It happens to all of us…
You’re happily quilling along when … BAM!
You look closely and notice the biggest, most eye-catching, glaring mistake that has ever been made in the history of quilling paper.
Pause! Take a breath.
It’s probably not that bad.
I know it seems like the worst thing that could happen, but give yourself some grace!
Chances are most viewers wouldn’t even notice, but if you’re a perfectionist like I am, you want a fix and you want it fast!
This week, let’s cover 7 common quilling mistakes and how to fix them.
Too much glue
Excess glue can really make a mess of your quilling.
A great rule is “less is definitely more”.
It’s just paper, after all. It weighs next to nothing, so not much more than a small dot of glue is really needed.
But, if you find yourself having a hard time controlling the amount of glue you use, try using a needle-nosed bottle to apply it.
I use mine on every project and it’s a life-saver.
Another great tip is to keep a thin paintbrush handy to wipe away any extra glue before it dries.
Dried glue bits
My personal experience is that most unwanted dried glue is from gluey fingers.
It can be really helpful to keep a moist towel around to wipe your fingers clean every once in a while.
As for the glue that’s already on the outside of your coils ~ I’ve had some success with scraping gently with a needle tool.
Uneven coils
It took me a little while of quilling before I realized the way to prevent uneven coils and shapes.
When you’re ready to shape your coils, hold the center with one hand while pinching with the other.
This keeps the center of the coil where it belongs instead of moving to one side or the other.
If you want to make consistently equal coils, think about using a quilling template workboard to keep them from moving too much as they expand.
Wrinkled backing
The reason that the background of quilling work gets wrinkly is that the paper being used is too thin to hold up to the glue needed for attaching your work.
I’m a huge fan of using thick mat board for mounting my quillings.
It’s super strong!
Another tip ~ use very little glue. Try tiny dots instead of covering the entire piece before mounting.
If you’re looking for a more decorative backing, try adhering patterned scrapbook paper to mat board first using spray adhesive or matte Mod Podge.
The color and pattern possibilities are endless!
Crooked on backing
There is nothing worse than thinking you’re completely finished with a project, then realizing it is sitting a little crooked on its backing.
Is it just a tiny fraction off?
Try trimming the background slightly. If the finished piece is going to be framed, it will not be noticeable.
Another option is to try to remount the quilling.
Using a craft knife, cut around the entire piece including the backing and remount.
It may sit much higher, because of the additional backing. But that may be preferable to a lopsided quilling.
Next time you’re ready to mount a finished work, try using a ruler below the quilling to make sure it’s centered.
I’ve also used multiple rulers to get everything juuuuuust right!
Quilled shapes have dried unevenly
It can be difficult to make sure that all your pieces are perfectly level as they dry on your work board.
Sometimes you may not notice that a section has popped up until it’s too late!
This is a situation that happens to me pretty often, and my solution is to use a craft knife.
I gently (very gently!) move the blade between the two shapes that are giving me trouble.
They break apart and I just have to reglue.
I wouldn’t recommend this solution for the faint of heart, however.
There is a good chance that the coils accidentally be cut or misshapen.
The best practice is to use a straight edge or a finger before the pieces dry to check for evenness and avoid this problem altogether.
Double-thickness strips have bubbled
I mentioned in the post last week on making quilling paper mittens that I like to make double-thick quilling strips to use on edging work.
While the most important step in making these strips is applying steady glue all the way through, there will be times when there’s a gap.
And that gap in glue will lead to a buckled spot in your strip.
It’s usually something you wouldn’t notice until you’re using the strip on a project.
And by then, you’re not going to want to pull the whole piece out, right?
I’ve found a great solution is to use those tiny scissors and snip the bubble. Add another tiny spot of glue to the remaining ends, and use your tweezers or a pin to hold tight until it dries.
Good as new!
Do you have any tips to fix quilling mistakes?
Leave them in the comments below.
I’d love to learn some new secret tricks!
I’ve found for the tiny dried glue bits, it helps if you take a [barely-] damp sponge and dab at your construction very, very gently. It helps get rid of them.
Thanks, April, that’s a new one for me. I wonder if it would be helpful to rip up a sponge into smaller pieces to hit those hard to reach spots.
When I glue quills onto the card, I pick them up with tweezers and gently dip the bottom into the glue.
Perfect! Thanks so much for sharing, Anon!
When I first started quilling, a glue bottle with the steel tip came with the kit. Problem: it turned the Elmer’s Glue black when coming out. I see you recommend this type of bottle, and I assume you don’t have any problems with it. Is it a certain type that you use? Also, I use a light paperweight on my work after gluing several pieces on the mat. Helps keep them even.
I know there are different manufacturers of the needle-nosed glue bottles, so it may just be a problem with the kind that came with your kit. The only time I’ve had a problem with the glue turning colors is when I lost the cap that came with the bottle. I tried to plug the needle with a straight pin while I wasn’t using it. The glue eventually rusted the pin and turned some of the glue a little brown. I’m guessing the same type of chemical reaction is happening with the bottle you’re using. I don’t know the brand I’m using now. I’ve bought them from quilling supply sites and Amazon without a problem.
I always use a wooden cocktail stick to apply glue. Also I find it better to tear the paper than cut it so when you glue you cannot see the end of the paper
It’s true, Margaret. Tearing quilling paper is one of the first tips I always give to new quillers!
I use the end of a sewing needle to apply glue. I’ve tried cocktail sticks (and a thin screwdriver in a moment of need!) but find thin applicators a lot easier to use. I quite often rub the glue over the join so it’s over both sides and therefore less likely to unstick.
Great tips from everyone. I’ve made all of these mistakes in the past.
I use ppa glue from Amazon. When dried its water proof.
I’ve seen PPA around, but never tried it. I’ll have to give it a go sometime!
I do not know if this is the proper place to ask a question but here goes. The handle of the 15 prong quilling comb has many horizontal paper guide channels and 3 vertical channels. Please explain what they are for and how to use.
Thanx
Pita
I’ve never seen a quilling comb with a handle like that before. The husking board I reviewed a few weeks ago had some slim channels on the bottom of it. Maybe take a look at that post and see if the photos and examples look similar to the tool you have. If not, hopefully another reader will see your question and be able to give us some advice!
Have you tried putting glue on a plastic card and smooth it paper thin, that way when you dip your quill on it gets a very thin layer of glue all the way down the strip.
Great tip, Michelle! Thanks!
I use a glue that is almost a paste glue. It is moist but not wet and dries clear and nicely. I’ve never had a problem with bubbling. I glue many items to velvet. I glue the velvet on the back side of the board and hand stitch the corners to mitre them. Then on the velvet float on the front side. I sparing glue the project on the velvet. If it’s an invitation I glue that down and then glue my quilling around it.
Wow, sounds very unique. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen quilling combined with velvet!
I know I am way late on the this post but that doubling up on paper for edging work was a nightmare for me. I started buying On Edge paper from Little Circles and it’s an answer to my prayers. No more doubling up, the colors are fantastic and the seller is very responsive. I swear I have no affiliations with the company – I am just a big fan of all their paper.
Yes, Little Circles is great paper! If I did on edge work more often I would invest in thicker paper, too. I hate to say I’m too thrifty to buy new paper, so I double up for now!
If you ever loose the cap from your needle-nosed glue bottle try a toothpick, it won’t discolor your glue and works well, I loose them all the time lol
Good tip! Much better than trying to use a pin that rusts in the glue!
I’m new to quilling and I’m find that I can’t seem to keep the paper straight and it leans in. What am I doing wrong?
I’m not sure exactly how to help. Are you trying to make straight borders that are leaning? If so, I usually don’t teeny spots of glue along the border, place my paper strip down, then place straight pins on either side to keep the strip standing as it dries. If you mean another problem, please give a little more information and I’ll help the best that I can!
Great ideas! I am trying to create a multimedia picture (framed) as a thank you for a Caribbean cruise. Do you think I could take a photo, enlarge it, print it out on a color printer (11 x 14) and use it as a background for a collage and then place quilled pieces over it?
I think the mix of textures would be really cool! Let me know how it turns out 😊
I am new to this but one problem I am getting is once I glue down say the outside of a letter it dries wobbly. What am I doing wrong?
Have you tried using a thicker paper? Some quillers use card stock for the outside of their crafts because it’s thicker and can stand straighter. Instead of buying new paper, I usually make double-thick strips by gluing one strip on top of another and letting it dry. I’ve found that it makes very sturdy lines. An example of this can be seen in this post about mittens.
I thought of that.Thank you for your help.
Tip for other frugal quillers!!! Lol, so I make/cut my own strips and I decided in an effort to try & replicate the shiny sort of coating/sheen the pre cut strips seem to have. (Atleast the ones I bought do & I like it as they’re sturdier, but almost too firm to where it’s difficult) I tried applying modpodge to the paper and letting it dry of course and then cut them and yep, I like. 🙂 It’s also helpful to me to have the coated side facing out when I roll, it looks nice on the exposed edges & the paper seems to roll that direction more easily. Now I must mention the problem I ran into was the paper curling up/ waving a bit when drying do I had to really work with it lining the sheets up carefully to cut them and apply even pressure to sort of hold the paper stack down while cutting. Need a shredder to eliminate this problem!! But I literally JUST started quilling, have yet to complete a project:( so I’m figuring this All out… Trying… Sorry to go into such detail, first time commenting too, actually! Hope this helps someone.
Thinking for specialty papers, colors you can’t find precut or edge paper it might be more practical as it is considerably labor intensive;
Cheers, Jenna
Thanks for the tips, Jenna
As tiras de papel quilling que consegui, em ouro e prata, são muito duras e não consigo colá-las. Tenho muita pena pois há trabalhos lindos de natal em dourado e prata. Parece que são plastico e não colam….
Eu nunca vi tiras de plástico sendo vendidas como folhos antes, isso é terrível!
Meredith, thank you for all your tips and lessons. I’ve learned so much since I found your blog and YouTube channel. My question had to do with the center of my coils – they pop up giving the coil a cone shape. I know the cone shape is desired in some projects lol, but I need nice flat coils Thanks for any help.
I’ve found that the thicker papers tend to lay flatter than those strips with a lighter weight. If you haven’t tried Quilled Creations, I like their paper because it’s a bit heavier than other commercial brands. Also, if you don’t use a slotted quilling tool, that might help too since it grabs the paper and keeps that center in place. Once you start rolling on that, it’s easier to keep the roll in line as you turn your tool. I hope that helps!
Thank you Meredith for your reply and the tips you shared. I will try the thicker papers to see if that improves my quilling.
I do use a slotted tool and it’s very helpful.
. My problem with coils turning into cones is after removing from the tool. Usually I place the coil in a sizing ring before shaping, that’s when the center of the coil pops up.
I always try to push or slide the coil Off my slotted tool instead of pulling it off , that hasn’t made much difference. It’s probably just my lack of experience lol
Thanks again for your reply and tutorials
To Karen Parker: I use the very flat end of my craft knife (it’s circular and about 1/4 inch in diameter) to flatten very tight coils. I start in the middle of the coil and while pressing down the outside of the coil with 2 fingers; I run the craft knife end in tiny circles around the middle of the coil using medium pressure. As the tight coil begins to flatten, I run the craft knife end in larger circles until I’ve flattened the entire tight coil. I hope this helps.
Linda Nation, thank you for your response and the tip. I’m going to give it a try and see if it helps. I’m convinced at this point that’s it’s either a lack of experience – although I’ve rolled many coils for flower shapes lol – or something is wrong with my technique. Practice makes perfect as they say. Thanks again
How do you keep the straight pin holes from showing?
When you’re using the pins with a work board, you’re not using your final surface. It’s just a way to keep your quilling in place as you work or while glue dries. The idea is to remove your quilling from the work board and attach it to whatever you’re mounting it to afterwards. I hope that helps!
I would like to know this too
I’m not sure why my reply isn’t showing up here, but I’ll try again!
When you’re using the pins with a work board, you’re not using your final surface. It’s just a way to keep your quilling in place as you work or while glue dries. The idea is to remove your quilling from the work board and attach it to whatever you’re mounting it to afterwards. I hope that helps!
I discovered what I was doing wrong on the beehive some how I missed seeing where you said to double your paper and glue it together. I’ve done two more now and both are so much better than the first one I did. Thanks for your videos. BTW I have never found instructions in the blogs when I get the templates to use. Am I missing something or did I misread that instructions were suppose to be with each template?
Hi Meredith,
I am learning to quill by watching tutorials, and I have appreciated several of yours. I practiced on self-cut strips of my old magazines. Now I am using real quilling paper, and it almost seems like I am starting over🥴😂🥴😂
The quilling strips are much longer—about twice as long! One tutorial from someone/not sure who? glued together six strips to make a fish body, bot it did not work at all for me. The inside coils will not loosen. I learned that I can uncoil and start over, which I did. Using the same paper, but with less strips, my coils are looser, but still uneven, and now the centers are popping up like mountains???? Help?
When you’re working really long strips, like your 6 joined together, it can be really easy to have your paper start to go crooked as you roll it on your tool. That may be why your center is popping up. Lighter weight paper may also be the problem. I like to recommend the paper from Quilled Creations for beginners because it’s a nice medium weight that is easy to work with. It can also be difficult to glued together strips to unroll evenly as the glue will affect the way it loosens.