Maine Artist

Quilling Designs

By Jacqueline Mercier

It is believed Quilling has been practiced since ancient Egyptian and/or 4th Century Grecian times. Although they obviously would not have used paper in the 4th century, it is believed the Greeks used thin metal wires to decorate containers, especially boxes, and Egyptian tombs have been found containing similar wire shapes akin to modern quilling.
During the Renaissance, Nuns and Monks picked up the art to decorate book covers and religious items. They used gilded paper strips in order to imitate the original metal wires. The name "Quilling" is said to be derived from the fact that the Nuns and Monks originally used feather quills as their tool to roll the paper. Later, the craft spread throughout Europe and to the Americas, where it was considered to be an appropriate hobby for the "Ladies of Leisure" of the time. Newspaper advertisements for some boarding schools in the American Colonies listed "Quill-Work" among the subjects taught.