Greenery in Paper - Simple Quilled Leaves for Rustic Inspiration

A handmade rustic thank you card with a quilled green leaf wreath displayed on a round cork coaster, held with a mini wooden clothespin.

Flowers often take centre stage in quilling, but I also love the simple beauty of paper foliage. Leaves and small branches can add movement, balance and a natural feeling to a composition without requiring complicated techniques. Most of the shapes in these leafy sprigs are made from basic quilling coils that are simply pinched, folded or combined in different ways.


Top-down view of two square handmade thank you cards with Polish text reading Dziękuję, decorated with quilled paper foliage wreaths and mini wooden clothespins, displayed on a round cork board.

To show how versatile these simple shapes can be, I created a set of minimalist “Thank You” cards in a cosy rustic style. I used textured handmade paper mounted on kraft cardstock, then arranged the green quilling strips into delicate leafy wreaths around the message. The natural colours and textures give the cards a simple, handmade character.


I wanted these little cards to be practical as well as decorative, so I attached a small wooden clothespin to each one. This makes it easy to clip a handmade thank-you note to a fresh flower bouquet, gift basket, box of chocolates or wrapped present.

Two rustic square handmade thank you cards on white linen, featuring quilled green paper leaf wreaths around calligraphy text with small wooden clothespins attached.

If you have a few green quilling paper strips left on your desk, try turning them into simple leaves and branches. Experiment with different coils, pinched shapes and arrangements—you may be surprised by how much you can create with the most basic quilling shapes.

Close-up top view of handcrafted quilled paper branches featuring various leaf styles in shades of sage green, olive, and pale mint on a white background.

High-angle flat lay showcasing an assortment of quilled paper leaf stems in mint green, pale beige, and olive shades arranged on white cardstock.

Flat lay view of various quilled paper leaves and botanical sprigs in shades of green, olive, sage, and cream, arranged into a large heart shape on white textured cardstock.

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If you enjoy making paper foliage and quilled leaves, you may also like this tutorial:

🌿How to Make Paper Quilling Leaves – Step-by-Step Tutorial – learn how to create a delicate green sprig with intricate quilled leaves, graceful swirls and simple paper strips. – learn how to create a delicate green sprig with intricate quilled leaves, graceful swirls and simple paper strips.

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