Swinging Spinning Card Tutorial - Quilled Flora

This Swinging card can also be called a spinning card as the quilled central circle can spin 360 degrees! I saw this type of swinging card at a commercial card selling site [cant remember which site] and was so fascinated that I tried to work out the mechanism of this interactive card.This is a friendship card for all my blogger friends who inspire ,support and encourage me constantly.
This is one side of the swinging card which spins on a wooden skewer on top of the card stand.

Swinging Card

I made the red flower and its leaves by looping paper strips by hand. I found that though not as perfect as the proper husking technique using pins on a board to form the loops its much faster and more fun!

Quilled Flowers

This is the closeup of the quilled flower bud again looped by hand.

Quilled Flower

The quilled rosebud is made by forming a tight coil and pushing its center out.

Quilled Flowers

The golden butterfly is also made by looping paper strips held in the hand.

Quilled Butterfly

The red flower is technically made by looping the paper strip around a comb[combing technique].I actually found making it by hand simpler and faster and not as perfect as in the proper combing! [ We have to compromise somewhere!]

Quilled Flowers

The other side of the swinging card also needs to be embellished as this swings 360 degrees and comes onto the other side.So while making it ,its nice to have images that look ok upside down too!

Spinning Card

The central Swinging card part is embellished with eccentric coil quilled flowers.

Quilled Flowers

These quilled flowers are eccentric coils.

Quilled Flowers

The eccentric coil flowers are made with paper strips having 2 color tones.
I reversed the direction of coiling to make the white in the center for the lower quilled flowers.

Quilled Flowers

This gorgeous embossed paper was a paper bag I cut up and recycled! The pearl leaves and pearl hearts are from a local fancy store.

Embossed Card

Materials Required to make a Swinging Spinning card

• Thick Card stock- The base card which forms your stand for the spinner needs to be particularly strong as it is a stand for your card and has to support the weight of your wooden stick and spinner card.The spinner card also should not be thin as otherwise it will be floppy and unsightly.
• Glue
• Glue dots or any other adhesive of your choice to stick the skewer to the spinning card.
• Wooden/plastic/ metallic stick to form the basis of your spinner card mechanism.- I used a wooden skewer. Use any long thin stick.

How to make a swinging spinning card

Fold your card stock in half. I have used an A4 sized card.

Cut out a shape  at the folded edge- you can cut out a semicircle,rectangle,half of an octagon etc.I cut out a semicircle marked with the help of a compass.

Spinning Card Tutorial

Use the shape you cut out and make it smaller by a centimeter or so.Here I made it smaller by a 1/2 a centimeter only and discovered  its better if you make it smaller slightly more so that it can swing and spin freely once attached to the card stand.

Spinning Card Tutorial

You need 2 similar sized  circles for the swinging part. Embellish the circles before you stick them .Use an adhesive of your choice to stick the skewer or stick to the center of your swinging card.Here I used glue drops to stick a wooden skewer. Apply glue and stick the 2 circles together.

Spinning Card Tutorial

Make the support for the swinging card:The support for the swinging stick with your card is 2 small folded card  strips with a gutter for the stick to swing.The width should be such that when stuck inside the card base it is hidden. I used a strip around 3 cm long and folded it. If the central groove of this folded strip is more deep the skewer will be at a lower position. Experiment a little before you glue it on place

Spinning Card Tutorial

Make a stand for the lower part of card base.Take 2 strips of strong card. I used a strip as long as height of by base card.Fold in half

Spinning Card Tutorial

Fold up each end as shown. These folded ends form the tabs where you will stick it to your base card

Spinning Card Tutorial

Stick this card strip to the bottom of your base card as shown

Spinning Card Tutorial

The photograph below shows the mechanism of the swinging card and how the card strips are stuck in position.

Spinning card Tutorial

Your swinging card mechanism is ready!Here is the swinging card in action viewed when it is spinning and has swung up!

Swinging Card Mechanism

I was crazily busy the last couple of days professionally with a couple of international patients requiring surgery and extra care. I was on a deadline to make a friendship card for the Guest DT post at Crafty JC [my Ocean Diorama Pop up card had become top 3  at Crafty JC] and perhaps due to exhaustion I just couldn't think creatively and struggled for ideas. The swinging card is technically easy to make but Oh Boy did I struggle for ideas to embellish it! Please do tell me what you think of it and do try the swinging card mechanism as its a fun interactive card.
Here is a even more simplified version of the spinner card tutorial using dies : Spinner card tutorial