Make Your Own Quilling Supplies Color Chart

Make your own color chart!

Whimsiquills Color Chart

We get calls all the time from people who are trying to describe the color they are looking for. Sometimes they are current colors, sometimes they are colors that have been discontinued. We carry more than 200 colors here at Whimsiquills; we have at least 25 greens . . . so . . .it can be a little tough trying to figure out just which green our customer is looking for. To add to the confusion, some companies will call the colors by the names the paper mills give them, some rename them. Here is an example: some of Lake City’s Glistening papers are exactly the same colors as Paplin’s pearl colors. (P2164 Paplin Coral Pearl is the same as 426 Sunset glistening.) Let’s throw something else into the mix. We also sell papers from England; some of their names like Opal green, Oxford blue leave us clueless as to what the real color will be.

There are several solutions to this problem. We do offer our customers a color chart. This is a photo copy of actual strips, but is definitely not 100 percent accurate. But at least it will give you a pretty good idea of colors. Another possibility is sending a little snippet of the color you are trying to match; or the reverse, we can send you some samples. A great way to make your own color chart is to take a blank set of our order forms (or any one else’s) and start gluing small strips next to the color number, you will build your own very accurate color chart for future reference.

You do need to be aware that sometimes colors are changed because of manufacturer dye lots, and new colors are added and other colors discontinued. In some cases a color may be discontinued by one manufacturer but not by another. We have put together a chart which will tell you which colors can be substituted for different manufacturers. We are posting that list for your convenience.

How to Store Quilling Strips/Papers/ & Prequills

How should I store my quilling strips?

This is a question that comes up frequently. When I first started quilling, I tried keeping my papers in a big box. I kept the unused portions in the plastic bags they came in. When I just started, I would buy multi packs, you know, lots of colors in one package. Unfortunately when I tried separating the colors, I often made a mess of the pack. I ended up with what looked like spaghetti! Once I started buying individual packages of colors, I decided to hang them. I bought a couple of bulletin boards, (about 2’x3’), and put T-pins along the long side of the board. (T-pins are the ones shaped like the letter “T”, they are nice and long and the “t” prevents the strips from sliding off. You can buy them wherever they sell straight pins.) It helped to keep the strips nice and straight. I put each of the different sizes of the same color on one pin. For example; if I had narrow, 1/8’ and 3/8” of the same color, they went on one pin. Once I had all of the strips hung, I could tell at a glance which colors I had and which I was running low on. The other thing I liked about this storage system was its portability. I could take my “bulletin board’ full of strips anywhere, in any room. When it was time to put it away, I would cover it with a trash bag and slide it behind the sofa or into a closet. I still keep my whites/ivories on a bulletin board since I use them so much.

Of course, you don’t use a whole strip for each quilled coil. There are always leftover pieces. I started keeping my leftover pieces and any extra coils in the little chests they sell in hardware stores. Once again I arranged them by color. This worked out well for me; if I needed just a couple of small pieces to make a flower for a gift card; I almost always had exactly what I needed in these drawers. I use a lot of 6”, 3”, and 1 ½” strips. These fit perfectly in the drawers which are just about six inches deep. I also use some punched flowers in my floral pieces, so any extra “punches” also get stored in these drawers.

Once my hobby became “Whimsiquills the business”, (and after my children left home), I set about making what we all call the ‘Whimsiquills room”. Now I have a whole room dedicated to my work I had a huge window put in to give me natural light, I use an Ott light at night. I hang all of my papers on a strip my husband put up for me that goes halfway around the room.
If you are lucky enough to have a work or craft room you can use the back of the door for storage as well. I have all of my 1/6’ and 1/8” Paplin papers stored on the back of the Whimsiquills room door and on a closet door. We simply put up some strips and then measure and put in nails so we could hang the packages. If you store your papers in packages, this might be an option for you. Then you also have the color number right on the package. I usually write the color number on the outside of one of the strips.

This is my not so neat work table which is right by a window, lots of natural day light.

Which is better when quilling? Using a tool or finger rolling?

Quilling Tools vs. Finger Rolling?

Which is better, using a tool or finger rolling?
How you roll your quilling strips is really a matter of personal preference. I don’t believe there is a hard and fast rule, although many quillers have very definite opinions about the subject.

Slotted tool- When I first learned to quill, I learned using a slotted tool. You just ‘thread” the beginning of a strip into the slot and then turn the tool until the strip is completely rolled. Let the strip fall off the tool and then pinch into desired shape and glue. Depending on the slotted tool you use, there will be a small opening in the center of your tight rolls (the size of the hole is determined by the size of the shaft of the tool). There may also be a tiny fold in the strip where you first inserted the strip into the tool. This little fold or “hook” is offensive to some quillers. (I have never had a customer mention this little hook) If this is a concern for you, the hook can be eliminated by reversing the tool before releasing the roll. It can also be eliminated when you pick up the roll with a tweezer.

Pin or Needle tool-I know that many of the early “1970’s” kits came with a corsage pin. When you use a pin, you roll the paper around the pin (instead of turning the tool), the hole in the center will be smaller and there will be no hook.

Finger rolling-When finger rolling your strips, it helps to soften the paper a little by running it over your finger nail, much like you would with curling ribbon. I usually have a damp washcloth nearby and dampen my fingertips so it is a little easier to get the roll started. Your finished roll will have a very tiny center opening. I also find that my rolls are a little “tighter” when I finger roll. After using a slotted tool for many years, the repetitive motion began to bother my thumb, so I forced myself to learn to finger roll. I quickly realized this was also easier on my tired old eyes since I was no longer required to ‘thread’ my slotted tool. Now I finger roll most of my strips but still use my slotted tools for rolling fringe flowers and curling back the corners on my rose petals.

I do have a funny story about finger rolling. A couple of years ago I did a taping for the DIY (Do It Yourself) network demonstrating quilling and how it can be used for scrapbooking. I had to fly from Connecticut to Tennessee for the taping. With all of the security restrictions on the airlines I thought it best to put all my quilling tools, tweezers and scissors etc. in my checked luggage. Of course my bags were opened and inspected. The next day as I prepared to do the taping, I opened the box with all of my tools and realized I had no slotted tool! Thank goodness I knew how to finger roll! The DIY folks were pretty impressed with my finger rolling although it was harder to tape. (I was only allowed to move my fingers a tiny bit so the camera could zoom in.) At any rate we got through the taping and when I packed my bags to fly back home, there in the bottom of my suitcase was my slotted tool! When they inspected the bag they just didn’t put everything back where they found it. And I am sure they had no idea what they were looking at.

What is a fringer (quilling fringing tool)?

What is a fringer (fringing tool)?

A fringing tool is like a tiny paper cutter which cuts a fringe into one side of wider quilling strips (1/4” & 3/8”). There are two types of fringers - the Straight / 90 degree & the Angle/ 45 degree.

A straight / 90 degree fringing tool can be a wonderful time saver if you make a lot of fringe flowers. Quilling strips are fed through the guides of the tool and the handle is raised and lowered manually. The resulting fringe is very even and can be adjusted for a wider or in some cases a deeper fringe. If you are only making a few flowers at a time, quilling strips can be hand fringed using a small sharp scissor. (With some practice your fringed scissor cuts may become as even as those done with a fringer).

The fringer itself only does one thing, and that is fringe the paper. The uncut side of the paper is then rolled and glued; the fringe is spread out to create flowers and/or poms to be used in a project. There are, however, many different ways to assemble your fringed strips to create many different kinds of flowers.

Here are some examples

Glue a strip of 1/8” paper to the unfringed side of a ¼” or 3/8” strip of paper. Starting with the end of the 1/8” strip roll the entire strip up and glue at the end. Open petals and you will have a daisy like flower with a tight roll center. I generally use a 3” strip of 1/8”, and 4 or 5 inches of fringed strip.

Roll a 6” strip of fringed paper to create a single color Flower. The 3/8” fringe will make a larger flower.

Glue 4 or 5 inches of ¼” fringed paper to 4 or 5 inches of 3/8” in a contrasting color. When you roll start with the ¼” paper and you will end up with a flower with longer petals on the outside and shorter fringe in the center.
Glue two or three fringed lengths of different colors together, when you roll them your flower will have different color stripes.

Roll two fringed strips of different colors together at the same time. Your flower will look totally different.

You can also fringe dark center or graduated strips for a still different effect. These are just a few of the possibilities.

We carry several fringers that are manufactured by different manufactures on our website , or at our Ebay store; therefore we are sure to have one that will please everyone. Please see details below:

TIP: Since fringers can not accommodate 1/16” & 1/8” quilling strips .To make really tiny fringed flowers, simply fringe a ¼” or 3/8” quilling strips then trim fringe down to desired size and roll as usual.

The Angle / 45 degree fringer is most often used to make leaves. 3/8” quilling strip is folded in half length wise and fed through the guides with the fold placed at the back of the fringer. After the quilling strip is fringed, cut folded strip into leaf shape in desired size and unfold (open) leaf. Width and depth of fringe can be adjusted depending on the fringer model. (Angle fringed quilling strips can also be used to make fringed flowers Jane Jenkins has a delightful book (B172 “Fringed Flower Hybrids ") that gives some very interesting variations

T3189 – Paplin’s Angle Fringer / 45 degree fringer @ $55.00
All metal fringer, made in the USA, with adjustments for depth & width of fringe, useable with ¼” to ¾” folded strips (measurements before folding)

T3190 – Paplin’s Straight Fringer / 90 degree fringer @ $45.00
All metal fringer, made in the USA, with adjustments for depth & width of fringe,
Useable with ¼” or 3/8” paper strips (not folded)

T175 – Lake City Fringer (the original straight / 90 degree fringer) @ $70.00 this made in the USA fringer has adjustment for width only. WE DO CARRY THIS FRINGER, IN LIMITED QUANTITY DEPENDING ON AVAILABILITY.

T181– Lake City Fringer Straight/ 90 degree @ $45.00
Metal fringer, Imported, with adjustment for width of fringe only.

O305 – Quilled Creations Fringer Straight / 90 degree @ $49.95
Plastic base, Imported, with adjustment for width only

If we haven’t answered all of your fringing questions please let us know.

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.

Quilling is My Life!

Quilling is my Life!

Quilling is my life! What started out as a casual interest thirty years ago soon became an obsession. I would like to share my love of quilling, my work and experience with you. From the very first quilled snowflake I made, I have been fascinated by the endless possibilities of this beautiful art form. Over the years, I became more and more involved in the world of quilling. I was so excited about what I could do with paper that I made special gifts for my family and friends. Before too long, people were asking me to make things for their families and friends, and my business, Whimsiquills was born.

Quilling has been around for a long time, anecdotal information has it going back as far as the invention of paper. It was used by Italian nuns to decorate reliquaries centuries ago. When gilded paper is used (gold on the edges), it is often mistaken for metal filigree. It is not a very well known art form and is known by several names including paper mosaic, paper filigree, quilling and paper quilling (It is believed that some early quillers rolled their paper strips around the base of a goose quill). The astounding thing about quilling is its many applications, and because it is not very well known, people often don’t realize that they are looking at paper. I have had people who didn’t believe what they were looking at was made of paper until I showed them how I do it.

It was probably sometime late in the 80’s that the independent craft stores and Mom & Pop craft stores started disappearing as the big craft store chains started moving in. Most of these chains didn’t carry quilling supplies, and most of their employees had no idea what quilling was; this is still the case today. When I couldn’t find quilling supplies in stores anymore, I contacted the few quilling wholesalers here in the United States and started buying (and eventually selling quilling supplies); my interest at that time was more about meeting my own quilling needs and those of my students.

I learned that there was actually a quilling Guild in England I joined the guild and in my membership information, I found 13 other quillers here in the USA who were members of the guild as well. I contacted all thirteen and started writing a little “newsletter” so we could share information. When I read about quilling companies in England that had all kinds of specialty papers and colors that were not available here in the states, I started importing them as well. The story continues to grow. The little newsletter I wrote became Quill America, which is now the official newsletter of NAQG, the North American Quilling Guild. I don’t write it any more, thank goodness, NAQG has a wonderful newsletter editor for that. Our little informal group of thirteen quillers has grown to almost 500 NAQG members. We hold annual national meeting (NAQGCON) and many of our members hold regional “mini meets” where quillers get together to share information and technique. Our mission is to preserve this beautiful art form we love so well and pass it on to future generations.

The internet has played a large role in allowing us to share information with other quillers all over the world. There are many web sites where you can view peoples work, there are chat groups and email groups. We scan and email pictures of our work and can see the work of quillers from all around the world. The very first time I did a search on the internet, I found about 15 references, and some of those were about Native American quill work which is done with porcupine quills and totally unrelated to paper quilling. (It is very beautiful though). This morning when I typed the search word quilling 457,000 entries came up. So why am I “bloging” about quilling? Because I have so much information to share, and thought I would put it all in one place where it would be accessible to anyone who was interested. My plan is to give you information about where you can find antique quilling, (and not so antique), answers to frequently asked questions we get here at Whimsiquills, information on what is available, technique and anything else I think or hear you may be interested. Welcome to the wonderful world of quilling!