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Quilling - what the heck is it?

Consider it the Medieval version of Reduce-Reuse-Recycle...

Medieval book illuminators, after completing and binding books, would end up with hand-made pages of varying sizes, and slice off edges to make them more even.  Not being wasteful sorts, they would twirl the strips around their quill pens (hence, the term "quilling"), shape and glue the pieces into ornaments and onto small items such as boxes, and sell them to raise money for their monasteries/abbies.

Today, there are simple, inexpensive tools in place of quill pens and an array of colorful paper that makes this a beautiful, simple and elegant art form.  For instance, with just a few pieces, here's a champagne glass with bubbly:

Nifty, eh?

The best features of this art?  It's inexpensive, it's simple, and if you think you're not "artistic" (you don't think you can make something that will look like a champagne glass or a dog or whatever) you can make designs like snowflakes and borders with the best of 'em.

The downside?  I won't lie - it's time consuming and requires patience.  It's also addicting and meditative...

I've been doing this off and on since 1981, and I'll be blogging about what I do, and how you - yes, you! - can do it to if you're so inclined.   Stay tuned...