A while back, I found out about some Cuttlebug dies that allow you to create adorable flowers using a quilling tool. Now years ago, I had tried out the original quilling technique where you create all kinds of shapes by quilling long rectangular strips into little tight coils of paper and gluing them together. That was kind of fun, but didn’t excite me all that much.
However, when my close friend, Barbara Aras (who I affectionately call “Mom”) brought a set of the Cuttlebug quilling dies to our weekly Thursday Therapy crafting session, I was blown away with how beautiful and easy it was to cut and quill these “petal strips” into beautiful flowers! Then it occurred to me just how easy it would be to create my own custom flowers with different sizes and types of petals and leaves.
So, I’m sharing with you today, a base file that has a variety of flower centers, petals and leaves, which you can use for designing your own files. I’m also sharing three different completed flower files I designed and cut for the attendees at the recent San Diego retreat to do as a make and take. Here’s a photo of one of those:
Here are the files in KNK, SVG, and EPS formats:
Quilling Flowers in KNK format
Quilling Flowers in SVG format
Quilling Flowers in EPS format
Of course, the attendees were also taught how to take the base file and design their own! That’s the point of attending one of my retreats! : ) Fortunately, it such a simple process in KNK Studio, that I can show it in just a few screen quick shots:
Select a petal and size it to the height you want and then arrange over the left side of one of the rectangles. You’ll see, in the inventory file, that I have two sets of rectangles… pick from the upper set for shorter flowers or from the lower set for slightly taller flowers.
Next select the flower petal and go to Layout>Array. Make the following changes to your settings. Note that your spacing and the total number might vary from what I have. No problem! That’s the beauty in the designing of these flowers… it doesn’t matter!
Click screen shot to enlarge, then use back button to return
Now close that Array window, select your petals and rectangle and apply the Basic Weld. You’re done!
Now do another sized petal or a flower center or even a leaf. Just be creative and have fun!
Note, if you’re designing in a software program lacking something like the Array function in KNK Studio, then just manually copy/paste the petals and arrange along one of the rectangles. Then select all and weld. The petals do not have to be equally spaced in order to create one of these flowers!
For those who need to learn how to quill, here’s a link to one of the You Tube videos.
The only difference between my technique and what’s shown in this video is that I like to apply a small amount of adhesive (glue stick) along the strip before quilling to make it more secure. And, I also apply liquid glue to the bottom of my quilled flowers to make them even more permanent for a lot of handling (I do this since I take these flowers to demos, retreats, etc). Also, if you notice, as you are quilling that the petals seem to be clustering in the same spots, just unwrap a bit, and tear off the strip and glue down the end. Then move over a bit and start again so that the next petal will be positioned in one of the gaps in your pattern.
For those who do not own a quilling tool, here’s a link to the slotted quilling tool (Product 301) that I gave everyone at the retreat:
Also, I’ve learned that the Curling Coach (top right, Product 311) is supposed to be REALLY nice when quilling these flowers. I haven’t tried one yet, but I do plan to.
So… this is a VERY easy project! Have fun and feel free to send me any photos of beautiful flowers you’ve designed and created yourself.
You can download either the SVG or the EPS format to import into MTC. There are instructions on importing in Chapter 4 of the Zing UM. Then you can learn to make your own using the “Designing a Border” part of Section 8.03. Just space the petals out further when using the Duplicate function!
I want to know how to make/cut 1/8″ (or other sizes) quilling strips.oes anyone have a file I can use or a tutorial? I just purchased a KNK Zing with MTC software.
Help please.
I am new to Pazzles and wondering if any of these files are compatable with it? I love the quilling flowers!
I”m not familiar with using SCAL2. I’m sure there’s something similar.
How do I do this in SCAL 2? This is new to me.
Thanks
TJ
thank you sandy. anxious to try these. love making my own flowers especially with my zing!
So, glad you like them! And you are very welcome!
Just love, love, love these files!! Thanks for sharing.
Glad you like it! And yes… so very simple!
What a beautiful SVG! Such a simple idea really, but so helpful to have the instructions and file! Clare
You’re welcome!
These are fabulous! I just found your site and plan on spending time here in the next few days. Thank you!!!
This is wonderful. What a great project, I can’t wait to try this on my new make the cut program. Thanks for sharing
It looks BEAUTIFUL! : )
Good luck! I think you’ll really be pleased!
Wow – I’ve been doing a lot of 3 dimensional flowers by layering. This is so much better. Can’t wait to try it.
You’re welcome! Have fun and let me know if you have any questions or problems!
This looks so fun. I can’t wait to get started! Thanks so much for all of this info.
Thanks for letting me know! Sorry about that… I have it fixed now! So, try downloading again and let me know if you have any problems opening or importing these SVG files into your program. 🙂
Hey Sandy
Love the flowers! Thanks for posting!!
Tried to download the SVG set, but only one file was an SVG, others were EPS. Can you fix?
Thanks!!
What a cool idea. I have tried my hand at quilling and did make quite a few things, but it didn’t hold my interest. I was thinking about giving it another try even checked out a couple books from the library but that was as far asd I got. Thanks so much for these files. I just love making flowers and this should make it much easier.
Thank you so much for this post. I want to let you know that I posted a link to your blog in Creative Busy Hands Cricut Freebies Search List, under the Flowers post on Oct. 30, 2010. Thanks again.
Teryl, You’ll need to use a program such as Inkscape to open the SVG formats, save as DXF and that will import into RoboMaster for you.
Thanks,Sandy! Can’t wait to give this a try on my Silhouette!
These are beautiful! Thanks for sharing the info and files.
However, I own a silhouette cutter. Will one of your file options work with the Silhouette?
Thanks again.
Thank you. It is another fun thing I will have to try on the KNK.
Awesome!!! I will have to give this a try. Thanks for sharing.
Carol
Sandy, these are amazing! I have one of those cuttlebug quilling dies, but I think yours are prettier! Thanks for sharing, these beautifully done!
Thank you for the tutorial and files – they’re gorgeous – looking forward to trying it out!
Thanks Sandy! This is awesome! Lynn B
Hi Sandy…these are amazing. Of course, they are not as amazing as YOU. 🙂
Thanks, Sandy!!! These are beautiful!! There is no end to your talents.
You’re welcome, Anna. You’re welcome, Caz. I couldn’t believe it when I made my very first one… shown in the top photo. It was the first time a prototype of ANYTHING I made turned out so well!
Thankyou, cant believe I was just looking at a Quilling book and wondering how to make this easier 🙂 …. and you already did!
Thanks so much. I love the look of quilling.