By Philippa Reid
The Crowood Press Ltd, 2019
Paperback, £9.99
ISBN 978-1-78500-613-5
Star rating: *****
This superb new quilling technique book by Philippa
Reid is a treasure trove of invaluable how-to information, whether you are a
quilling novice or an experienced quiller looking to up your game. Quilling,
the art of paper filigree, is a delightful decorative papercraft in which
narrow paper strips are manipulated into ornate curls, twirls, and arabesques. This
book attests to the versatility of the craft and the inventiveness of its practitioners.
The book describes myriad quilling techniques both
traditional and modern in a concise and articulate manner, with great
enthusiasm and humour. You can tell that this book was a labour of love. The
author, Philippa Reid, has impressive quilling credentials – and a delightful
blog (www.quilliance.wordpress.com).
Technique
books – rather than project-led books – are my favourite type of craft book
because they provide the user with the know-how to create and innovate on their
own. This book will truly get your creative juices flowing. It is jam-packed
with essential knowledge and invaluable tips. (My highlighter was on overdrive –
so very many useful tips, terms, and ideas.) Going through the contents, the chapters are: Starting
Out, Working with Paper Strips, Making Spiral Coils, Looping Techniques, Tight
Coils and 3D Modelling, Affixing Your Quilling to a Background, Special
Effects, Creating with Paper Strips, Borders, and Infilling.
The text is plentifully accompanied by photographic
examples.
The author
is quick to attribute the quilling innovations of others and her overview of
the craft is right up-to-date with descriptions of modern methods (more open
designs, typographic outlining). I am
happy to report that paper beads receive a brief look-in (and are officially recognized as a quilling
variation).
Wheatears, Spreuer
shapes (like keystones), huskings, ring coils, eccentric coils, vortex coils, pixie
hoods, paper spills, tracery, bandaging, edgework (shitateru) – quilling has a vocabulary all its own. In fact, my
only minor quibble with this gem of a craft title is that a back-of-book glossary
would have been a useful addition (there
is an index and a resource page).
So, thank
you Philippa Reid, for this essential quilling book. I will be keeping it to
hand. And I’ll be attempting vortex coils really soon!
