Quilled poppies step-by-step, part 2

What I like about paper filigree is that it presents almost endless challenges, and I like challenges :) In this project the poppy centers were a challenge, at least to me.

Just to remind you, this is the second part of a three-part tutorial on making quilled poppies:

1. Instructions for making the petals;
2. How to make the centers and assemble the flowers;
3. Making the foliage and the dandelion.

Flower centers

To make each poppy center, you'll need a 12''-long (30cm) black strip.

1. Make a tight roll and then create a quilled hive or bell shape. This shape is often called a grape roll. Coat the inside of the shape with glue, spreading it on thick.

2. Cut a 1/16''-wide (1mm) strip of a very pale brown or pale yellow color. Glue three 1/2''-long (13mm) pieces of the strip criss-cross onto the grape roll.

3. Prepare two 3/8 x 2 inches (1 x 5 cm) black paper strips and glue a 1/16''-wide (1-1.5mm) yellow strip along the long edge of each. Let the glue dry, then cut a fringe starting from the yellow strip's side.

4. Wrap each bell in a fringe, so that the cuts point in a direction opposite to the bell's top (criss-crossed strips).

5. Bend the fringe all the way up. Now it surrounds the bell shape and forms a kind of a cup around it.

Poppy flowers

Now, let's put everything together and create a finished poppy flower.

1. Place two of your quilled petals at an angle to the surface, opposite each other. To keep the petals tilted, I just propped them against quilling elements that I haven't used in this project.

2. Apply a small amount of glue on the down side of another two petals and gently put them over the first pair. Let the glue dry.

3. Finally, attach a flower center to the flower. Repeat steps 1-3 for the other poppy.

The bud

For the bud (it can be seen in Part 1 of the series), use three eye shapes, one red and two green, made from 6''-long (15cm) strips.