Thursday 2 February 2012

Filigree follies!

It's been several days since my last post ... but that's certainly not for lack of quilling! In fact, I've been coiling strips tirelessly in every spare moment, working on the Big Project that I started before Christmas - but, because it's for a Quilling Guild competition entry, I cannot reveal it publicly before September!

So, this morning, I decided it was time to focus temporarily on something ELSE. At a quilling workshop I attended recently, I created a little motif featuring finger-folded huskings (that is to say: made without using pins or a board!). To challenge myself even further, I made the motif using 1.5mm strips, having first gone almost cross-eyed cutting standard 3mm strips in half!

Well, as you would expect, making this motif was extremely fiddly to do! However, the end result was OK, and very delicate in appearance - which I think makes a welcome change from the chunkier look of 3mm strips.

The motif has been laying on my craft table for several weeks now, and today I finally got around to fixing it on to a card.

The process of gluing was almost as challenging as the quilling itself, because the piece was so delicate. (Mental note to self: next time, attach the large open-coil scrolls separately after the rest of the piece is affixed to the card, as they were so floppy and a nightmare to glue!!) So, I apologise for any unfortunate traces of glue which may be visible on the photo of this card, due to a slight skirmish which took place between me and those coils!!

For the background to the quilling, I have used a digital photo-mask image courtesy of Laura Boetto (Maggie May Designs), obtained via Papers and Pixels.

With regard to large open-coil scrolls, I've recently come to the conclusion that it's always better to roll these using two strips joined together at one end, which makes for a sturdier coil. Roll from the joined end, and then you can trim and glue the open end as you wish, adjusting the strips so that there is a little space between them for added visual effect. Well, that's my tip for today!

Now, it's back to the Big Project once again ...






12 comments:

  1. Philippa,
    You are a heroine, never tried working with strips less than 3mm. The result of his arduous task was sensational. A delicate and beautiful work.
    Good weekend!

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  2. Original as always, and the colours match perfectly.I love it !(this blue is so nice and offers a pleasant feeling )
    hugs,aureliaeugenia

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  3. Love the way you mix colors and shapes! First I refused to use with narrow strips (smaller than 3 mmm) but I have to admit the effect is fantastic even if my fingers and eyes are not so happy.

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  4. this turned out very nice, love the background!
    I have been trying swirls and seem to have troubles with them, thanks for the tip, will try it!
    Paula

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  5. I find your work wonderful
    Greetings Baukje

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  6. Thanks everyone for your kind comments!

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  7. it's very pretty and I can imagine how hard it must have been to glue that down all in one piece

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  8. How pretty!! I know what you mean about the thin paper, my fingers get in the way - lol.... I love the open scrolls
    Hugs, antonella :-)

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  9. A beautiful card! Congratulations for your patience! I've never tried it with so many thin strips

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  10. Nice card Philippa, I have also been making huskings this week using 2mm paper - although I have to admit that I use my husking mat (have had this for many years and love it) I am using 2mm dark blue which doesn't show up very well on the black background of my husking mat. It is sometimes helpful to put a "collar" directly around the husking winding it twice for stability.

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