Quilling patterns fall into two common groups: written patterns, which specify the paper strip lengths needed to create the various coils and scrolls used to complete the project as designed, and outlines of the finished design, similar to those found in coloring books, that the crafter fills in with various quilled shapes. Frequently, however, you'll find that the design, in its original form, is the wrong size for what you have in mind. You may need to reduce or enlarge it to make the finished quillwork fit your project space. Adjusting the size of your pattern for your own personal use is really quite simple once you know which technique to use when.
Adjust the paper strip length. If you have a written pattern, you can alter the lengths of the paper strips used to create the quills, thus making the finished quillwork larger or smaller than the original pattern. For example, if you want a finished piece of quillwork twice as large as the pattern, make quills with paper strips that are twice as long as specified. For a finished piece that is half the size of the pattern, reduce the quilling strip length by half. With some practice, you will discover the size of the paper strip that will give you the size quill you desire. Be sure to adjust all of the strips used for each type of coil or scroll to keep the finished quillwork proportional.
Resize the graphic file before printing. If you are using an outline pattern that is in digital form, simply resize the file to the desired height and width before printing. If you are using a printed picture, you can scan it first to turn it into a digital file and then resize it before printing a new smaller or larger version that you can use.
Use the grid method to make a scaled copy. This is an old-fashioned technique used mainly before the days of scanners and computers, but it can still come in handy if you have a pattern drawing and no modern tools are available. First, draw a grid resembling graph paper with squares approximately 1/8 inch over the original design. To enlarge the pattern, take a separate clean piece of paper and draw a grid with the same number of squares as those drawn on the original, but make the squares larger (1/4 inch would double the size of the pattern). Copy the outline of the design from the original pattern to the second piece of paper, drawing the pattern in square by square. Use this same procedure to reduce the original pattern, but make the squares on the second sheet correspondingly smaller.
There is no reason to shy away from a quilling pattern just because it isn't the exact size you need. Now that you know three great techniques for resizing your pattern you can make any quilling design work for you.
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