Husking Quilling Tutorial: How to Make Paper Flowers

Husking, also known as looped quilling, is a simple paper quilling technique that allows you to create delicate and intricate shapes from narrow paper strips.

The basic idea is to wrap and weave a paper strip around pins arranged on a template. The finished elements can be used to create petals, leaves and other decorative shapes.g

What You Need

• Quilling paper strips, 2–3 mm wide
• Pins, needles or thin nails
• Cork board or another firm, soft surface
• A template
• Paper glue
• Clear tape
• Scissors

Step 1 – Prepare the Template

Place your template on the cork board and secure it with clear tape so it does not move while you are working.

Insert the pins into the marked points on the template. The position and number of pins determine the final shape of the husking element.

For the flower shown in this tutorial, the template uses three different elements: one A element, two B elements and two C elements.

Step 2 – Start the Paper Strip

Take a quilling strip and apply a small amount of glue to one end.

Make a small loop around the first pin to secure the beginning of the strip.

Place the pin with the strip back into the board.

Step 3 – Create the Loops

Guide the paper strip around the next pin according to the template.

Bring the strip back toward the starting point, creating the first loop. Add a tiny amount of glue where necessary to keep the strip in position.

Continue wrapping the strip around the pins, following the template and building up the shape one loop at a time.

The paper strip should remain neat and evenly positioned around the pins.

Step 4 – Complete the Husking Element

Continue weaving the strip around all the required pins until the shape is complete.

Secure the end of the strip with a small amount of glue and allow it to set.

Carefully remove the pins and take the finished husking element from the template.

You now have a basic husking quilling element.

Step 5 – Make the Petals

Repeat the process to create several matching elements.

Arrange the individual husking elements together and glue them at their bases to form a larger petal.

For the clematis shown here, I used several simple elements to create each complex petal.

Step 6 – Assemble the Flower

Arrange the completed petals around the centre of the flower and glue them together.

For the centre, add a small fringed quilling element to complete the flower.

The result is a delicate 3D paper flower made entirely from husking quilling elements.

Step 7 – Experiment with Different Shapes

One of the best things about husking quilling is that you can easily create different shapes by changing the number, position and arrangement of the pins.

Try moving the pins closer together or farther apart, or create your own templates with different layouts. This allows you to make unique petals, leaves and decorative quilling elements.

Below you can see some of the templates and shapes I have used for husking quilling.

Tips for Husking Quilling

• Use a firm but slightly soft surface so the pins stay securely in place.
• Keep the paper strip under gentle tension while wrapping it around the pins.
• Use only small amounts of glue to avoid making the paper stiff or messy.
• For symmetrical flowers, use a template and repeat the same pin arrangement for each petal.
• Experiment with different pin layouts to create your own quilling shapes.

Related Quilling Tutorials

If you enjoyed learning the husking quilling technique, you may also like these related paper quilling tutorials and flower projects:

🌸Pink Husking Multilayered Flower – 3D Quilling Tutorial – Learn how to use husking elements to create a layered pink flower with two levels of petals, a simple template and a pearl centre.

🌿Husking Flower and Leaves from Crimped Paper Strips – Explore another variation of the husking technique using textured, crimped paper strips to create a blue flower and decorative green leaves.