During the Renaissance, Nuns and Monks picked up the art to decorate book covers and religious items. They used gilded paper strips in order to imitate the original metal wires. The name "Quilling" is said to be derived from the fact that the Nuns and Monks originally used feather quills as their tool to roll the paper. Later, the craft spread throughout Europe and to the Americas, where it was considered to be an appropriate hobby for the "Ladies of Leisure" of the time. Newspaper advertisements for some boarding schools in the American Colonies listed "Quill-Work" among the subjects taught.

For reasons that aren’t clear, paper Quilling popularity seems to have faded during the late 1800's. Not until the middle of this century did Quilling re-emerge. Today, thanks to the enthusiasm, knowledge, and skills of artists from around the world, this captivating paper art is back to stay.