• 64 ideas
  • Checked October 2026

Quilling Art Ideas

Three quilling designs per press: the rolls each needs and where the first strip is glued.

Quilling Art Ideas

Show all 64
  1. A poppy of four wide red crescents round a black tight circleCrescents and one tight circle. Glue the black center first and curve each crescent toward it.
  2. A cherry-blossom branch with pink loose circles in clusters of fiveLoose circles and brown strips. Glue the branch strips on edge first, then five circles round each tip.
  3. A swan with a white S-scroll neck on a large teardrop bodyA teardrop and an S scroll. Glue the body first, point to the back, and seat the neck at the round end.

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All 64 ideas

Flowers and leaves 14

  • A bluebell stem with blue teardrops hanging from an arching strip Teardrops and one curved strip. Glue the arch on edge first. Hang each teardrop by its point.
  • A cherry-blossom branch with pink loose circles in clusters of five Loose circles and brown strips. Glue the branch strips on edge first, then five circles round each tip.
  • A climbing vine linked from S scrolls with marquise leaves tucked into its curves S scrolls and marquises. Glue the first S at the bottom left, link the next to its tail and add leaves last.
  • A clover of three green teardrops with a C-scroll stalk Teardrops and one C scroll. Glue the three points together first so they meet, then tuck the stalk under.
  • A dandelion seed head of white V scrolls round one tight circle V scrolls and a tight circle. Glue the circle first. Set each V with its point to the center, like spokes.
  • A fern frond of green marquises that shrink in pairs toward the tip Marquises in four sizes and one strip. Glue the spine strip on edge first, then the largest pair at its base.
  • A flat wreath of green marquise leaves and red tight-circle berries Marquises and tight circles. Pencil a ring. Glue the first leaf at the top and work round, a berry every third leaf.
  • A poppy of four wide red crescents round a black tight circle Crescents and one tight circle. Glue the black center first and curve each crescent toward it.
  • A potted cactus of stacked green loose circles in a pot of brown squares Loose circles and squares. Glue the row of squares first as the pot, then build the cactus upward.
  • A quilled daffodil of six yellow teardrops round a loose-circle trumpet Teardrops and a loose circle. Glue the six petals in a ring first, points out. Sit the trumpet on top.
  • A quilled sunflower with a brown tight-circle center inside a ring of yellow marquises One large tight circle and marquises. Glue the center down first, then set the marquises round it, points out.
  • A sprig of lavender with purple tight circles climbing a green strip glued on edge Tight circles and one straight strip. Glue the stem strip first, on its edge, then pair the circles up it.
  • A tulip of three red teardrops cupped together on a strip stem Teardrops and one strip. Glue the middle teardrop first, point down, and lean one on each side of it.
  • A water lily of white marquises in two rings on a green half-circle pad Marquises and one large half circle. Glue the pad down first, flat edge at the bottom, then the outer ring.

Animals and insects 14

  • A bumblebee of yellow and black tight circles with two loose-circle wings Tight circles and loose circles. Glue a row of five body circles first, colors alternating.
  • A dragonfly with a body of five tight circles and four long marquise wings Tight circles and marquises. Glue the body row first. The wings meet at the second circle.
  • A fish with one orange marquise body, a triangle tail and C-scroll bubbles A marquise, a triangle and C scrolls. Glue the body first and butt the tail against its point.
  • A hedgehog made of a brown half circle bristling with short V scrolls A half circle and V scrolls. Glue the body first, flat side down. Stand the V scrolls along the curve.
  • A peacock with a blue teardrop body and a fan of green marquise tail feathers A teardrop and marquises. Glue the body first, point up. Fan the feathers behind it from one spot.
  • A penguin with black marquise wings on a white teardrop belly A teardrop and marquises. Glue the belly first, point up. One wing each side and a black head.
  • A quilled butterfly with two large teardrop wings above two small ones Teardrops and one strip. Glue the folded body strip first, then the wings with their points against it.
  • A quilled ladybug: one large red loose circle with black tight-circle spots A loose circle and tight circles. Glue the red body first. Sit the spots on top and add a black head.
  • A rabbit face of two loose circles topped with two long teardrop ears Loose circles and teardrops. Glue the larger circle first as the head and stand the ears at its top.
  • A seahorse built down an S curve from tight circles that shrink Tight circles in five sizes. Pencil the S. Glue the largest circle at the chest and work both ways.
  • A sitting cat with a teardrop body, two triangle ears and an S-scroll tail A teardrop, a loose circle, triangles and an S scroll. Glue the body first, point up, then the head.
  • A spider on a thread: a black tight circle with eight C-scroll legs A tight circle and C scrolls. Glue the body first. Four legs curve up and four curve down.
  • A swan with a white S-scroll neck on a large teardrop body A teardrop and an S scroll. Glue the body first, point to the back, and seat the neck at the round end.
  • A turtle with a green loose-circle shell ringed by small tight circles A loose circle, tight circles and a teardrop. Glue the shell first, then the ring, then the head.

Letters and monograms 12

  • A birthday numeral filled with marquises laid like fish scales Marquises and outline strips. Glue the outline, then the bottom row, and overlap each row above it.
  • A block initial walled with strips on edge and packed with loose circles in three blues Loose circles and outline strips. Glue the outline first so the circles have a wall to sit in.
  • A capital filled with teardrops that point the way the pen stroke would go Teardrops and outline strips. Glue the outline first. Start filling where the pen would start.
  • A lower-case name written in one continuous strip glued on edge One long strip, no named roll. Glue the start of the first letter down and hold each curve until it grips.
  • A monogram left empty while the background round it fills with coils Tight and loose circles. Glue an outline strip round the letter first, then pack the background up to it.
  • A question mark built from a crescent, a marquise and one tight-circle dot A crescent, a marquise and a tight circle. Glue the dot first so the rest lines up above it.
  • A two-letter monogram with one letter in warm coils and the other in cool Loose circles and outline strips. Glue the shared border between the letters first.
  • An ampersand packed with tight circles that grade from yellow to red Tight circles and outline strips. Glue the outline first. Begin with yellow at the top loop.
  • An initial filled only with squares and triangles, like a tiled floor Squares and triangles. Glue the outline first. Fit a square into each corner before filling between.
  • An initial left bare on a round disc packed with coils Loose circles and one ring strip. Glue the outer ring first, then the letter's outline inside it.
  • An initial with S scrolls spilling out of its top like vines S scrolls and outline strips. Glue the outlined letter first. Tuck each scroll's tail inside the letter.
  • Three outlined capitals spelling a short word, each packed with its own kind of coil Tight circles, teardrops and marquises. Glue all three outlines first so the spacing is fixed.

Cards and tags 12

  • A birthday card with three quilled balloons on S-scroll strings Loose circles and S scrolls. Glue the highest balloon first. The three strings meet at one point below.
  • A card edge bordered with C scrolls and tight circles by turns C scrolls and tight circles. Rule a faint line. Glue the first scroll at the top and alternate downward.
  • A card with a quilled cupcake: a half-circle top on a square case A half circle, a square and a tight circle. Glue the case first and sit the top on it. Cherry last.
  • A card with a quilled kite of four triangles and a tail of tiny bows Triangles and teardrops. Glue the four triangles point to point first. Each bow is a pair of teardrops.
  • A card with a quilled umbrella of three half circles under teardrop rain Half circles, teardrops and a strip. Glue the middle half circle first. Raindrops point upward.
  • A gift tag whose only decoration is an open-heart scroll One open heart. Glue the fold of the heart first and let the two curls sit free.
  • A gift tag with a single rolled heart beside the string hole One rolled heart. Glue it by its fold first and hold the two coils level while they set.
  • A good-luck card with a horseshoe of tight circles in two golds Tight circles. Pencil a U. Glue the bottom circle of the U first and climb both sides together.
  • A new-baby card with a quilled rattle and a bow of two teardrops A loose circle, a strip and teardrops. Glue the handle strip on edge first, then the circle at its top.
  • A place card with one marquise leaf curling beside the name One marquise and a loose scroll. Write the name first. Glue the leaf at its end and the scroll as a stalk.
  • A thank-you card corner spray of two marquise leaves and three tight-circle buds Marquises and tight circles. Glue the leaves into the corner first, points outward.
  • A winter card with two holly-leaf rolls and three red tight-circle berries Holly leaves and tight circles. Glue the berries first, in a triangle, and angle a leaf to each side.

Snowflakes and ornaments 12

  • A bauble of one big loose circle with a square cap and a thread loop A loose circle and a square. Glue the cap to the circle first, then knot the thread through the cap.
  • A five-point star of five marquises round a loose circle, hung by a thread A loose circle and marquises. Glue the circle first. Loop the thread through one point when dry.
  • A gingerbread figure of six loose circles: a head, a body and four limbs Loose circles in three sizes. Glue the body first and press each limb against its side.
  • A hanging heart of two large teardrops joined at their points and edged with a strip Teardrops and one strip. Glue the points together first, then wrap the strip round both.
  • A lacy snowflake built only from V scrolls set round a single small coil V scrolls and tight circles. Glue the center circle first, then six V scrolls with their points to it.
  • A quilled bell: a large teardrop with a C-scroll rim and a tight-circle clapper A teardrop, a C scroll and a tight circle. Glue the teardrop first, point up, then the rim under it.
  • A six-arm quilled snowflake with a tight-circle hub, marquise arms and teardrop tips A tight circle, marquises and teardrops. Glue the hub first and space the six arms like clock hours.
  • A snowflake with open-heart scrolls between six marquise arms Marquises, open hearts and a tight circle. Glue the hub and arms first. Hearts sit in the gaps.
  • A striped cane ornament of alternating red and white quilled coils with a hooked top Tight circles. Pencil the hook. Glue the first circle at the foot and alternate colors to the tip.
  • A tree of green tight circles in rows of five, four, three, two and one Tight circles only. Glue the bottom row of five first and center each row above it.
  • A wreath ornament of twelve green loose circles with a red teardrop bow Loose circles and teardrops. Glue the circles side to side in a ring first. The bow covers the join.
  • An icicle of white marquises that shrink down a hanging thread Marquises in four sizes. Glue the largest to the thread first, then each smaller one point to point.

How it works

Quilling is paper strips rolled, shaped and glued into a design. Each of these 64 quilling art ideas names the rolls it needs and where the first strip is glued.

Read the full guide

Rolled paper art ideas for a first try

First shapes holds designs made only from circles, teardrops and marquises: a lavender sprig of tight circles, a ladybug, a tree in rows of five, four, three, two and one.

The names in the hints

A tight circle is a strip rolled up and glued shut. A loose circle is rolled, let spring open, then glued. A teardrop is a loose circle pinched at one side; a marquise (a pointed oval) is pinched at opposite sides. Other rolls: crescent, square, triangle, half circle, rolled heart, holly leaf. Scrolls: loose scroll, open heart, S scroll, C scroll and V scroll.

Questions and answers

What is quilling art?

Quilling is an art form in which strips of paper are rolled, shaped and glued together into decorative designs, on their own or to decorate cards, pictures and boxes.

Why is it called quilling?

The strips were once wrapped round goose quills to make the coiled shapes, and that practice gave the craft its name. Today a slotted tool does the curling.

What are easy quilling ideas for beginners?

The 36 marked First shapes: a tulip of three red teardrops, a bumblebee of yellow and black tight circles, an icicle of shrinking marquises, a star of five marquises round a loose circle.

What can I make with quilling for a card?

Cards and tags holds 12: three balloons on S-scroll strings, a corner spray of two leaves and three buds, a cupcake, a kite, and a gift tag with a single rolled heart.

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