How-To: Quilled Holiday Card

Home Paper Crafts

CRAFT: Celebrate the Season

By Ann Martin
Learn to make two types of quilled bows to decorate a Christmas card. Even a small amount of quilling will add a touch of elegance. You’ll be able to create a batch of cards quite quickly, especially if they are made assembly line style. I find it makes the job go faster when I prepare the essentials in stages – cut and fold all of the card blanks first, cut squares and rectangles of velvet paper for the packages, cut strips of ribbon, etc. When the components are ready, affix them one type at a time to all of the cards before going on to the next step.
Because the bows and buttons are quite flat and surprisingly sturdy, the cards should go through the mail without any problem or requiring extra postage. If you feel better adding a layer of protection, place a rectangle of bubble wrap over the card front before slipping it into an envelope.

Materials

Cardstock, black, cream, white
Velvet paper, red, green
Quilling paper, 1/8 inch – white, silver, gold

Scissors
Ruler
Tweezers
Glue stick or tape runner 
Craft glue,
one that dries clear and is suitable for paper
Glass head pins
Non-stick workboard,
can be a Styrofoam tray or cork covered with waxed paper
Paper piercing tool or toothpick, to apply glue
Plastic lid, to use as glue palette
Paper cutter
Ribbon, 3/8 x 4 inches (2) metallic gold
Buttons or stickers, snowflake (2), 1/2 inch, 3/4 inch
Pliers,
to remove button shanks
Chalk, gold metallic
Gel pen, white or gold
to write a message inside card
Quilling tool, an ultra-fine slotted tool produces a smaller coil center than a standard slotted tool, but even a toothpick or long needle can be used as a substitute tool.

Christmaspackagescard Stripcutter
Note: If you don’t have access to quilling paper, use a paper cutter to cut lightweight paper into 1/8 inch strips. I used regular computer paper for the bows, and silver and gold “trim paper” as ribbon on the packages. Trim paper is available from many online quilling suppliers.

Directions

Step 1: Score and fold a 10″ x 7″ piece of black cardstock to make a 5″ x 7″ card. Cut cream cardstock 4 1/2″ x 6 1/2″. Glue a piece of ribbon diagonally across the upper left and lower right corners of the cream card, fold excess around edges, and glue to back of card. Adhere cream card to center of black card with glue stick or tape runner.
Step 2: Cut out packages.
red rectangle – 2 1/4″ x 1 3/8″
green rectangle – 3″ x 1″
white rectangle – 1 5/8″ x 2 1/2″
red square – 1 1/2″ x 1 1/2″
Step 3: Glue strips of quilling paper on packages to resemble ribbon. Cut strips slightly longer than needed; fold excess behind package and glue ends.
Red rectangle: white quilling paper
Green rectangle: silver quilling paper
White rectangle: gold quilling paper
Red square: silver quilling paper
Glue packages on cream card with glue stick or tape runner.
Step 4: Use pliers to snap shanks off snowflake buttons. Glue buttons to packages. Stickers are even easier.
Christmaspackagescard Step5A
Step 5: Quilled teardrop (make 5): Slide one end of a 5 inch white quilling strip into tool slot and roll tool evenly, winding the paper.
Christmaspackagescard Step5B
Allow coil to relax and slide it off tool.
Christmaspackagescard Step6A
Step 6: Pinch coil to make a teardrop shape. It may help to use a straight pin to pull the coil center to the rounded bottom of the teardrop and then space the coil inner rotations evenly with the pin before pinching the tip to a sharp point.
Christmaspackagescard Step6B
Glue end of strip in place and trim excess paper at point.
Christmaspackagescard Step7
Step 7: Working on a non-stick surface, glue teardrops together to create a bow shape, positioning with straight pins until the glue dries. (I like to use an overturned Sytrofoam tray from the grocery store as a workboard.) Glue bow on top of red square package: Spread a thin layer of glue on a plastic palette, such as the lid of a large yogurt container. Use tweezers to hold the bow and lightly touch its underside to glue, then place bow directly on package.
Christmaspackagescard Step8A
Step 8: Quilled bow loop (make 2): Wrap white quilling paper 4 times around the handle of quilling tool, or any object with a diameter of approximately 1/2″. Glue end.
Christmaspackagescard Step8B
Pinch to make loop.
Christmaspackagescard Step9
Step 9: Bow knot: Roll a 3″ strip of white quilling paper. Glue end without allowing coil to relax. Slide off tool and pinch with tweezers to flatten coil to an oval.
Christmaspackagescard Step10A
Step 10: Bow tail (make 2): Make a ¼ inch fold at one end of a white quilling strip. Make a loose loop around this fold, encircling it.
Christmaspackagescard Step10B
Wrap paper 3 more times around these loops, making each loop slightly larger than the previous one. Glue strip at bottom and trim excess paper.
Christmaspackagescard Step11
Step 11: Hold at glued end and pinch loops between thumb and index finger to make a narrow, curved shape. Each bow tail will be about 3/4″ long.
Christmaspackagescard Step12
Step 12: Working on a non-stick surface, glue all five components together to form a bow, holding in position with pins until glue is dry. Glue to top of red rectangle package using same gluing method as for the teardrop bow.
Christmaspackagescard Step13
Step 13: Dab gold chalk on the cream card with a fingertip, working around the embellishments. Smudge the chalk with fingers for an overall metallic glimmer.
Christmaspackagescard Closeup
Related:
Ribbon Tree Holiday Cards
About the Author:
Author Annmartin
Ann Martin of all things paper is a quilling enthusiast who loves introducing the craft to others. She teaches, designs projects for books and magazines, and is especially hooked on making paper filigree jewelry.

22 thoughts on “How-To: Quilled Holiday Card

  1. Angela B. says:

    Love the gold shimmer! Thanks for sharing!

  2. Lenoria says:

    I have had quilling tools, paper strips, and instruction books for several years now but had given up on it because I could never get anything to turn out like I wanted it to. Since coming upon your blog you have inspired me to try this again because your work is so beautiful and you give such clear instructions maybe I can do something with it! I can’t wait to try again and I actually have a quilling tool and paper right here in front of me! Thank you.

  3. nidhi agarwal says:

    I saw many quilling wrk but your is very perfect and neat,beautiful.luv to see .I am new to quilling and i am enjoying it now days.tthx give me some link or information so i can learn more.

  4. precious says:

    Hi, I am a wanna be quiller. I have just started self-learning
    and I find your work so simple and cool. I wish i can be as perfect as you one day…
    thank you.

  5. Shirley Hayes says:

    Lovely work. Thank you.

  6. Ann Martin says:

    Thanks very much, everyone. I’m glad you enjoyed the project. Nidhi, you’ll find lots more quilling tutorials on my website allthingspaper.net.

  7. cheap michael kors jewelry watches for teens says:

    Thanks , I’ve just been looking for information about this
    topic for a long time and yours is the greatest I have came upon till now.
    But, what in regards to the conclusion? Are you sure about
    the source?

  8. pop over to these guys says:

    Admiring the time and energy you put into your site
    and detailed information you present. It’s great to come across a blog every
    once in a while that isn’t the same out of date rehashed information.
    Fantastic read! I’ve bookmarked your site and
    I’m adding your RSS feeds to my Google account.

  9. online business says:

    Greetings I am so thrilled I found your web site, I really found you by mistake,
    while I was researching on Digg for something else, Anyways I am here now and would just like to say kudos for a marvelous post and a all round exciting blog (I also love
    the theme/design), I don’t have time to look over it all at the
    moment but I have bookmarked it and also added
    in your RSS feeds, so when I have time I
    will be back to read much more, Please do keep up the awesome work.

  10. uggs says:

    magnificent points altogether, you just won a new reader. What may you suggest in
    regards to your put up that you made a few days in the past?
    Any positive?

  11. Kathy says:

    I love this card. Great Job!

  12. DIY: Christmas Paper Craft Projects DIY Decor - DIY | DIY says:

    […] Make something pretty for Christmas! Clockwise from top left 1. Book Page Wreath 2. Bell Ornament 3. Ribbon Tree Cards 4. Poinsettia Ornament 5. TP Roll Tree Topper 6. Packages Card […]

Comments are closed.

Discuss this article with the rest of the community on our Discord server!
Tagged

ADVERTISEMENT

Maker Faire Bay Area 2023 - Mare Island, CA

Escape to an island of imagination + innovation as Maker Faire Bay Area returns for its 15th iteration!

Buy Tickets today! SAVE 15% and lock-in your preferred date(s).

FEEDBACK