How to Make Loose Coils and Basic Shapes
Loose Coil: To make a loose coil, simply roll a strip of paper as above. Once you have removed the coil from the slotted quilling tool, immediately release the coil so that it can unravel. The tight coil will relax into a loose coil. If your coil remains tightly wound, you need to work faster and release the coil before the curves have set. After the coil has relaxed, apply glue and secure the loose end as above.
Teardrop: To make the basic shapes, pinch the loose coil at the proper location. Don’t be afraid to pinch your loose coil – teardrops and eyes are very easy to make. Squares and triangles require a little more practice to ensure equal distances between the corners. Loose coils can be pinched into other shapes such as holly, hexagon, duck feet, and so forth.
Eccentric Loose Coil: Make a loose coil as above. Use a clean toothpick or a pin to compress the rounds of paper towards one side of the coil. Apply glue all along the top of the coil where the rounds meet. Hold the shape for 10 seconds before releasing. Making an eccentric coil is easier if you have a circle template, a cork board, or forceps. Read about tools here).
Beehive: Make a tight coil as above. Use the back-end of the slotted quilling tool to push the layers of paper away from one another. You can also use other implements such as the eraser-end of a pencil, or a round-ended ball-point pen.
