How to Use Different Quilling Strip Widths to Create Recessed Details
To create recessed details in quilling, place narrower strips inside a taller outline, with all their bottom edges attached to the same backing. The narrower strips finish below the surrounding rim, creating a shallow pocket. Start with a simple leaf: use 5 mm strips for its outline and 3 mm strips for its inner curves.
This tutorial is for a quiller who can already form basic curves or coils and wants to control depth in a small mounted design. The worked leaf below is a proposed practice exercise, with illustrative dimensions rather than a reproduced maker pattern.
How does strip width create a recessed detail?
When a strip stands upright on its long edge, its width becomes its height above the backing. A 5 mm outline surrounding 3 mm interior strips therefore produces an approximately 2 mm height difference, provided everything sits upright on the same surface. The detail remains above the backing but below the outline.
This application follows the broader principle of using different paper widths and levels to build depth. Artist Andrea Tisovec describes width, positioning, layering and orientation as variables in her dimensional quilling work. The exercise here applies that principle to a small, recessed interior. Perspective in quilling
Keep three dimensions separate when planning: width controls the height of an upright strip; length supplies the material for its curve or coil; paper thickness affects how it handles. A shorter length of 5 mm paper still stands about 5 mm tall. To lower a detail, choose a narrower strip and keep its base on the backing.
Which strip widths should you combine?
Begin with two widths so that each has a clear role. Add a third only when you want an intermediate level. The combinations below are illustrative design choices, calculated from nominal metric widths; they are not prescribed standards.
| Surrounding outline | Interior detail | Approximate recess | Suggested use |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 mm | 2 mm | 1 mm | A shallow inset in a small motif |
| 5 mm | 3 mm | 2 mm | A clearly stepped leaf or petal |
| 6 mm | 3 mm | 3 mm | A deeper pocket to test before committing |
| 6 mm | 5 mm and 3 mm | 1 mm and 3 mm | An intermediate band around a lower center |
Check the actual strips before calculating. Suppliers sometimes pair inch sizes with rounded metric labels: Quilling.com lists 1/8 inch as 3 mm and 1/4 inch as 6 mm. Choose one measurement system for the exercise and measure unfamiliar stock rather than assuming nominal labels are exact conversions. Quilling.com FAQs
A larger height difference is not automatically more useful. Before choosing, make the same small shape in two widths and inspect it under the light where you expect to display it. Cecelia Louie recommends comparing shapes of varying widths and observing their shadows and reflected color. Quilling Paper Tutorials
What materials and preparation do you need?
For the practice leaf, gather 5 mm and 3 mm paper strips, a firm card backing, a ruler, pencil, scissors, tweezers, craft glue, a scrap plastic surface for glue and a quilling tool if you want curled ends. Use matching colors initially so that the change in height is easy to judge without a strong color change.
Choose paper for the shapes you intend to make. Quilled Creations recommends text weight paper for rolled quilling and notes that cardstock tends to bend rather than roll. Louie prefers heavier paper for long on-edge lettering because it makes straighter edges. These recommendations address different forms: test both a curve and a coil if your design combines them. Quilled Creations FAQ, Quilling Paper Tutorials
Before gluing, place a short piece of each width upright beside a ruler. Confirm which edge will touch the backing and check that each strip has an even width along its length. Set aside any piece whose uneven edge would interrupt the planned level.
How do you make a leaf with recessed inner curves?
Use the following dimensions as a starting exercise. Adjust the interior shapes to fit the outline you actually form; do not force a fixed number of coils into a space that is too small.
1. Draw and shape the outer leaf
Lightly draw a leaf approximately 50 mm long and 25 mm wide on the backing. Keep the outline simple, with two curved sides meeting at each tip. Form two pieces of 5 mm paper to follow those sides, leaving them slightly long until you can check their meeting points.
Dry-fit the pieces upright on the drawing. Trim their ends so they meet neatly without overlapping into a bulky tip. Shape them before applying glue, and check the outline from above and from the side.
2. Fit the lower interior
Use 3 mm strips to form a curved central vein and two or three shorter branches. Cut each piece slightly long, test it inside the leaf, then trim gradually. For this exercise, leave a small visible gap between most branches and the outline so you can see the backing around the lower details.
If you prefer coils, substitute a few small loose coils for the branches. Keep them flat at the base and avoid pushing their centers upward. For repeated coils, Quilled Creations recommends even rolling pressure and a circle sizing tool to help maintain consistent size. Quilled Creations FAQ
3. Attach the interior, then the rim
Once the complete arrangement fits, lift out the outer pieces and attach the lower interior first. This proposed assembly order leaves access for tweezers and makes it easier to check each detail’s contact with the backing. Apply a thin coat of glue to the bottom edges and return the pieces to their positions.
For coils, Louie recommends flattening a glue puddle into a shallow film, then checking the underside after dipping for missed areas. Use that approach on a scrap first to learn how little glue your paper needs. Quilling Glue Basics - 5 Helpful Tips
Allow the interior to hold its position before attaching the 5 mm outline. Work around the leaf in manageable sections, keeping the rim upright. Follow your adhesive’s drying directions before moving the backing.
4. Check the finished height
Look across the leaf from a low angle. The inner curves should finish below the rim while their bottom edges remain on the backing. If an interior piece is resting on another strip, its effective height includes that support, so the intended recess may be reduced or lost.
How can you calculate depth when pieces overlap?
For a strip standing upright, use this planning relationship: top height ≈ support height + strip width. The recess is the surrounding top height minus the detail’s top height. This is a geometric estimate; tilted strips, uneven coils and adhesive buildup can change the result.
For example, a 6 mm border on the backing and a 3 mm detail on the same backing give an approximate recess of 6 − 3 = 3 mm. Place that detail on a 2 mm support, and its top rises to about 5 mm, leaving only a 1 mm recess. These are illustrative calculations, not measured project results.
Use the calculation before adding stacked elements. For a clean first attempt, keep the rim and interior on one backing plane. Introduce raised supports later, when you want specific areas to step upward.
What should you change if the recess is unclear?
Diagnose the physical arrangement before changing colors. Inspect the piece from the side, then from the intended viewing position.
| What you see | What to check | Adjustment to try |
|---|---|---|
| Interior looks level with the rim | Strip widths and any hidden overlap | Use a narrower interior strip or remove the extra support |
| Top edge varies unexpectedly | Tilted strips, uneven cuts or raised coil centers | Reform the piece and check its base before attaching |
| Rim hides most of the detail | Border height, interior spacing and viewing angle | Test a lower rim or a more open arrangement on scrap |
| Recess disappears from directly above | Actual height difference and illumination | Compare the sample under the intended display light |
| Glue is conspicuous in open gaps | Amount and placement of adhesive | Use a shallower glue film and inspect the underside before placement |
For illumination, return to a small sample rather than rebuilding the full design immediately. PaperZen’s width comparison method specifically asks you to observe how shadows and reflected color change. Use that comparison to decide whether the next revision needs a different width, more spacing or simply a different display position. Quilling Paper Tutorials
How do you carry the technique into a larger design?
Assign widths by level before making all the pieces. For example, write “5 mm outline, 3 mm inner curves” beside your sketch. Repeat that relationship across the design wherever you want the same depth. If you add a third width, mark exactly which features occupy that intermediate level.
Complete one representative section first, including its open spaces and glue attachment. Check it from above, from the side and under the intended light. That small section gives you a concrete basis for choosing the remaining strips.
A useful recessed detail begins with a simple height relationship: a taller surrounding edge and a lower interior sharing the same backing. Once the leaf’s rim, spacing and inner curves look right together, carry those measured choices into the rest of the composition.