Make Your Own Christmas Tree Decoration

Tools required

• A quilling pen
• 5mm-wide strips of paper (we have used red, orange and gold – see step 2)
• Glue
• Scissors
• A template board
• String or cord to hang your snowflake

Step 1

Thread a strip of paper into your quilling pen and turn, keeping the tension taut. Place the coil on the template board and let it spring to your desired shape and leave for a minute. Gently pick up and put a dot of glue at the end and leave to dry.

Step 2

Make the coils:

• 6 x 80cm orange strips (coil is approx 3cm wide)
• 12 x 40cm red strips (coil is approx 2cm wide)
• 6 x 40cm gold strips (coil is approx 2cm wide)
• 1 x 20cm orange strip, tightly quilled
• 6 x 10cm orange strips, tightly quilled

Step 3

Make a teardrop shape:
Take a large orange coil, hold one end and squeeze the other to make a point. Hold the pointed end and push the rounded part into the centre. Gently release and this will open the paper inside. Repeat for the remaining five large orange coils.

Step 4

Make a marquise shape:
Hold a red coil and pinch with forefingers and thumbs to almost flatten. Gently push both ends into the centre for a diamond shape – almost to where your fingers touch. Then gently release. Repeat to make twelve marquise shapes.

Step 5

To assemble, use the glue sparingly. Start to glue the large teardrops together, then the red marquise shapes, followed by the gold coil and finally the tight coils above the gold coil to complete your snowflake. To hang, tie a thin piece of string or cord to the top.