Specialty Quilling Papers/Strips (Graduated/Dark Center)

Specialty Quilling Papers-Graduated and Dark Centers

We get a lot of questions about the specialty papers we carry, so I thought that might be a good topic to cover here. One of the questions we get frequently is "What are they used for?" Let me get some of the basic information about the strips first, and then we'll give some suggestions as to how they can be used. When we first brought graduated and dark center strips in from England, there was nothing like them here in the USA. All of the English graduated and dark center strips are 12" long. That's because they are printed on the paper. The English graduated strips come in 10 colors and in all 4 widths: 1/16", 1/8", ¼" and 3/8"as well as mixed/multi packs. One end of the strip is very pale, (almost white) and the color gets deeper as it goes up the strip. The dark center strips are pale on both ends with the deeper color being in the middle of the strip. The English strips come in pink, orange, yellow, opal green (which is like a turquoise), bright green, blue, red, lilac, brown and black. They are available in single packages or mixed/multi packages with all ten colors. Lake City now has some papers which they call watercolors which are dark center. They are also 12" long, and come in mixed packs only, no single color packs, in 1/8", `/4", and 3/8" widths. They come in ten colors which are quite close to the English colors except they have two shades of pink and no opal green. Paplin Products have also created a line of graduated (although they are actually dark center strips) papers. They are available in all 4 widths , their colors include red, yellow, fern green, peach, purple, orange olive green, pink, federal blue, orchid, and hyacinth (which is like a pale periwinkle) I like the Paplin colors because they "match" their regular papers. For example; the English and Lake City greens are bright almost Christmas green and that's a color I only use for Christmas. Paplins olive green and fern green are the kind of greens I prefer in my work. Quilled Creations also have graduated and dark center strips in the same colors as the English strip, but don't offer them in 1/16".

OK, so what do you do with them? I guess the first thing to think about is how long a strip you usually use. I generally don't use anything longer than 6" for conventional quilled shapes, so for me the dark centers work well; I cut the strips in half and then I have two six inch graduated strips. Then you decide whether you want the lighter or darker color on the inside of your shape, and that's where you start rolling. I especially like to used the graduated strips when I am doing wheatears or alternate side looping, (you remember, that's husking without pins). The quilling in those techniques is much more open so you really get to appreciate the shading differences in the papers. I will use the whole 12" strip for husked petals and love the effect of the petal center one shade and the shade deepens as you finish the petal, with the darker shade wrapping the petal. I also like fringed flowers using the graduated and dark center papers, it is a somewhat softer look than using two totally different colors. There is also a flower that I like to make that reminds me of lupines. It is a series of open s scrolls that get progressively smaller and the shade changes very softly with these papers. I don't remember where I first saw it, probably in one of Jane Jenkins books. On page 36 of her book Quilling Techniques and Inspiration, she has a very pretty arrangement of flowers all made with graduated and dark center papers. Next up we'll talk about two toned papers, and I will get some pictures posted so you can get the effect of these and other specialty papers. I would also like to see what you are doing with these strips. Stay tuned.

Different Quilling Manufactures Differences in Quilling Strips/Papers

Different Manufactures & Differences in Quilling Strips

American & English papers work well together. Right now the cost of English papers (especially in the wider widths) is higher due to value of the dollar (down) overseas and increased shipping costs. The weight of the English papers is pretty consistent (with the exception of the heavier dark colors) Depending on which American papers you use weight can vary from color to color, again with darker colors being somewhat heavier. English strips and Paplin Product strips come in the 4 standard widths 1/16", 1/8", ¼" & 3/8". Most Lake City papers come in all four widths although some of their colors are not available in 1/16". Quilled Creations strips come in 1/8', ¼", and 3/8".

In the 1970's, 24" was the standard length for American quilling strips. That is no longer the case. Lake City papers are 24' long with the exception of their new watercolors, which are 12". Paplin papers, another American paper, are generally 23" long. Quilled creations papers (American) are about 18" long, their graduated papers are about 12" long. English papers are 17" long with their graduated and dark centers 12" long.

When I brought English papers into my inventory they came in a much larger variety of colors than American papers, including some of the dark "jewel tones" like navy, hunter green, royal purple etc. Now many of those colors are available here in the states (mainly Paplin papers which are actually a nicer working weight than the English dark colors) I have been told that the heavier weight has something to do with being able to take the darker dye, although the Paplin black is a nice easy weight to work with. The English also have some wonderful novelty papers, graduated strips where the color darkens as it goes up the strip, dark center strips, two toned strips (one color on one side of the paper, a different color on the other side), fluorescent colors, ultra white, pearlized edged papers, gold & silver edges. Not to be out done Paplin Products and Lake City have come out with lines of pearlized and metallic papers (not just on edge all the way through). Paper weights can vary, specialty papers, like parchment, tend to be a lighter weight. Some of the "quilling" paper sold in scrapbooking stores, (especially the tube paper sold as "quillstix") is very heavy, almost as heavy as cardstock. Unfortunately, some members of the scrapbooking community are saying this is the only weight that will hold up in a scrapbook. Those of us who have been quilling for a while know that this is not accurate. Regular quilling paper is incredibly strong when rolled and placed on edge.

Since we carry so many different kinds of papers here at Whimsiquills, I have tried them all. I don't like working with the heavy "card stock" like papers, and find them difficult to finger roll without getting unwanted creases. If I have to roll a heavier paper, I generally use a tool to keep tension even.

All of the choices now available can cause some confusion for new quillers. I find that all of the papers can work pretty well together if you are just careful to measure the strips you cut from the different brands. For example: if you are using an English yellow for the center of a flower, but an American orchid for the petals, you will want to start out with the same length strips. If you are using the English navy blue (which is a heavier weight), you will either have to make the strip a little shorter to compensate for the larger size center, or perhaps make a couple of extra petals for your flower.