paper-pinwheels

For my recent Day of the Dead party we decorated our little hearts out. You might have noticed the paper flowers, but did you notice these simple and elegant paper pinwheels? They are actually intricate fanned out pages from an antique psalms and proverbs book. The pages are folded accordion style and simply strung with ribbon or raffia to make a unique paper garland for an altar.

These garlands would also look lovely hung on a fireplace mantle for Christmas made with old music paper.

day-of-the-dead-paper-garland

Pinwheels are a great way to decorate for a special event. Make pinwheels in a variety of sizes and colors and eliminate the ribbons and hang them directly on a wall to match your theme for birthdays, weddings, or dessert tables. Learn how to make them below.

Supplies:

  • Scissors
  • Small clear rubber bands
  • Ruler
  • Small wooden clothes pins
  • Paper/book pages
  • Raffia or ribbon
  • Glue stick and glue pen

bible-antique-paper

Tear-out pages from any book or use paper of any kind. In this example, we cut off the jagged edges and used a glue stick to secure 4 pages for a total width of 6 x 12-inches. Be sure the printed margins line-up for a polished look.

folded-bible-paper

Accordion fold each page.

paper-fans

We used a small, clear rubber band to secure the center.

paper-pinwheel

Gently pull and with a glue pen, glue each pages ends to one another. Secure the glued ends with mini clothespins and allow to dry. Be sure to leave at least ¼ inch unglued around the center for next step.

paper-pinwheels

After the glue sets, string raffia or ribbon through the center holes as shown. Add more pinwheels to your garland leaving a couple of inches in between each; you can always adjust the space or distance at any time, so see what looks best to you!

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DIY: Thrifty Rehab / Photos by Abby Watkins & Yvette