There are three good reasons for choosing the Wheatear Coil technique in your quilling. The first is for strength. Each loop is fixed in place with glue so that free-standing quillings, mobiles, ear-rings and Christmas tree decorations, where we need to be sure that coil centres will not fall out, can be made with confidence.

A second good quality of a Wheatear Coil is that it can be made much bigger or longer than the Closed Loose Coil. The leaves of some flowers, for example, are very tall, so a Wheatear Coil fits the bill. Similarly, flower stalks, made from very few, long loops, look so much better than a single piece of paper strip.

However, the main quality that makes us choose a Wheatear Coil over other techniques is simply its appearance. Those lovely, regular loops provide diversity in a quilling. So, for example in a flower arrangement, the introduction of petals made from Wheatears will provide contrast and make the whole thing more interesting.

Examples of Wheatear Coils with variations

Demonstration: Tulips

I love the way tulip flowers reach for the sky while their leaves bend in all directions, especially when they are bunched in a vase. Wheatear Coils are perfect for making those long, narrow leaves which form so much of the interest in this project. Make them in at least three different greens, using 3mm (1/8in) wide strips throughout the first layer.

1. Make a Wheatear Coil from a blue strip (a Two-tone strip looks particularly good). Loops need to be close together and the final teardrop shape should measure about 5cm (2in). Glue this to your background with tiny drops of glue so that the point is exactly central.

2. Make a tapered rectangular Closed Loose Coil from a half-length (11cm/4½in) Two-tone blue strip to complete the vase.

3. Make five tulip flowers in shades of red from one, two or three Closed Loose Coils. Larger petals are made from half-length strips, smaller ones from quarter-length, and the tiny petal in the top flower from an eighth-length strip. Glue the flowers in place, either like mine or in an arrangement of your own. Note that the tips of the tallest flower should be at least 6cm (3½in) above the top of the vase.

4. Now make the leaves. You will need lots of Wheatears, some of which you can bend. Follow my pattern or make your own arrangement. Add a second layer of leaves on top of the first. Make five more green Wheatears, this time using 1.5 or 2mm (1/16in) wide strips. The big leaf which comes down over the top of the vase is a Closed Loose Coil made from two full lengths, double-rolled and shaped as a Teardrop. Again, use narrower strips if possible.

Techniques

Wheatear Coils made using your fingers only require a great deal of handling and gluing. It is, therefore, rather easy to get into a  sticky mess!

Remember, good quality PVA glue requires only a little time rather than a huge blob in order to adhere efficiently. Practise with strips rather wider than standard: 5mm or 6mm (¼in) is good. When you feel ready, you can move over to the usual 3mm (1/8in).