How to use a crimper in quilling

Everyone is getting on the "Quilling Craze" and a lot of people are amazed with the crimp effect on quilling paper but are a little hesitant in trying it. I personally love the crimped effect on my paper jewelry but I definitely want to try and incorporate it into some of my framed art pieces. 

You're gonna need:

* Quilling strips

* Crimper tool  

* Slotted tool

* PVA glue

The crimper tool is a simple tool consisting of 2 wheels and a rotating handle. All you have to do is gently feed in your willing strip between the two wheels while rotating the handle. You can see here how the smooth strip of paper now gets the zig-zag effect. 

I've got 3 quilling strips crimped and ready for the 3 leaves I need to make. 

To roll and shape your crimped strips, place one end in your slotted quilling tool and gently roll without putting too much pressure on the strip or pulling it tight. Both of these will result in losing the crimp effect from the paper. 

Once you've rolled to the end, take the crimped coil off the tool. 

Leave it on a flat surface to gently unravel to the size you need. 

Shape your leaves as desired and stick the end down. I made Marquis or eye shaped leaves. 

Hope you enjoyed this little tutorial. 

Xoxo

Karen. 

How to quill - part 2 - the loose coil, the drop, the eye and the leaf.

In this tutorial you will learn the second part of quilling basics. If you have not yet seen the first part you can find it here

Today I'm going to show you how to create a loose coil ( like in the Christmas stocking above), the teardrop, the eye shape or Marquise and the leaf shape. 

You will need:

* Quilling strips ( I'm using the 5mm ones)

* Clear drying PVA glue

* Slotted quilling tool. 

To begin start quilling your strip in the same way you would to create a tight coil. When you reach the end DO NOT apply the glue (if you do, you're gonna end up with a tight coil). 

Gently take out your quilled peg from the tool and hold it between your thumb and forefinger for 3-5 seconds. 

Very slowly let the coil unravel between your thumb and forefinger till you have the size you desire. 

Now gently apply a little glue on the end and stick it. 

What you're left with are these nice light and fluffy loose coils. The loose coil forms the basis of all the shapes I'm going to show you today. So PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE!! 

To create the drop or teardrop shape, make a loose coil and hold one side between your thumb and forefinger and gently press to form a pointed end. 

These teardrop shapes are great for creating flowers. 

For the eye shape or the marquise you'll need to make your loose coil and hold it between you thumb and forefinger of both hands and gently pinch. 

This is what the marquise shape looks like. I like using these for flowers without centers. Or when the center is raised above the petals. 

Where there are flowers there have to be leaves... 

To make the leaf shape we start with a loose coil and first create a marquise. Then still holding the shape between the thumb and forefinger of both hands, gently push one hand away from you while simultaneously bringing the other hand closer to you. 

This is the ready leaf shape. 

There are no hard and fast rules to quilling. You can use whatever shapes you fancy. I like to play around with shapes. I've even used the leaf shape to create flowers and the marquise shape for leaves.  I was surprised at how beautiful it looked. 

At the end of the quilling basics tutorial I only have 3 words. 

PRACTICE 

EXPERIMENT and 

have FUN! 

I'd love to hear your thoughts on my tutorial. 

Xoxo

Karen. 

How to make your own bookmarks or page markers

I love writing. I've got a combination of a diary, art journal, smash book and scrapbook. Try as I might, I can't conform to just one. I just let my creativity take over and go with the flow.

And while I like store bought supplies, I love making them on my own. Especially when they're so simple and easy.  

Today I'm going to show you how to make your very own paper clip and ribbon page markers. These can also be used as bookmarks.

You will need:

* Paper clips - I prefer coated clips to metal for the simple reason that it's way too humid here in Goa and they get rusty quick. 

* Satin ribbon - in this tutorial I've used 1/4" ribbon. 

* Your trusty sharp scissors

Cut a 4" piece of your ribbon and place the center over the front of your paper clip. 

Take the right end and from the back bring it forward through the top loop of the paper clip. 

Do the same for the left end. Hold both the ends and pull straight up. 

Make sure its tight and firm. 

Trim the edges into a nice 'v' with a sharp pair of scissors. And your page marker is ready. 

I hope this little tutorial helped. 

I would love to hear back from you. 

Xoxo

Karen. 

Covering cables and wires in yarn

I love Apple products except for their cables which don't seem to last very long here in Goa- India. It could be our intense hot and humid summers. So I decided to prolong their life my covering the entire length of the cable in soft wool. The reason I chose wool is because it's softer and more flexible than say crochet yarn. 

The materials you're gonna need are:

Yarn of your choice

Electrical tape if your cable is opening like mine

And a little drop of clear drying glue (optional)

Take a small piece of your electrical tape and wind it tight around the part that's opening out. If you've decided to cover your cable before it opened out, I applaud you - you can skip this step if you'd like. 

Tie a tight double knot close as close to the plastic part of the cable as you can. I cut off a length of wool of about 12mts from the ball of wool. This length will vary depending on the thickness of your wool or yarn. If you do run short just tie on another length with a double knot and carry on. 

Hold the short end of the wool flust against your cable. We're gonna work over this end so the knot we started with doesn't have any chance of opening out. 

Still holding the end piece with your left hand, keep the ball of wool in your right hand and pass it to the left but behind the cable leaving a small loop on the right hand side. 

Bring the ball of wool to the front and pass it through the loop back behind to its original place. 

Pull firmly to decrease the loop size. 

Keep pulling till the loop completely decreases and it meets the first knot you made at the top. 

Using this same method continue to make your knots as you work down the cable. 

Continue till you reach the other end of the cable. End by putting a drop of glue onto your last knot so that all your hard work doesn't open out. What you're left with is a funky flexible cable that will definitely last you longer. 

Hope you had fun with this. 

I'd love to hear from you. 

Xoxo

Karen. 

How to quill - Part 1. The tight coil

Quilling is all the rage right now. As a crafter that really thrills me. Back when I started learning quilling during my school days we didn't have any tools, the Internet or how to books. I made my first quill on a toothpick. I got my first quilling tool just before I began teaching. 

I've been quilling for over a decade and I've decided it's time to pass on my quilling knowledge, tips and tricks. For those of you who don't know but want to learn, I'm gonna do a detailed step by step tutorial on each of the basic shapes. For now we're gonna start with how to make a tight coil. 

The tools and materials you're going to need are:

* A slotted quilling tool

* quilling strips in 5mm

* good quality PVA glue

Find the slot on your quilling tool. 

Place the strip of quilling paper in the slot. I like to make sure the paper is not sticking out the other end. 

I'm right handed so I've got the quilling tool in my right hand and when I start rolling the thumb and index finger on my left hand are key. I use my index finger as a wall to keep the coils flush in place and with the nail on my thumb I gently coax the coils into place as I roll. 

As you begin to roll, it gets easier to manage between your thumb and index finger. This may be a little tricky at first but keep at it. You'll get there. I promise. 

Once you reach the end of the paper, apply a little clear drying PVA glue. If your glue doesn't have a nozzle attached to regulate the amount of glue, just put a blob of glue on a scrap piece of paper and apply a little to your strip with a toothpick. Once done, continue rolling till the end. Hold firmly for about 5 seconds to allow the glue to dry a bit then gently ease the coil off the tool. 

This is what you should remain with - A tight coil. Or as some call it, a Peg. 

If your rolling was too tight, it may come off the peg as a cone or it may unravel from the center. Do not be disheartened. Nobody becomes an expert on their first try. Next time don't pull the strip. 

I would love to hear if this was at all helpful to you. 

Happy crafting. 

Xoxo

Bird's nest tutorial

Spring has just about ended here in Goa and the summer heat is already beating down on us. The sparrows and magpie robins are busy making their nests. And that gave me an idea for a wonderful tutorial...

The Bird's Nest Pendant.

The tutorial is full of step by step instructions accompanied by clear photographs to guide you every step of the way.

No prior jewelry knowledge is assumed but you will find this tutorial a whole lot easier if you have dabbled in bead weaving. 

These tiny pieces of art may look difficult to you at first, but trust me - just give it a go and you will not be disappointed. 

Happy Crafting

xoxo

Karen