Quilling Patterns
Print paper quilling patterns with the strip lengths worked out. Choose a daisy, a flower with stem and leaves, a butterfly, a heart of coils, a snowflake or a letter monogram from A to Z, set the width of the finished design, and the placement guide is drawn at that size, so you can glue each coil straight onto it. Every coil is lettered to match the strip list, which gives the shape, colour, size, strip length, width and count, with the total length of paper. Type the length of the strips you have, and the cut plan shows how many strips of each colour you need and how to cut them, with exact-length measuring bars to lay a strip on. A basic shapes sheet shows all 15 shapes, from tight and loose coils to teardrops, marquises, hearts and scrolls, with the strip length for each. Download a PDF, a 300 DPI PNG, an SVG of the design or the strip list as CSV. Nothing is uploaded.
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Print at 100% (Actual size). The placement guide is drawn at the size you choose, so you can glue the coils straight onto it.
Design
Your strips
Strip lengths follow our own rule (see below the tool). Thicker paper makes bigger coils from the same length.
Pages
Runs in your browser with our own code: nothing you choose is uploaded, and nothing is saved. Print at 100% (Actual size). The designs are our own drawings: you may use them and anything you make with them, including things you sell, with no credit needed.
How to use a quilling pattern
- Choose a pattern, or the letter monogram and your letter.
- Set the design width, US Letter or A4, and three colours.
- Type your strip width, the length of one strip and your paper thickness.
- Download the PDF and print at 100% (Actual size).
- Cut strips with the measuring bars and cut plan, roll each coil, shape it and glue it onto its lettered place on the guide.
What you can use it for
- A first quilling project with every length worked out
- Greeting cards and gift tags with a quilled flower or heart
- A quilled initial for a nursery, door or wedding card
- Snowflake ornaments and winter cards
- Classroom or club craft sessions with a printed strip list for each person
- A basic shapes practice sheet to learn the pinches
Basic quilling shapes and strip lengths
| Shape | 10 mm shape | 15 mm shape | 20 mm shape |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tight coil | 520 mm (20.5 in) | 1175 mm (46.3 in) | 2090 mm (82.3 in) |
| Loose coil | 95 mm (3.7 in) | 210 mm (8.3 in) | 375 mm (14.8 in) |
| Teardrop | 55 mm (2.2 in) | 120 mm (4.7 in) | 210 mm (8.3 in) |
| Marquise | 45 mm (1.8 in) | 105 mm (4.1 in) | 185 mm (7.3 in) |
| Eye | 55 mm (2.2 in) | 125 mm (4.9 in) | 220 mm (8.7 in) |
| Square | 155 mm (6.1 in) | 345 mm (13.6 in) | 610 mm (24.0 in) |
| Diamond | 55 mm (2.2 in) | 125 mm (4.9 in) | 225 mm (8.9 in) |
| Triangle | 85 mm (3.3 in) | 195 mm (7.7 in) | 345 mm (13.6 in) |
| Half moon | 65 mm (2.6 in) | 140 mm (5.5 in) | 250 mm (9.8 in) |
| Crescent | 60 mm (2.4 in) | 130 mm (5.1 in) | 235 mm (9.3 in) |
| Heart | 95 mm (3.7 in) | 220 mm (8.7 in) | 390 mm (15.4 in) |
| Open coil | 30 mm (1.2 in) | 50 mm (2.0 in) | 65 mm (2.6 in) |
| C scroll | 45 mm (1.8 in) | 70 mm (2.8 in) | 95 mm (3.7 in) |
| S scroll | 50 mm (2.0 in) | 75 mm (3.0 in) | 100 mm (3.9 in) |
| V scroll | 45 mm (1.8 in) | 70 mm (2.8 in) | 95 mm (3.7 in) |
Lengths are for 0.15 mm paper by our own rule (below) and are rounded to the nearest 5 mm. Size is the longest side of the finished shape, or the diameter of a coil. Thicker paper needs less length for the same size.
Our strip-length rule
| Piece | Rule | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Tight coil | Length = area of the disc ÷ paper thickness | The paper fills the whole coil, apart from a small hole in the middle |
| Loose coil | Length = 18% of the coil’s area ÷ paper thickness | A loose coil is mostly air between the rings |
| Pinched shapes | The loose coil before pinching has the same outer ring as the shape | Pinching moves the rings but does not change their length |
| Open scrolls and on-edge strips | The length of the drawn line | The strip is the line |
This is our own rule, a starting point rather than a measurement or a published standard. Roll one coil, compare it with the guide and scale every length by the same amount if needed.
Patterns
| Pattern | Pieces | Strip sizes | Total strip (80 mm design) | 300 mm strips needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daisy | 11 | 2 | 4640 mm (182.7 in) | 16 |
| Flower with stem and leaves | 10 | 4 | 1790 mm (70.5 in) | 9 |
| Butterfly | 7 | 4 | 2535 mm (99.8 in) | 10 |
| Heart of coils | 17 | 3 | 1840 mm (72.4 in) | 7 |
| Snowflake | 19 | 4 | 2430 mm (95.7 in) | 11 |
| Letter monogram | 18 | 3 | 1080 mm (42.5 in) | 6 |
Totals are for an 80 mm wide design with 0.15 mm paper; the letter monogram is shown for A. Every pattern is our own drawing.
What prints
| Page | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Placement guide | The design at actual size, every piece lettered to match the strip list |
| Strip list | Key, colour, shape, size, strip length (mm and inches), width, count and total |
| Cut plan | How many strips of each colour, and the pieces to cut from each strip |
| Measuring bars | One bar per strip length, exactly that long, to lay a strip on and cut |
| Basic shapes | All 15 shapes at the size you choose, with strip lengths |
Tools and paper
| Item | What it does |
|---|---|
| Slotted tool | Grips the strip end in a slot; leaves a small crimp and hole at the centre |
| Needle tool | The strip is rolled round a fine needle; smaller, neater centres |
| Strips | Pre-cut quilling strips, or strips cut from 80 to 120 gsm paper with a ruler and craft knife |
| Glue | A little white PVA glue on a pin or fine tip to close coils and fix them to the guide |
| Circle board | Optional: a template of holes so every loose coil relaxes to the same size |
Pair a quilled flower with a card or tag from the Gift Tag Template, fold a box for it with the Box Template, choose colours with the Color Palette Generator or cut a matching Paper Snowflake Template.
Tips
- Print at 100% (Actual size) so the guide matches your coils.
- Roll one test coil before cutting every strip, and scale the lengths if needed.
- Let loose coils relax to the circle on the guide before gluing the end.
- Put the guide under baking paper or clear film so glue does not stick the coils to it.
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Frequently asked questions
What is paper quilling?
Quilling is the craft of rolling narrow strips of paper into coils, pinching them into shapes such as teardrops and marquises, and gluing them side by side to make a picture. A slotted tool or a needle tool holds the strip while you roll.
How long should a quilling strip be?
It depends on the size of coil you want and on your paper. Here the lengths follow our own rule, stated below, for paper of the thickness you type: with 0.15 mm paper, a 15 mm loose coil uses 210 mm of strip and a 10 mm tight coil uses 520 mm. Roll one test coil and scale every length by the same amount if yours comes out bigger or smaller.
How are the strip lengths worked out?
With our own rule, not a measurement: a tight coil is a disc of paper, so its length is the disc’s area divided by the paper thickness; a loose coil is about 18% paper and the rest air; pinched shapes start as a loose coil with the same outer ring; and an open scroll uses the length of the line drawn. Lengths are rounded to the nearest 5 mm.
What width of quilling strips should I use?
3 mm (1/8 in) strips are the usual width for fine work and cards. 5 mm strips make bolder, easier coils, and 10 mm strips suit fringed flowers. The lengths in this tool do not change with the width; the width only sets how tall each coil stands.
What are the basic quilling shapes?
The tool draws 15: tight coil, loose coil, teardrop, marquise, eye, square, diamond, triangle, half moon, crescent, heart, open coil, and C, S and V scrolls. Each one starts as a coil or a rolled strip and is pinched or left open.
Why is my coil a different size from the guide?
Rolling tension, the tool (a slotted tool leaves a bigger centre than a needle), how long you let the coil relax and the paper itself all change the size. Glue the end once it has relaxed to the circle on the guide, and trim or add length the same way for every coil.
What does the cut plan do?
It fits the pieces of each colour onto strips of the length you type, longest first, so you know how many strips to buy or cut and how much is left over. A piece longer than one strip is made of strips joined end to end, marked “join”.
Can I make a quilled letter?
Yes. Choose Letter monogram and type a letter from A to Z: loose coils are spaced along the strokes of the letter, lettered by colour, with their strips in the list.
Is it free?
Yes. There is no sign-up, no watermark and no limit.
Is anything uploaded?
No. The patterns, lengths and cut plans are worked out by JavaScript in your browser and nothing leaves your device. Nothing is saved when you close the page.