Winning idea quilling window picture - VBS autumn craft competition 2023

Instructions No. 2941

Instructions No. 2941

Difficulty: Challenging

Working time: 8 Hours

The idea "Autumn for the window" was submitted to us by "Schäfchen". It shows us how creatively a great autumn decoration can be made with paper strips using the quilling technique.

The basis for this idea is a decorative ring, Ø 10 cm. If you don't have a dark-coloured decorative ring, you can glue dark brown silk paper around one to give it the look of a branch.

The owl and the autumnal leaves were all made using the quilling technique.

We recommend working on a handicraft mat into which you can stick pins to secure the individual paper elements.

Crafting with the quilling technique

In quilling, paper strips are rolled up into spirals and curls and then fixed in place with handicraft glue.

Therefore, place a strip of paper in the slot at the end of the quilling pen, twist this strip as tightly as possible into a spiral using the stencil included in the starter set and fix the ends of the paper with a drop of paper glue. You now have the basic shape for the various basic figures.

You can arrange these into the desired shape on your foam rubber mat using pins and fix them in place with handicraft glue.

Extra tip:
You can read about this technique in detail in our instructions no. 709 "Quilling craft techniques - ideal for the Christmas season".

We recommend that you start by making the leaves. This will familiarise you with this craft technique and you can start making the owl later, once you have practised making the autumn leaves.

Design autumn leaves

Use several quilling spirals for each leaf, which you have previously twisted from different shades of green and brown and fixed with glue.

Bend each spiral at two ends so that you have a narrow mini leaf with two laces. Glue these individual elements together to form a larger sheet. Glue another paper strip in the "leaf colour" to both outer edges of this large shape and twist it together at the lace end to form a leaf stem. Once again, paper glue will help to hold it in place.

Making an owl

First sketch out the basic shape of the owl on a piece of paper and divide it into individual design areas. Make the eyes by twisting and gluing paper strips together very tightly so that the edges of the Quilling stripes form a solid surface.
The orange-coloured beak consists of a spiral that has been folded into a teardrop shape on one side only.

Place your owl drawing on the handicraft mats and arrange paper spirals next to the eyes and beak to form a body and angel wings using the pins and glue.

As soon as everything is securely fixed with the glue, place the decorative ring in front of you on a firm surface, position all the finished parts such as the owl and leaves decoratively on it and glue them in place. Narrow, wide paper strips can also be glued on in addition to filigree branches.

You can make more quilling autumn leaves according to your personal taste and decorate everything with a thread in your window later.