Mar 17 2012
Ready Made Framing Options for Quilling
Having your quilled art custom framed can send a quality piece over the top, but it can also be quite expensive, especially if you are framing a piece for a gift or to sell.
Regular off the shelf frames are a much less expensive option, but since they are made to hold a thin photo, most cannot accommodate the thickness of the quilling paper. As a result, many crafters resort to framing their pieces without the glass. This way the depth of the frame is no longer an issue, but the quilling loses the protection from dust and curious fingers that the glass provided.
There are some excellent tutorials available for those who wish to modify a frame so that it can be used with quilling, but for those of us less handy, there are off the shelf frames available that work great with quilling; you just need to know what to look for.
Shadowbox Frames
Commercial shadowbox frames are now readily available in most craft stores and come in a wide variety of sizes and finishes to compliment your artwork. Some of these frames can be quite deep, however, and you will want to keep your finished piece in mind when making your selection. If your quilling design is mostly flat without a lot of layers or pieces glued on an angle (such as flower petals), your quilling may sit too far back from the glass and appear to get lost in the frame.
Fixed Glass Frames
I have found several styles of frames where the manufacturer has affixed the glass to the front of the frame providing a clearance anywhere from 1/4-in to 3/8-in for your quilling, which is enough for your single layer quilling pieces. An added benefit is that the frame itself is more decorative, unlike the standard rounded wood molding used in making most shadowbox frames.
Frames with Hidden Depth
If the frame you like isn’t a shadowbox or fixed glass frame, there are three other things you can look for to see if it will accommodate your quilling.
1. If the frame comes with multiple mats that have been spaced a part, there may be enough room for your quilling. When evaluating the frame to determine if it would be right for your particular piece of quill art, keep in mind that the mats can be altered or completely removed if needed.
2. Some frames (especially larger ones meant to hang on the wall) come with a more elaborate mat that has a raised decorative edge that outlines the inside of the mat. The frame has been designed to accommodate the depth of this edge. If the depth of your quilling is less than the depth of this raised edge, your quilling will fit.
3. I’ve saved the best tip for last since it was my biggest revelation. Check the back of the frame. If it has a slide latch at the bottom that fits into the frame, put it down and walk away – there is only enough room for a photo.
If, however, the frame has a back door, open it up and take a peek. The depth of the filler that the manufacturer has packed into the back of the frame (usually cardboard, but may be foam) is the depth inside the frame available for your quilling. Sometimes it is very little and the frame can’t be used, but quite often there is enough space for a flat quilled piece, and every now and then, you’ll find a ton of space. This is something that you just can’t tell by looking at the frame – you have to open it up and see.
With these tips in mind, it takes me just a few minutes to look through a store’s frame selection and see if they have anything I can use.
Even though it is scorching outside, I’m busy working on inventory for a big Christmas show I participate in each year. With this in mind, I decided to quill some metallic cross ornaments to add to my offerings. I remembered some metallic papers I purchased from Quilled Creations and thought they would be perfect (Metallics Sparkling Quilling Paper, Silver & Antique Gold).
The biggest thing I learned is that while the papers themselves are metallic and look great from the side, the edges are quite dull. As you can see, this cross quilled from Antique Gold look like is it made from a plain brown paper (Figure 1), but the sides of the cross are nice and glitzy (Figure 2).
To solve this problem, I used a gold metallic pen (I used one made by Krylon) and colored the edges (Figure 3). What an amazing difference! Now I have a stunning gold quilled cross ornament to sell at the show.
I really appreciate all of the feedback I receive from my newsletter subscribers and blog readers. One request that I hear quite often is for more quilling projects made from recycled materials, which is great because I enjoy creating them!
In my last post (
I was browsing through the bargain bins of ribbon and found a funky retro paisley design in yellow, green, and orange that simply screamed mini skirt and go-go boots. 
I used the ribbon as my inspiration for a fun retro birthday card featuring a quilled go-go boot. The boot was created using an “outline & fill-in” quilling technique. You can use this technique to create any design you wish by following these simple steps:
Tear several strips of paper (I find 6″ to be a good length) and quill them into loose coils. Starting at either the top or bottom of your design, pinch the coils into shapes that fit within the outline of your design. Glue the quills together where they touch and pin into place. 
Spread a very thin layer of glue as large as your quilllwork onto a flat surface like a plate or plastic lid. Using a pair of tweezers, pick up your quilling, touch the bottom edges of the paper to the glue, then place it on the desired backing. A thin glue (such as Elmer’s) works best for this technique. If you normally use a thick, tacky glue for quilling, you might try thinning it with a drop or two of water. You want the glue thin enough to spread thinly and evenly over your flat work surface. A foam brush helps to spread the glue. If the glue is too thick, the loose center of the coils will stick to the gluing surface, pulling them apart and ruining your piece. This method works especially well when tendrils and vines are part of the design. Once you have the glue on the back of your quillwork, you need to attach it exactly where you want it. If you try and slide your quilling into the correct placement, you will leave glue smudges. Any glue you see will turn shiny and even though it is clear, it will be noticeable.
You can also use a small paintbrush to paint the glue onto the back of your quilling. Use care in touching only the bottom edges of the paper with the glue to avoid unwanted globs or smudges. Again, a thinner glue is easier to spread with the paintbrush. Tweezers are useful to help hold the quilling and assist in placement when glued. 
I actually don’t use either of these methods. I spread glue on the back of my quilling using a toothpick. I pick up a little glue on the tip of the toothpick and roll the toothpick over the quills. Depending on the design, I apply glue to the tight rolls and centers of the quills to allow a little more “wiggle room” when placing the quilling on my background. If glue is not over the entire back, I can slide the quilling just a tad if needed without the glue showing. If I do end up with a bit of glue on the background, I slightly moisten a fresh toothpick (you don’t want it dripping) and gently wipe up the glue. 
