In my last post, I featured how to quill paper bumblebees.
These were the very same bees that I use for my love bug gift tags. It’s only fitting that I also share how I made the quilling paper ladybugs that were the other half of that set.
I think they’re adorable in their own right.
It shouldn’t be much of a surprise that both red and black quilling paper are needed for these little lady bugs. And they are little!
Each bug will only be about 3/4″ or so when they’re all done and finished! Perfect for gift tags or cards.
First, roll 6 black tight coils from 1/2″ strips for each bug. These are going to be used as the dots on the ladybug’s back.
Once the dots are done, roll the wings.
Start with one of the black coils on your needle tool. Glue one end of a 6″ strip of red paper to the coil and roll as usual.
Remove the red and black coil from your tool and repeat for the other wing.
Pinch each wing into a teardrop and let dry. Then comes the “tricky” part!
Each ladybug wing needs 3 dots. The center black dot is already there, but the other 2 need to fit in somewhere!
Use your needle tool to manipulate the layers of paper in the coils and make room for the other dots. I find that its usually easiest to find room towards the of point of the wing and also at the bottom.
Use a tiny bit of glue on the dots and let them dry inside the wings.
Glue the wings together and let dry.
To quill the head, roll a loose coil from a 3″ strip of black paper. Pinch the coil into a lily of the valley shape and attach to the wings. Sometimes, some straight pins can be helpful at this step to get the head and wings to fit together just right while the glue is drying.
Add a little “v” shape antennae. You could even make a little curl in it, if you like!
There you have it!
Once you get the hang of fitting the dots into the wings, you’ll be whipping these little guys out in no time at all!
Drop a comment below to tell me your plans with your quilling paper ladybugs! Or, as always, feel free to suggest another tutorial you’d like to see! I’d love to make it happen!
Hi Meredith, I’m a beginner and I’m enjoying your videos and instructions. Right now I’m working on perfecting your lady bug for my granddaughters birthday card which I’m using with your heart instead of flowers. I’m going to put several lady bugs around the heart. She turns twenty one this year and when she was real little her brother gave her the nickname lady bug. I know it sounds silly but since I’m just a beginner at quilling I thought it would be the easiest to do. thank you for sharing your beautiful talent.
Peg Ryan
Thank you so much for sharing your plans. Let me know how they turn out!