Apr 27 2009
About My Quilling
I have been asked many times how I have the patience to spend hours quilling. But ever since I was a little girl, my fingers have instinctively torn paper into strips and rolled them into curls. While in high school, I happened upon a how-to book about quilling (also known as paper filigree) and was immediately enthralled by all of the beautiful designs that could be made with coiled and scrolled bits of paper. I wanted to learn more about this centuries-old art form that was enjoying a resurgence of popularity in the craft world and amassed quite a collection of books, each one showing me something new and exciting that could be done with quilling. I lost no time creating framed quilled art and dimensional pieces as gifts for family and friends. These works were so well received that I entered my first craft fair at the age of 16 and sold out the first day
I enjoy the challenge of creating my own quilling patterns and I find inspiration everywhere – from traditional quilt blocks and vintage fabrics, to mosaic tiles and wallpaper patterns. Quilling allows me to “paint” a design with paper that can be as simple or as intricate as I choose. And since this timeless art form adapts beautifully to both flat and three-dimensional designs, I never run out of ideas. While I love quilling in its purest form (just me and the paper), I enjoy mixing it up with trendy techniques and materials. What could be better than quilling pretty posies to decorate a tag you’ve tea stained yourself? Or, how about using quilled roses for “pushpin” heads on a bulletin board themed scrapbook page? Quilling isn’t just for shadowboxes anymore!
Along with participating in craft fairs, and giving demonstrations, I teach the art of quilling to other paper craft enthusiasts in my studio located within Art Things (a retail art gallery located in downtown Dallas, GA). Various tools can be used to curl the paper strips (slotted tool, corsage pin, needle tool, and even the trusty toothpick) and I show my students how to work with each. However, I still love the feel of the paper between my fingers and prefer to finger roll my coils and scrolls.
My designs have been published in Crafts ‘n Things™ and CardMaker™ Magazines. Two of my quilled cards (“just ducky” and “Christmas Cheer”) appear in the book, 1,000 Handmade Greetings: Creative Cards and Clever Correspondence, by Laura McFadden (Author), and Deborah Baskin (Author).
Finished pieces of my quilled art may be found in my online gift shop.
I’m a proud member of the North American Quilling Guild and the South Cobb Arts Alliance, Inc.
To contact me, please leave a note in the comments section, or send me an email. I’d love to hear from you.
Great site, Charlotte!
Charlotte:
I love your web site and also being an excellent quiller, you are a talented writer.
It was a real treat for me to meet you at this years NAQGCON in Tampa and to see your beautiful work. I hope we’ll meet again at future conferences.
Gail
Thanks for inviting me to your website. I enjoyed the tour and really enjoyed learning some of the vocabulary peculiar to your art.
Carol
Charlotte,
I love your website, especially the tips,
thanks for sharing.
Natilde Andrade (Brasil)
http://natiquill.blogspot.com
Hi, Natilde,
Thank you for your kind words. I am so glad that you have found my quilling tips useful. I visited your site — your work with miniatures is just beautiful.
I have just discovered quilling and I want to tell you your website and tips are great. You explained a lot of terms and techniques to me and now I am practicing my coils. Thanks so much.
Hi, Sue,
Welcome to the creative world of paper filigree. If you are like most of us, once you find quilling it gets into your system and you are a quiller for life.
Charlotte – thank you so much for your wonderful ebook. You did a lovely job on it, and are so generous to share it. Best wishes, Nona
thank you so much for your wonderful ebook. You did a lovely job on it, and are so generous to share it. Best wishes,Mrinal kadu.
Charlotte – I saw a lovely punch needle pillow kit on Amazon in the Home, Garden, Pets section. It is 15×15″. I checked out non-slip punching frames, and the largest seems to be 9×12.
Also, the kit appears to come with a skein of multi-color knitting yarn.
It is called “Abstract Pillow Punch Needle Kit”, by Zimney and sold by Jassed.
Is this kit worth my time? Thanks again for sharing.
Happy Holidays, Nona
I find this site very informative and amazing. Trying out some of ur designs!!
beautiful work
TKS
Love, love, love your site!! Thanks so much for all the tips and tutorials. I first quilled when I was a teen, but put the craft aside for about thirty years (Yikes! Has it really been that long?! Ugh.). I recently discovered a small wayward supply of paper and a tool in my craft closet and thought I’d pick it up again. After looking at different sites to see if I could refresh my memory and see if there are new/different techniques, I discovered your beginner’s tips. It’s just what I needed!