I’m not one for wearing much in the way of flashy clothes.
I tend to stay away from patterned clothes and stick to solid tops and jeans most days.
But, when it comes to home decor and accessories, I truly love patterns.
And one of my absolute favorite patterns is paisley.
Paisley is a very classic design element with Persian origins that recognizable by its curved teardrop shape.
It has a pretty interesting background, and I think the traditional components lend themselves nicely to quilling.
This week, I’m sharing how to make quilling paper paisley.
To make quilling paper paisley, you don’t need much by the way of supplies.
Just grab a workboard and some pins, and your quilling tool. Tweezers would probably come in handy too.
Next, choose the colors for your paisley.
Since paisley can be any combinations of colors, you can let your imagination go wild here.
Take a moment to line your quilling paper up together to ensure you’ll be happy with the combination before you begin.
Just as the choice of colors for your paisley is a personal one, so is the shape.
You’re welcome to print out these examples that I’ve drawn up to use as templates.
They may be helpful and save you some time when you first start playing around with using quilling to make paisley.
To print yours, simply click on the image below.
You may also want to choose your favorite and make it larger or a bit smaller.
Once you’ve decided on the shape of your paisley and the colors you’re using, I’d recommend drawing any additional rings that you’re going to add to your paisley right on top of the template.
You’ll get a good idea of the final layout that way.
Below is an example of the rings I sketched onto a template that I used.
I made them about a half inch apart, but they can be further apart or closer together.
Think about varying them too!
It’s also a good idea to start from the inside ring and work your way out, so you don’t knock your edges as you work.
I chose to form all the rings first using the on-edge technique with pins to keep them in line.
Use double-thick strips for strong edges and rings. For a recap on how to make thicker strips, check out this mitten craft I made last winter.
Since there are so many options when it comes to filling in the details of your paisley, the sky is the limit!
Leaves, stripes, and loops are very traditional elements to fill in paisley.
Or maybe you want to experiment with using a Border Buddy or the beehive technique to fill in some space.
You might decide to go rarely straightforward to start.
Here is a super-basic paisley that I made when I was testing the templates.
You could also explore negative space in your paisley.
Negative space is the areas where there is no quilling in your design.
Leaving places purposefully empty of quilling will aid in the overall balance and visual interest.
And, if you’d rather, you can really load up the quilling details.
I love the bright greens and pinks in these.
They remind me of fresh watermelons!
I hope this post on how to make quilling paper paisley has inspired you to have some fun quilling this pattern that I love so much!
Tell me your thoughts on paisley in the comments below!
