Graduated & Dark Center Strips

Last week a quiller emailed me and suggested that I post some examples of uses for the graduated and dark center quilling strips. Hence this post. Today, I am talking about graduated and dark center papers. These papers are actually printed, allowing for the gradual color change of color. These strips are only 12” long and come in a variety of colors. The English graduated and dark center strips as well as Quilled Creations come in fairly bright colors. The Paplin strips are geared to match their regular colors, they call their strips graduated but they are actually dark center strips. Which strips you use, depends on your style of quilling and how long a strip you  usually use.

In example #1, I cut a 12” dark center strip in half and made 6” teardrops. In one flower, I started rolling from the light end of the strip and I started from the dark end of the strip for the second. Two different looks, and certainly easier than “wrapping” the teardrop in a lighter or darker color.

In example #2, I crimped and then rolled a full 12” strip for the center. I alternated 6” strips cut from a yellow dark center strip for a different look.

In example #3, I cut a dark center strip in half and made a four loop wheat ear for each petal. I rolled a 6” strip for the center.

In example #4, I started at the light end of a strip and made a 1” loose coil, then a 2”, 3” and 4” s scroll. I strated at the light end of a green strip and made 3 loop wheat ears for leaves.

In example #5, I used the whole 12” strip of graduated (light to dark) and made eccentric teardrops for petals. I used one of the template boards to keep the shapes uniform. The leaf was a 12” strip of dark center green which I made into a eccentric shaped teardrop.

In example #6, I made one of my favorite shapes for graduated strips. Staring at the light end of the strip, I combined a wheat ear with alternate side looping. Each petal took the whole 12” strip. The leaves are a smaller version using 6”.

Example # 7; these are two fringed flowers using the whole 12” strip. One is done starting with the light end of graduated paper, the second is done using dark center paper. I used ¼” wide strips for these.

These are just a few thought starters for those of you who may not have tried these papers yet. If you are not familiar with the wheatears and alternate side looping techniques, just click the link.