Quilling is the use of thin strips of paper to make designs. All of the shapes you can make with paper quilling can be made with splints (strips of cut straw). It is usually done with 2 to 3 mm splints. Here is how to do a simple “watch spring” decoration.
I have used a proper quilling tool but found that a little difficult to manage so I started using a flea comb and found that much easier. This is what you need: A 1/4″ or so diameter dowel or knitting needle. Also, a flea comb, two types of clips (mini alligator or wonder clip, a total of ~18″ of prepped but dry splint and some Becon’s Fabri-tac glue. Not pictured some strong thread of a matching color.
Before you start you need to soak and remove the pith from your splints and set them to dry.
Then add some glue to the final 1/8″ of one of the splints and fold it around the knitting needle or dowel then clamp it with the wonder clip or hold it until it dries.
Slip it off of the knitting needle and pinch it gently to elongate it and slide it onto the flea comb. I’m left handed so I’m making my spiral counter clockwise and holding it in my right, you might do it clockwise.
Continue by slipping the free end of the splint into the second tine up from the original circle. Come around until it is under your thumb and adjust it so it’s even both sides.
Continue around moving up two tines at a time and adjusting after each until you reach the end of the first splint.
Use the alligator clip to hold the rounds in place just to the side of the comb.
Add a small drop of glue at the base to glue off this splint.
When dry remove the clip and cut off the extra. Then add another drop of glue to the cut end.
Hold the new splint in place until dry.
Continue winding until you have reached the end of the second straw.
Clip with the alligator clip as before.
Carefully slip the watch string off the flea comb, adjust the clip so that it is just to one side of the center line.
Slip a 10″ piece of thread folded in half (or if you have strong nylon thread you can use a single strand) thru the center hole and tie a surgeon’s knot. You need to pull the knot fairly tight but not so tight it cuts thru the straw.
Cut away the extra length of the splint.
I used a small amount of glue to tack these together but keep the threads to tie them together, then clipped them away. You can keep the threads to help you sew them in place or use as a stem depending on what kind of design you might want to do.
