Stitched Card

Several summers ago I came across a wonderfully instructive site/shop in England called Card Inspirations. A bonus was its small, but active forum comprised of a group of cardies who posted with enjoyable British wit and helpful info. I loved every minute spent at that address.

Iris folding, spirella, teabag folding, embossing... all were new terms to me, and soon I was trying every idea that was presented. The site is under new ownership and has changed quite a lot over time, but I was delighted to find the original technique tutorials are still available. This is a card I made for a group swap fairly soon after discovering paper filigree and the CI site. Perhaps it looks complicated, but what I'd like you to take away from this post is that it honestly doesn't take a huge amount of time to learn to quill or stitch. If you'd like to make a card like this, refer back to my tutorial for flower directions; combine them with the free stitching template and instructions from Card Inspirations, available here.

The border design is made up of tight coils and S scrolls. Tight coils are made the very same way as flower centers. To make an S scroll, roll one end of a 2.5 inch strip toward the strip's center and let the coil relax. Turn paper over and roll the opposite end to meet the first coil. Allow the strip to relax, forming an S shape.

A great resource for paper filigree tips - one I still refer to from time to time - is the Quilling Corner at ParchcraftAustralia.com