Bowls

As with so many things that I've learned over the years, I don't always recall exactly where or from whom I learned them originally....or if it's something I thought up myself.

I'm fairly certain, however, that I first heard of this method of making bowls from Joann Swanson.

They're really quite simple to make although I still don't get the sides as smooth as I would like.

Supplies:
a slotted quilling tool (I got this one from deSerres in West Edmonton Mall. My earlier one was from Dollarama - it was plastic and came with a supply of quilling paper. Worked well for several years.)

quilling paper these are coloured strips of paper 1/8" wide by 22" long

clear nail polish (or gloss varnish)

The end of the strip of quilling paper is put through the slot of the quilling tool then the rest of the paper is wound round, keeping as tight and even as possible.

The end of the strip is lightly glued in place then the next strip if butt-joined and glued in place and the winding continued.

This bowl is made with a total of four strips.

 Then it's slipped off the tool. Put the quilled piece on a firm surface and rub it even.

Then, using your fingers, carefully shape it into a bowl

 When you're pleased with the shape, coat the inside of the bowl with clear nail polish or gloss varnish. When that has dried, coat the outside of the bowl. (I generally leave the top outside rim uncoated - just a personal preference.) You can see how the coating changes the colour of the paper.

This bowl is 13/16" in diameter and 3/8" high.

This bowl was made with three strips of three light orange strips, one dark green, one light orange, another dark green, then a final light orange (for a total of 7 strips).

Here it is finished. (It's just over 1" in diameter and 7/16" high.) I did gloss all of this one. 

As you can see, the nail polish/gloss finish changes the colour so you may want to cut a half inch or so of your paper strip before you start and coat it to see what the resulting colour will be.