The ancient art of quilling made a comeback recently at Evergreen Park Public Library in a series of classes.
Quilling involves rolling, shaping and gluing thin strips of paper to create flowers, monograms and other designs. It takes some patience, too.
“It’s really simple to learn and more of a fact of learning to use your hands all over again,” said Anna Soto, who taught the first installment. “It’s very detailed.”
Soto told the class quilling dates back to 15th Century Europe.
“People used to make nice stuff so they didn’t have to pay for gold and silver,” Soto explained. “When it was first started, it was done with feathers … later it became a quilling tool.”
Soto, who lives on the border of Evergreen Park and Chicago, has been crafting since a young age. She gained some expertise at free programs at Gibson Woods Nature Preserve in Hammond, Indiana.
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“It just opened up a door for me and exploded from there,” Soto said. She now uses the art style on her own homemade Christmas cards.
During the recent session, Soto taught people how to make coils for teardrop designs along with other simple shapes. They planned to advance to making monograms and a 5 x 7-inch frame piece.
Library patron Betsie Hale did quilling years ago when her children were in grammar school, making Christmas ornaments on white paper with pearls or rhinestones for her kids to give away as presents.
“The tension is the important thing” in coiling paper, said Hale, who lives in Evergreen Park.
Hale persuaded her friend, Beverly Kotnour, of Oak Forest, to try the art form as well. Kotnour had already bought a quilling kit a few years ago and wanted to attend the class “to learn something new,” she said.
Haley Bugumba, who moved to Evergreen Park about a year and a half ago, saw the library brochure and thought it sounded right up her alley. She crochets and does crafting, recently getting into felt projects and making busy book pages for kids.
“I thought it would be nice to try something new and connect with people,” said Bugumba.
Like all the other participants in the beginning class, Bugumba also has an artistic bent, bringing a tumbler artistically decorated with cat logos and a phone case covered with feline pictures.
Sheila Scott, who lives in unincorporated Cook County, started quilling back in 2008 but wanted to learn some more. She also does embroidery, knitting and other crafts. Her grandmother taught her to sew.
“The old arts come back again new,” said Scott.
Donna Carroll, adult services librarian and designer who organized the series, said Soto leads other programs, including natural crafts.
“She comes up with great programs,” Carroll said.
Soto, who has an associate degree in business and works with families who have loved ones with disabilities. But she uses crafts and even quilling there, too, including with a client who is developmentally challenged.
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“Day-to-day stuff she struggles with,” said Soto. “But if you sit her down in front of quilling, she creates beautiful pieces.”
Janice Neumann is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.