Vintage Sheet Music Wreath Tutorial

Make an easy sheet music wreath using vintage music sheets and a glue gun. Stunning and unique holiday decor that lasts for years.

vintage sheet music wreath on wall

One of my most favorite things that I’ve made for Christmas decor is this gorgeous vintage sheet music wreath.

While it coordinates beautifully with these pretty 3D music sheet ornaments, these music sheet and book page coasters and ornaments like these vintage book page rosettes, it’s beautiful all on it’s own.

The wreath I made is about 23 inches around which was big enough to make a good show in our ranch-cottage’s great room and yet still find a place on the walls of our 1900 farmhouse.

You can make this wreath any size, though – bigger by using three rows of music sheet cones or smaller by cutting the sheet music smaller.

Best of all – you won’t believe how easy this is to make! If you have a glue gun and scissors – plus pages of old sheet music of course – you can make this in just about an hour.

Vintage Sheet Music Wreath Tutorial

music sheet wreath on wall close

Supplies

  • Vintage/Old sheet music – I made 51 cones from that many pages, but if you were making a smaller wreath you may be able to make two cones from one page
  • Cardboard – big enough to make the base of the size wreath you want
  • Scissors
  • Glue gun
  • Ribbon, twine, yarn for hanging
cutting vintage sheet music page square

Steps to Make a Sheet Music Wreath

1. Cut the Music Sheets

First, you’ll need to cut your music sheets into squares to be able to roll even cones. Mark the longer edge at the spot of the width and cut across (if it’s an 8.5×11 page, then you’d want to mark at 8.5 inches to make an 8.5 inch square).

This size will be your biggest size – the bottom layer. To make the smaller cones for the inner layer, you’ll need to cut a smaller square from the music sheets.

large and small music sheet cone comparison

I cut 6.5 inch squares for the smaller cones, though you should cut one and see how you like it, adjusting the size square as you’d like. You can see above the differences in the sizes and how just a couple inches smaller makes a much smaller cone.

2. Cut the Cardboard

Grab your cardboard and use a large plate (or protractor if you’re that kind of household that has one!) to draw a circle in the size you want for the wreath base. Cut along the lines.

Then grab a small bowl, about six inches or so in diameter, lay it in the middle of your cardboard circle and draw around it. Cut along this circle and you have your wreath base.

Note: The cones will hang over the cardboard base so you don’t need to make the base as large as your finished wreath. The plate I had was 16.5 inches diameter, so that’s the size of my base.

rolling vintage sheet music

3. Create the Music Sheet Rolls

Roll the larger squares you’ve cut into cones. You want to make sure that there is a point at the larger open end and that it is the best part of the sheet (be sure it’s not just blank, but that there is music showing some) and make the smaller end as tight as you can.

gluing music sheet into a cone

4. Glue the Cone Closed

Unroll a bit of the bottom of the cone and use hot glue to glue them closed so they won’t unroll. I sometimes added a piece of tape if the hot glue needed time to dry.

assembling music sheet wreath cones on base

5. Attach Cones to The Base

Once the cone is glued closed, use more hot glue to attach it to the cardboard base. As you can see from the photo above, you want both ends of the largest cone to hang over the base – we don’t want any of the base showing.

Glue your first cone to the base and then use it as a guide for placing the cones next to it and then all around the base.

Make one cone at a time and then and use more hot glue to attach them to the first row of the cardboard base. Making one at a time lets you roll the cone bigger or smaller as needed to fit them evenly around the base.

After the first row is complete, use the same method to attach the smaller cones of the second row to the first row. Again making them one at a time and placing where they look best to make the inner row.

vintage music sheet wreath hanging on wall

6. Attach Hanging Ribbon

Use ribbon, twine, or yard to make a holder for the wreath by one of two methods:

  • For wider ribbons like my wreath, you can simply staple the ribbon ends to the cardboard base.
  • For thinner ribbon or twine, you can make a hole in the cardboard and thread it through to create a holder.

Vintage Sheet Music Details

While you can use any sheet music you can find (even copies), I used actual music sheets from the 30s, 40s, and 50s that I had been collecting for crafts. They have that wonderful authentic worn and faded color.

Vintage Music Sheet Wreath detail-1

The majority of the sheets for this came from a student’s practice book (meaning, nothing precious or noteworthy) from the 1940s – complete with the teacher’s penciled writings of when it was due, which I think adds so much character.

I also love some of the titles of the pieces. One in the photo above is called, “Right Hand Alone.”

Vintage Music Sheet Wreath detail-2

There are a couple of “Trills” and “Universal Rhythms.”

Vintage Music Sheet Wreath detail-3

And of course you’ve got to have “Equality in Both Hands” as well as “Thirds.”

Wreath Storage

When I first made the wreath I would proudly show it off to anyone who came to our Christmas decorated house and when my sister-in-law saw it, she threw me for a loop when she asked, “How are you going to store that?”

I really hadn’t thought of that! I did mention it was big, didn’t I? And made of paper?

UPDATE: I’m happy to report that I found a large shallow box to fit the wreath and it has made it through many years of Christmas decorating! The tips of the cones are a little bent now, but to me it just adds to the character (see last picture above of the completed wreath – that’s more than 10 years after making it!).

Lesson: If storage is an issue, do think about that before deciding on the size of your wreath.

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Vintage Sheet Music Wreath Tutorial

Create a beautiful and unique holiday wreath using old sheet music, cardboard, scissors, and a glue gun in about an hour!
Work Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour
Makes: 1
Author: Jami Boys

Tools

  • Pair of scissors
  • Glue gun and glue sticks

Materials

  • 50-60 pages sheet music, vintage, copies, or new
  • 1 piece cardboard, desired size
  • 1 yard ribbon, twine, or yarn, or desired length

Instructions

Cut the Music Sheets

  • Larger cones: Cut the music sheets into squares to roll even cones. Mark the longer edge at the same spot of the width of the paper and cut across (if it's an 8.5×11 page, then you'd want to mark at 8.5 inches to make an 8.5 inch square).
  • Smaller cones: Cut the paper into 6.5 inch squares for the smaller cones, though you should cut one and see how you like it, adjusting the size square as you'd like.

Cut the Cardboard

  • Determine the size you want for your base* and use a large plate (or protractor) to draw a circle on the cardboard for the wreath base. Cut around the line.
  • Draw the inner circle using a small bowl (or protractor) about six inches or so in diameter, laid in the middle of the cardboard circle and draw around it. Cut along this circle and for your wreath base.

Create the Music Sheet Rolls

  • Roll the larger squares into cones. Make sure there is a point at the largest open end and that it has the best part of the sheet (be sure it's not blank, but that there is music showing) and make the smaller end as tight as you can.
  • Unroll a bit of the bottom of the cone and use hot glue to glue them closed so they won't unroll. (You may need an added a piece of tape if the hot glue needs time to dry.)

Attach Cones to The Base

  • Once the cone is glued closed, use more hot glue to attach it to the cardboard base. Make sure BOTH ends of these larger cones hang over the base on each side – you don't want any of the base showing.
  • Glue your first cone to the base and then use it as a guide for placing the cones next to it and then all around the base, making one cone at a time (making one at a time lets you roll the cone bigger or smaller as needed to fit them evenly around the base).
  • After the first row is complete, use the same method to attach the smaller cones of the second row to the first row. Again making them one at a time and placing where they look best to make the inner row.

Attach Hanging Ribbon

  • Use ribbon, twine, or yard to make a holder for the wreath by one of two methods: 1) For wider ribbons like my wreath, you can simply staple the ribbon ends to the cardboard base. 2) For thinner ribbon or twine, you can make a hole in the cardboard and thread it through to create a holder.

Notes

*Note: The cones will hang over the cardboard base so you don’t need to make the base as large as your finished wreath. The plate I had was 16.5 inches diameter, so that’s the size of my base.
STORAGE: Use a wreath holder box or shallow cardboard box big enough to hold the wreath without bending the tips. It will last for years when stored this way in an attic or garage (I’ve stored mine in both places for many years).
Did you make this?Mention @anoregoncottage or tag #anoregoncottage!
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how to make a sheet music wreath

More Holiday Tutorials to Try

This tutorial has been updated – it was originally published December of 2011.

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7 Comments

  1. I think that ‘A Christmas Carol’ pages would also be a nice touch for this kind of wreath. Perhaps with little paperchain bows.

  2. Love it! I just printed sheet music and will tea stain it to get that vinatge feel:) My wreath will go above the piano in our hobby room. So fun~!!!!!

  3. just found your website . Love all the things you have made and show us how to make. I am getting ready for a craft show, so I am trying to get everything finished. But there is always time to check out other’s great ideas.

  4. Hmmmmmmmmm. Maybe a short tree made from hot-glued pinecones. Or cinnamon ornaments. No, it’s a tiny cross-stitched quilt design with a backing and a bias binding with loop to hang it. I could play with Christmas stuff year round.

    I’m thinking you might go for year round too. Your wreath is beautiful.

    brenda from arkansas

  5. I love it! Very nice. We’re making wool mittens out of felted sweaters this year and I’m trying to figure out how to make coordinating hats…sure wish I was a better sewer. 🙂