Dec 2, 2015

Quilling Letters 101 - Part 2 Tracing Letters

how to quill quilling letters typography monogram

Hmmm, in my enthusiasm to embark on this project, I now realize I posted the cart before the horse. In other words, I really should have started with this post first, the letters themselves. Ah well, I'm living in the moment right now.

For this project, I chose to use Source Sans Pro, Bold, at 150 pt, but you can choose any font you wish. My letters end up being just a tad taller than 1-1/4 inch high, but I was mainly restricted by the width of the sheet because my word ended up being 11.5" wide and it needs to look balanced on a legal sheet which is 14" wide, the largest I can put through my laser printer.

After printing your word/letter out, use a scoring tool and trace heavily onto card stock, leaving a debossed impression. Since I have a digital die cutter, I chose to use the scoring tool that came with my package. Before having my die cutter, I would use a dried up pen – both are completely fine. When my quilling inevitably strays from the line, it's much harder to notice than a light pencil tracing.

how to quill quilling letters typography monogram

I reference the laser print for a template as I form each letter. The straight areas are the easiest, of course. Using the back of a craft knife, score a marking that matches the length required (I'm forming the top, inner part of the B here). Notice the score line here?

how to quill quilling letters typography monogram

Fold along that score line, ensuring the fold is perpendicular and straight. If the fold is not made carefully here, you will encounter problems gluing later. Try to imagine this is your straight glue surface in contact with your surface – anything that is angled, will be angled when you are gluing.

how to quill quilling letters typography monogram

Notice how the U shape has certain parts that are straight? In a case like this, I will not simply soften the entire strip because I want to keep the straight parts straight. I only want to curve a certain section. So using the handle of a crochet hook, I place the strip against my index finger.

how to quill quilling letters typography monogram

Apply pressure against your finger, and you'll see the strip start to curl. Rub the crochet hook from left to right, massaging the strip into the curve desired.

how to quill quilling letters typography monogram

Eventually with enough pressure, I've made the curve I want.

how to quill quilling letters typography monogram

Place the strip on top of the print. I will repeatedly pick the piece up and place it on the template, comparing, back and forth, until I have the right shape. Then I will finally snip off the excess and glue it together.

how to quill quilling letters typography monogram

The paper shown here is Canson Mi-Tientes, #507 Violet, 160 gsm, 1/4" wide.

I hope this tutorial encourages you to make letters of your own. Please leave a comment below to let me know what you are working on. 

In the next part of this series, I will be showing how to glue the corners with an easy tip.

19 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. Hello Stacy, I'm so happy to hear you found this tutorial helpful! I look forward to seeing your work!
      Cecelia

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  2. Replies
    1. ¡Eres muy bienvenido! Gracias por sus amables palabras.

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  3. Wow...post filled with fine details. Hope this gives be ample knowledge in starting my ever first quilled monogram.

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    1. ooooooh! Your first too? Yaaaay! can't wait to see what you make Sathya! I'm thrilled to know we're in this together!

      Cecelia

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  4. Is that a cricut stylus in the photo?

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    1. Yes it is a Cricut Stylus, Brandon! Good eye. Does that mean you own a Cricut as well? Have you used it for quilling letters this way too?

      Cecelia

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  5. I just discovered your posts on Pinterest! Thank you. I'm really new to quilling. I've tried making all the shapes and playing with them to make greeting cards. My friends all love getting them. I am just about to start my first project with letters and outlining shapes. It's a picture for my daughter to give her gym-buddy on her gymnastics team as a season-end gift. It will have a gymnast silhouette and her name in white-on-white surrounded by flowers and swirls. I've been making "stock" of the flowers, leaves, circles, etc. to work with once I get the letters done. I was at a loss for how to start then ran across your tutorials. I'm so excited to get home from work so I can start!

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    1. Hello Lynda, I'm thrilled to hear you're diving right into some of the most challenging AND rewarding aspects of quilling! I can hear the excitement and anticipation you have in your veins, the same way I feel when you're imagining how they'll react after you've poured hours over your project. Good on you for tackling lettering - I'm so glad you found my series of posts and that you're finding them helpful.

      Please do come back and let me know how it went!

      Cecelia

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  6. Hi Cecelia, I start to follow you at Craft's classes online, us wonderful your job and the love for the details, I'm a perfectionist and love to learn more about new crafts. I will start a project for a friend of mine! Her birthday will be on December and I plan to make a background for her to take pictures. My plan is to mixed quilling and giant paper flowers that I learned recently! Hope to my tools arrive this week so I can start!!! Thanks so much for teaching me! Love your job!

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  7. Hello Tita,

    Thank you SO much for your kind words and for making my day!!! :D

    I would love to see your quilling and paper flowers for your friend's birthday! Please do keep in touch and ask me any questions you may have.

    Happy crafting!

    Cecelia

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  8. I already start the project!! I will try to send you a picture when i'm done! XOXOXO

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  9. Thank you im excited to try it out

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    1. Hello Anne, welcome to my blog and YouTube channel! I'm excited to have you on board. Let me know how it goes for you!

      Cecelia

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  10. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  11. This is the first time that I have been on this site, and I am really impressed by the wonderful information that you have given..

    Could I ask a question - the quilling strips come in different widths, how do you know what width to use, and does your quilling tool have to be at the same depth as the paper strip or can I use a smaller one (mainly because I only have smaller ones)?
    Thank you for any help
    Xxxxx

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    1. Hi Penny, I'm happy to hear you're liking my tutorials. I'm glad you asked your question. I have a new website that answers your question here (scroll down): https://paperzen.ca/pages/quilling-paper

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