The art of paper filigree and its importance in my life

Memories of childhood are like an old scrapbook in the mind. Slightly unorganized, lacking dates and times, but the images are vivid. One such memory for me is the first time I was introduced to paper filigree also know as quilling. Long thin strands of multi colored paper laying flat on the table. Each one cut to different lengthens, individually curled and folder to create a portion of a larger picture. I was 7 or 8 years old. It was the sample craft to try at my mothers monthly crafting group. The memory is faint, mostly of the colorful paper carefully twisted and glued to create a flower. I remember my fascination with the final product, and the beauty that came from the clean lines and simple picture created from paper. As with some things in childhood, the allure was fleeting, and quilling wasn’t a craft continued by my mom. Little did I know as that small child, the impact and importance that paper quilling memory would have in my life.

In my early adult years, the memory of the craft sparked my interest to learn. I was in my early 20’s and my husband and I moved to Philadelphia. It was the first of many transitional chapters in my life. I was living in a new city, building friendships, yet feeling alone while my husband was in Optometry school. The memory of the paper craft sparked my interest to learn more. I found my way to a crafting store and bought the supplies necessary to create a novice quilling project. Teaching myself paper quilling was comforting. Quilling became a companion. The long quiet hours by myself passed quickly as I honed my skills. As I improved I began to make quillings for friends and family back home. Christmas, birthdays, wedding showers, new babies, all included a quilling gift from me.

25 years after I first taught myself the craft, quilling became even more important to me. I was diagnosed with breast cancer in January 2020. The weeks and months that followed the diagnosis were filled with stress, anguish, surgeries and chemo treatments. During this time I returned to what brought me comfort and began quilling. Creating quillings allowed me to channel the anxious energy and desperate emotions of the moment and create something beautiful. Over the many months of treatments I spent hours lost in the peaceful mediation of quilling. Creating mandalas and images that represented that moment in my life. With every twist, curl and fold of the paper I included the energy of gratitude and love I was feeling from friends and family who were supporting me. My kitchen table was covered with thousands of strips of paper for weeks at a time. A true representation of the commotion in my life. Yet, in all of the confusion, the peaceful moments I spent quilling helped keep me grounded. Like an old friend, I had something familiar that brought me joy to take my mind off the stress in my life. As the pile of paper strips on my table became smaller, each being twisted into petals for flowers, swirls and various shapes to create beautiful images, my sorrow and worry began to decrease.

I love quilling because it is a meditative process. Allowing for reflection of the person I am creating the project for. If I am making the craft for myself it is an opportunity to meditate about the happy times or challenges I might be going through. Each time I sit down to a pile of colored strips of paper I feel an excitement of what the final product will look like. As I cut, twist, twirl and fold the papers, a picture begins to emerge. Different sizes and shapes, merge together to create a beautiful representation of my life at the time.

To express the importance quilling has in my life is difficult to put into words. This craft has been a constant in so many meaningful moments throughout the years. Whether making a quilling for a loved one, or myself, the final product forever holds the energy of the moment, and the emotion I was feeling at the time. I look forward to a continued life with quilling, just me and a pile of strips of colorful paper waiting to tell the story of that moment.