There are several tools you need to get you started, but you really don't need to spend a lot, or even buy the 'right' quilling tools. By experimenting with your new hobby, and with different things you have lying around your house, you can indulge yourself and (almost) not spend a cent!

The most important tool you'll need is a paper quilling tool, or slotted tool - basically, something to twirl the paper around. With a slotted or quilling tool, you slip the end of the paper into the slot, and begin loosely winding the paper around it. When you have what you're after, you slip the paper off and manipulate the paper to achieve the look you want. A stainless steel tool is best as it won't rust and potentially leave marks on your paper. Something you can use to improvise with, is a large darning needle. The eye should be long enough to take a thin piece of paper, and you can wind the paper around the tip of the needle (bear in mind you might have trouble slipping the paper off the end!).

The next most important thing is - paper! If you don't have paper you can't quill! Paper is usually cut into 1/8 inch strips, but they can go up to an inch in width. Bear in mind what you want to use your completed quilled project for - inch-thick paper won't sit nicely in an envelope for a Christmas card, but it would be perfect for a framed picture. You can purchase paper pre-cut, or cut your own. In the case of the latter, you'll need a steel rule to keep the paper width even, and a blade or a pair of scissors. If you are a papercrafts aficionado, you can even use your guillotine or trimmer. Different paper can be used, but beware that the thicker the paper, the stronger the glue you'll need to keep the shape of the paper, and the more the likelihood the paper will crease, not curl. With quilling, thinner paper is best.

Glue is the next most important, and a strong clear glue is the best. Make sure it actually dries clear though - you don't want to ruin your project with a blob of white glue where it can be seen! With glue, too, the trick is - less is more. Just a dab'll do ya, as the old advertisement goes. You can get this minimal approach by using a hatpin or toothpick to apply your glue. When you stick the end of the paper to the coil, a tiny blob might be okay, but when you need to place the quilled paper onto the card or paper you don't want a huge dollop. Use the hatpin or toothpick to put tiny dots of glue on the edges of the paper.

Sticky paper can also be used in your projects. You can place the quilled paper on the sticky paper, and then use glitter as a backdrop on the sticky paper. Just lightly sprinkle the glitter over the completed project and tap off the excess glitter.

Something you might find handy, that you can find around the house, is a sheet of corrugated paper. If you don't have any, grab a cardboard box and tear off a piece, then gently prise the top layer off the 'cardboard'. Sandwiched between the outer layers should be a corrugated piece of thick paper. You might be asking 'What is that for?' Well, you can place your prepared quilled paper onto it, and if there is any leaking glue, it won't stick completely to the cardboard, and you will be able to lift it off with a toothpick! Plus, it will save your table tops from the glue - and your quilled paper! Something else that will save you time and bother is a plastic chopping board that you can curl and carry to a bin, so you don't end up with offcuts, glitter and other bits and bobs on your floor.

By looking around your house, you should be able to find something that will get you out of a fix until you're able to purchase 'proper' quilling supplies and tools, should you want to.

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