cuts (i.e. thread), they just seem to do a better job. I’ve had large scissors actually crimp the end a bit as they cut.
Bonus: They fit into my quilling kit much better than large scissors.
4 – Apply glue with a toothpick.
Or use a precision tip glue bottle. Either way you want to be able to apply as little glue as possible.
I like using a regular white glue like Elmer’s for basic quilling. You can also buy it in an extra strong formulation that I quite like too. It’s thin like regular Elmer’s glue but gives you a little more hold.
Pro Tip: Clean up any bits of excess glue with a tiny paintbrush.
5 – Keep your glue flowing.
Glue tips can start to dry out when you’re working on a quilling project. There are two ways I like to ensure that this doesn’t happen.
First of all, get a small container with a lid. I’ve seen some people use ramekins for this but I like a plastic container with a lid that I can keep it in my paper quilling kit.
Place a small sponge in the container. When you’re ready to quill, dampen the sponge. Place your precision tip glue bottle upside down into the dampened sponge.
This keeps the tip from drying out and getting clogged.
Bonus: If you get any little bits of glue on your fingers, you can touch the sponge to clean them off.
6 – Deal with clogged glue bottles.
It happens to the best of us. I haven’t had as many issues with this since I’ve started using the sponge method mentioned above, but it still occurs from time to time.
I have found that an eye pin works really well to remove the clog without damaging the glue bottle.
Just getting started with paper quilling? Check out this Paper Quilling 101 post.
7 – Keep your coils even.
After pressing my coils into other shapes, I would often find that they were then no longer even. To help prevent that from happening, I learned this little trick. Simply hold the center of the coil with one hand while pinching into your desired shape with the other.
8 – Get the perfect center in your coils.
This can be especially frustrating when using a slotted tool as it often leaves a crimped end in the middle of your foils. One trick that I’ve used is to continue rotating the tool even past the point where you think you should stop.
Often, this will cause that little bit of crimped paper to tear off, leaving behind a perfect coil. You should know that this doesn’t always work though. Some slotted tools won’t perform in such a way.
In that case, I use a toothpick, piercing tool, or eye pin to flatten and smooth out the crimped end.
9 – Use colored paper for your background.
When you place your designs on plain white paper, every little mistake shows so much more. Try a colored or even patterned background if suitable for your design. It can help hide imperfections.
Pro Tip: You want to use paper that is on the thicker side for the background. You need to apply enough glue to your design for it to adhere well. That amount of moisture can cause the paper to warp and wrinkle.
10 – Start rolling your paper using a quilling tool before attempting to use a quilling comb.
Once you have begun rolling your coil, move it over to the quilling comb. This helps keep the coil in place and makes using a quilling tool much easier.
11- Preventing coils from opening up after applying sealant.
If you’re trying to apply sealant to your paper quilled designs, you may find that this will cause the coils to start opening up. Sealant is so thin and watery that it tends to soak right into the paper, leading to warping of your projects.
The key here is to apply it in the thinnest layers possible. I like to put sealant on my brush and then brush away any excess so there’s only the tiniest bit left on the brush.
Brush a thin layer of sealant over the project and let it dry thoroughly. Turn it over and repeat on the other side. Continue until you have applied as much sealant as desired.
By building up the layers slowly, you allow it to build up and stiffen the paper before it can soak in and distort it. I usually only use sealant with items that will get a lot of handling such as jewelry, bookmarks, or on occasion, ornaments.
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12 – Roll your coils on the right side of the paper.
Did you know that there is a “right” and “wrong” side of your quilling paper? Think of how the paper is cut. The blade presses down into the paper, pushing the edges of the strips down in one direction.
Your coils will roll better if you work with that edge. “But Cyndi, I’ve looked at the paper over and over again and I can’t tell the right from the wrong side.”
I hear you, but instead of looking at it, try running your fingers over it. You can likely feel the difference in the edges and figure out which ones are pushed down slightly.
13 – Nip away your mistakes.
No matter how well I make my coils there are times when the paper sticks up a bit. I saw a tip online suggesting that you use a pair of cuticle nippers to snip off those tiny bits. It works like a charm!
Pro Tip: You can even use the nippers to remove tiny bits of dried glue from your project too!
14 – Apply glue to your overall design pieces using tweezers and a scraper tool.
Once again, you want the thinnest layer of glue possible. I find the easiest way to do this is by squeezing out some glue onto a silicone mat, acrylic block, or even a piece of waxed paper or glossy cardstock.
Then, use a scraper tool (or an old credit or gift card) to scrape across the glue, getting it into as thin a layer as possible. Now, use your tweezers to pick up the quilled shape, dip it into the thin layer of glue, and place it on your background.
15 – Use coloring pages as patterns.
I have often used coloring pages as my template for a design. To do this, place it under a piece of waxed paper. You can see the design through the waxed paper.
Now, make your shapes and fill in the design with them, gluing as you go. This gives you much more flexibility by being able to use designs that weren’t originally made for paper quilling.
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