Quilling Card Education: Let’s Talk About Crimping

Ever wonder what gives some Quilling Cards that extra bit of dimension and a fun, wavy texture? Let us introduce you to crimping—a style we absolutely love and one of the most charming (and often overlooked!) techniques in the quilling world.

What Is Crimping

What is Crimping?

Crimping adds tiny zigzag folds to your paper strips. Think of it like a mini perm—only instead of volumizing hair, you’re adding delightful texture to your quilling art.

You can crimp an entire paper strip for a fully textured look or just a section to create contrast and intrigue. Once crimped, the strip can be rolled as usual, or arranged in bunches, and just like that, your quilling is suddenly bursting with personality.

What Do We Use It For?

Here are a few standout ways we use crimping in our cards:

🩷 Soft and Full Flower Petals

Take our Quilled Wild Hydrangeas Greeting Card as a prime example. This card showcases crimping at its finest—petals with a soft, natural feel that mimic the fullness of a real hydrangea bouquet.

🌳 Bonsai Leaves That Pop

In our Quilled Bonsai Tree Greeting Card, the crimped green leaves burst from the carefully crafted brown branches, adding depth to the design.

🎂 It's the Icing on the Cake

Our Quilled Whimsical Birthday Cake Greeting Card design comes to life with swirls of crimped “icing” that look good enough to eat. It’s a small detail, but it makes a big visual impact.

🏔️ Mountains with Steep Drama

Check out our Quilled Mountain Landscape Greeting Card, where crimping adds a rugged, lifelike texture to the mountains, making the scene feel adventurous and grand.

🎨 Walkways You Can Step Into

In the Quilled Artist Series – The Path through the Irises, Monet Greeting Card, crimped paper forms the garden path, inviting you to walk through the Irises just like Monet might have in his Giverny garden. Its texture tells a story.

Crimping may seem subtle, but it adds so much to a design—depth, emotion, and even movement. Whether you’re a seasoned quiller or just appreciating the art form, look out for those crimped elements the next time you have a Quilling Card in your hands. That little zigzag? It’s doing a lot of work behind the scenes.

A little crimp goes a long way in giving your favorite cards that extra oomph!