Quilled Mandalas, by Alli Bartkowski. Review.

Quilled Mandalas

By Alli Bartkowski

30 Paper Projects for Creativity and Relaxation

Lark Books 2016

Paperback £16.99 UK/$17.95 US/$20.95 CAN

ISBN 978-1-4547-0901-5

Star rating: ****

You’ve probably clocked that mandalas are a craft trend.  A very big craft trend.  Contemplative circles with whorls, swirls and arabesques – it was only a matter of time before somebody designed quilled mandalas.Yes, the art of paper filigree is a natural for crafting mandalas.This new book of 30 mandala  designs at various skill levels is by Alli Bartkowski, appropriately, a quilling guru. Alli Bartkowski is the mastermind behind Quilled Creations, the very lovely company that brings innovative quilling gadgets to eager crafters (Dome Molds, Quilling Crimper, Border Buddies, combs – all are  cool quilling tools marketed by Quilled Creations).(Despite the tempting gadgets, quilling is a very cost-effective hobby – little is needed to get started besides quilling strips, a quilling tool, a few toothpicks, and glue.)

First of all, full marks to the publisher for making this a large format book – the jumbo pages show off the magnificent mandala creations in full-colour photographic splendour. These are accompanied by same/size line drawings to facilitate placement of the quilled components. 

Surprisingly (expecting ornamentation overload?), there’s plenty of variety in the 30 designs – some are representational, others purely pattern – but all are awe-inspiring crafty achievements. A Rainbow of Fishes is a clever design of interlocking swirling fish (carp?) – very cleverly constructed in a colourful vortex. Golden Circles makes use of crimped quilling and golden gilded quilling strips – it really has an Art Deco ambience. Butterflies – this pretty mandala creates the illusion of movement – butterflies moving outwards from centre to edge.  Mandala designs include Snowflakes (6- or 8-pointers), Tree of Happiness,  the exquisite Henna Design, Lotus Flower – all are bursting off the page, begging to be made. All the designs look very modern – no fusty granny quilling here.

As for the how-tos – well done. At the start of each project there’s a diagram showing the required quilling shapes and the required size of circle templates for precisely-sized coils (if any) – very handy. Step-by-step how-tos follow, accompanied by the previously mentioned full-size charts.

You may ask – what to do with the finished mandalas? They would make fun wall decs – but that is not the point – the joy is in the making as well as in the contemplation.

If you are seeking a crafty gift, this book would make a fab one, especially accompanied by a few packs of quilling strips and maybe a quilling gadget or two. 

Note: I was supplied with a review copy of this book.

Book Review: Creative Paper Quilling

Creative Paper Quilling:

Wall Art, Jewelry, Cards & More!

By Ann Martin

Annie’s Paper Crafts

48 pages, paperback, £9.99

ISBN 978-1-59635-591

January is a great time to learn a new craft – new year, fresh pursuits. And few crafts are as inexpensive to get started in as quilling – the art of paper filigree, which is created with rolled strips of paper. Perfect timing for Ann Martin’s new title for the excellent Annie’s Paper Crafts series. (Check out Ann’s wonderful blog, All Things Paper.)

To start out in quilling you need little more than a slotted quilling tool, some quilling strips, and glue. Plus - a bit of basic knowledge, which is where Creative Paper Quilling comes in...

This book is worth its weight in gold for the fantastic how-to section up front. Everything you need to know to get started. And plenty of finer points that may be new to experienced quillers, too. The Quilled Shape Gallery, by Ann Martin and Shelly Krzyzewski, gets full marks for illustrating quilled shape possibilities. It is great how 3D shapes such as Sculptured Tight Coils, Cones, and Domes are given pride of place alongside the expected collection of Scrolls and Coils. There are lots of delightful shapes, that go beyond the basic, for instance - the Duck Foot and Shaped Marquise Coils. Paper Beads get a mention, as do various flower-making techniques (including Folded Roses and Fringed Flowers). (Yay.)

The book contains 28 original projects, by Ann and a team of quilling experts. There is lots of variety - more than just cards - and there are seasonal projects that take you all-year-round (check out Ann’s Hearts Linked Valentine). Most of the projects are achievable by a complete novice (two by Linda Krieg: Pretty Page Markers – dolled up paperclips, and Floral Frenzy Message Board, which zooms in on the chalk board trend).  Or, try Ann Martin’s spring-fresh floral Happy Birthday card, which incorporates lots of fun techniques while retaining an air of simplicity. And you can aspire to making the Bloom project by Leesandra Diaz, an example of the use of a  typographic element  in quilled designs. A central word is outlined with on-edge quilling strips - and surrounded with quilled decorations. Very classy indeed.

I have to say, this book has gotten me in the mood to get rolling with some new quilling projects of my own. I’m keen to acquire some of the  quilling tools I don’t yet have – such as the Curling Coach, which helps you to roll longer pieced strips. And a Mini Mold – for forming domed shapes (as in dimensional flower centres).

So, although you don't get a big book for your money, you get more than what you need to know to get started in quilling - clearly explained  and attractively presented.  

Note: I was supplied with a review copy of this title.

Book Review: Fold, Cut & Curl

Fold, Cut & Curl:

75 Exquisite Snowflakes, Stars and Sunbursts to make

By Ayako Brodek and Shannon Voigt

Search Press 2013

Paperback £10.99

ISBN 978-1-84448-965-7

*****

I haven’t yet used a star rating system for my book reviews – but this title, appropriately, gets five stars (or sunbursts, or snowflakes).

Last year, Search Press had a big hit with their lovely crocheted snowflake title, 100 Snowflakes to Crochet, by Caitlin Sainio. This new book looks to be a follow-up for papercrafters -  an idea with legs (or rather, snowflake arms).  I am a mega snowflake fan – in fact, I have designed a template of my own papercrafted Snowflakes & Stars for Hot Off the Press. Many papercrafters are big snowflake fans, too – I notice that whenever I run a snowflake-themed project on the blog, it gets a lot of hits. Could it be childhood memories of happy snowflake-cutting sessions? 

The snowflakes, stars, and sunbursts in this book are much more sophisticated and elegant than your childhood makes (although for the kirigami flakes, the fold-and-cut principle is the same).

This book has a winning format. Up front, there’s a Selector section, a glorious gallery of all the different styles, presented by category (snowflake, star, or sunburst). Each style is labelled with name, number, and turn-to page. A good system.

Following the gallery, there’s a skills section, teaching quilling, origami, and kirigami core techniques in a clear and concise manner. Lots of excellent instructional tips, like how to use a needle quilling tool for finer designs.

It is commendable how this book has enlisted two experts: Ayako Brodek for the origami and kirigami projects, and Shannon Voigt for the quilled designs. This is a much more successful approach than stretching the skills of one author to encompass all that is required.

The origami section has lots of variety. You will learn how to construct  hexagonal, pentagonal, and octagonal snowflake bases (basic training!). Some of the designs are modular ones – this unit approach to origami is very popular.

My favourite quilled designs include Comet, in which a whoosh of a filigreed tail almost seems to animate the centre star; and Radiance, which very cleverly used pieced  quilling strips to craft a graduated colour effect.

The Projects section is the weakest of the book, but it still has value and presents good ideas. It is just that the individual designs are perfection, and these are just presentation apps. For example, the Quilled Window Ornaments, attached with suction cups, are an ace way to showcase the snowflakes. And the Origami Garland, constructed with beads and fishline is a valid idea, too.

This title would make a delightful gift for a papercrafter. Or buy it now for crafting festive decs.

 
Note: I was supplied with a review copy of this book.