Paper Quilling Strip Calculator

Paper quilling (also called filigree) is the art of rolling, shaping, and gluing narrow strips of paper to create decorative designs.

Standard strip dimensions:

• Width: 3 mm (fine), 5 mm (standard), 10 mm (wide)
• Length: 45 cm (18 in) or 54 cm (21 in) — standard pre-cut lengths

Common shapes and strip counts:

• Tight coil: 1–2 strips (fully rolled, glued at end)
• Loose coil: 1 strip, allowed to relax before gluing
• Teardrop / Marquise: 1 strip pinched into shape
• Scroll: 1 strip, both ends curled
• Petal / Eye: 1 strip pinched at both ends
• Bunny ear / Triangle: 1–2 strips folded and shaped
• Flower (5 petals): 5 strips — one per petal
• Leaf cluster: 3–5 strips

Coil diameter formula: When a strip of length L and width W is tightly rolled, the resulting coil diameter is approximately: Diameter ≈ √(4LW / π)

For a 45 cm × 5 mm strip: diameter ≈ √(4 × 450 × 5 / π) ≈ 53 mm (tight coil)

Paper requirements: If you are cutting your own strips from sheets:

• A4 sheet (21 × 29.7 cm) cut into 5 mm strips = 42 strips of 21 cm each
• Letter sheet (21.6 × 27.9 cm) at 5 mm = 43 strips of 21.6 cm each
• Join strips end-to-end with a small overlap for longer pieces

Tips:

• Use a quilling tool or toothpick to start your coil
• Paper grain direction affects how easily strips curl — experiment with your paper
• Cardstock is too stiff; copy paper is too thin; quilling paper is ideal at 120–160 gsm
• Add 10–15% extra strips for mistakes and practice