May 24, 2014

Quilled Poppy in Progress (3) & Gluing Tips



In my previous post I showed an example of a partly glued strip. It either didn't get enough glue or wasn't pressed down to the surface, and as a result is floating loosely in the air.


I have a simple solution that I've never expressed before because I just did it without thinking. After comments came in about my yogurt lid method, I thought I would show it in case it may help others as well. I just take a spare strip and spread a thin thread of glue.


Using tweezers, lift the loose strip and slide the glued strip below. Lower the strip into the glue, dab, and move along until the loose area is coated. Remove the glue-coated strip and glue the floating edge in place.


For those who are curious, here's my cut yogurt lid. I round the corner to make it easier to handle. The rim makes a great handle.


Besides using a yogurt lid, I quite like using this plastic division separator. It came with my $6 fishing tackle box which I use for quilling paper storage. If you look closely between this surface and the yogurt lid, you'll see the glue does not pull together and bead on the blue divider, as it does with the yogurt lid. Not sure why it does this – I guess it's the type of plastic?

I prefer the divider because I like dipping my glue in as flat a glue puddle as possible because I can still see dry glue that has ridden up the sides if I were to inspect closely. When I dip into the yogurt lid, the height is just slightly more noticeable, even though I am squiggling back and forth the same way and releasing the same amount of glue. Can you see how thin I can make it on the blue divider? You can practically see how I've drawn with the glue. The yogurt lid has the benefit of being flatter to slide under items. Both are great for re-using by peeling off dried glue "skin".

If you're looking for other storage ideas, here's my binder method of storing left over bits of quilling strips.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0033M0SRW/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0033M0SRW&linkCode=as2&tag=crafticreatu-20


I'm so grateful to comments on my "Quilling Glue" post, because I that's how I discovered Aleene's Tacky Glue. It is super thick and dries fast. I have some quilling friends who kept being polite and denying my offers of using my glue. I finally took matters into my own hands, dumped out their glue, and poured mine into their bottle. Next thing I know, they are sending me photos fast and furious because their quilling time was sped up - you simply don't need to hold down the end to the coil as long. I still enjoy using Lineco glue for gluing larger pieces at one time. I smear it thinly first before dipping, and since it's not as thick, gives me more time for dipping and less surface tension, which means less tornadoes as you pull your piece from the glue puddle.



Here is where my poppy is today. I'm using the darkest strip to make this petal part more dense. Somehow I can show it better from an angle though.



Does anyone else have other gluing tips to add? For my next post, I'll go into more details about the paper I'm using for this and why. If there's more info you'd like to know about, please let me know in the comments!

15 comments:

  1. Wow Cecelia, you have done so much, the poppy is looking amazing! Thank you so much for the Gluing Tutorial and for the images - I am 'visual learner' - so the pictures really helped me 'get it'. I sometimes struggle gluing strips where I want them, they seem to have a mind of their own, your technique gives you so much more control. Already the poppy is so beautiful, looking forward to seeing the next stage in it's development. Best Wishes, Karen x

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    1. I'm so happy to hear these visual tips are helping, Karen! What's odd is that was my greatest fear when writing my quilling book – not being able to describe what I do without thinking. Now that I've done it, it's coming easier.

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  2. It's coming along beautifully! I'm enjoying all your tips. I think your cut piece of lid/paper may work better than my usual teeny-tiny dab on the tip of a straight pin method when trying to glue down wayward ends. I do love the clear gel glue I use though, just because it never forms a pesky skin, but the speed of Tacky Glue, especially on metallic paper, would be nice.

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    1. Thanks Ann! I did try your tip of clear gel glue and found it too wet for my liking on my first try. However, I will definitely give it another try for the dipping of finished pieces because it's a race against time/skin formation, especially on a hot day.

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  3. I did not think about the tacky glue before, but that's mos def the best tip I've had. I like the way your art is evolving! Very interesting project! Keep up the good work!

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    1. Hi Linda, thanks so much for your encouragement! I don't usually quill such large projects so it's challenging all my patience. What's funny is that I usually quill for other people. One day a friend asked if my house was full of quilled items and I realized no, I didn't have a single thing! So this is my first project for me, and me alone.

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  4. Your poppy is coming along really well. I have tried using a strip before , but not the plastic lid . Hope to try that one. Your mixing of colours does look interesting.

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    1. Thanks Suganthi! I'll be posting more info about my thoughts on the paper soon.

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  5. Thank you for your posts, Cecelia!
    And I like Tacky glue too :)

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    1. I'm so pleased you've been following them Inna! It's thanks to YOU that I now have Tacky glue in my arsenal! I adore the thick quick drying sludge!

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  6. fishouttawater46@yahoo.comJuly 12, 2016 at 8:04 AM

    I'm learning so much from u. Kinda makes me wish I found you BEFORE I got all those books! Lol
    Keep it coming lady and I'll absorb as much as u got to give.

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    1. LOL!!! Thanks so much for your kind words Melanie! If you sign up for my e-newsletter you'll get the latest ideas that pop outta my head! :D
      Cecelia

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  7. it looks amazing: I wish I could do that Cecelia

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    1. Thanks so much Angelique! It looks harder than it looks actually. I started with very simple projects, and increased complexity as I went. I never get tired of the reaction :D

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  8. ik heb heel veel bewondering voor jou werk dank voor alle mooie tips ik zelf gebruik Boekbinderslijm
    Groetjes Baukje

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