If you've ever been drawn to the idea of ancient manuscripts — that particular texture of layered, rolled paper that feels like it holds something — this tutorial is where that idea becomes something you can actually make. I show how to build faux ancient paper scrolls from book pages, packaging paper, cheesecloth, and other scraps, finishing each one with a closure made from twine, eyelets, and beads. These make beautiful handmade gifts, and the making process itself is genuinely satisfying.
What we cover
This tutorial walks through every stage of building a paper scroll from scratch: choosing and dyeing pages, creating deckled edges, adding texture through scrunching and layered embellishment, hinging multiple pages together with cheesecloth or packaging paper, and finishing with two different closure styles — including the shank button wrap and the eyelet-and-bead loop closure I love most. I also show several finished scrolls side by side so you can see the range of what's possible.
What you'll learn
How to create aged, grungy pages using ink pads and water — no special supplies required. I use a slick surface (a cereal bag or wax-coated paper works well), two or three distress ink pads in light brown, dark brown, and a reddish wine, and a spray bottle of water. You press the page into the wet ink, lift, and repeat. Each page picks up color differently, which is exactly what you want.
- Watercolors work the same way if you don't have ink pads
- Strong coffee or tea dyeing gives a gentler, more even result
- The first page naturally picks up the most pigment — use that for your outermost layer
How to give pages deckled edges that reinforce the vintage feel — using a tear ruler or a homemade version. All four sides of each page get this treatment. It's a small thing but it does a lot of work for the overall character.
How to scrunch paper before inking to build intentional texture — scrunching first, then inking over the top, gives a surface that reads as deliberately aged rather than accidentally crumpled. When you glue it down it flattens slightly but keeps those ridged shadows. This technique is what makes the grunge look intentional.
How to plan page height and layering for visible scroll depth — one of the more interesting design decisions in this project. You can cut all pages to the same height, or stagger them so each layer is slightly taller than the one inside it. When rolled, the staggered version shows all the layers peeking out from both ends — a look I find much richer than a uniform roll.
How to hinge pages together using cheesecloth or scrap materials, including:
- Treated cheesecloth — the method I use most, because it's strong, flexible, and blends with the grunge aesthetic beautifully
- Packaging paper (the kind from Amazon parcels) — scrunched, inked, and used as a hinge strip
- Absorbent handmade or album paper — picks up distress ink very differently from book pages, creating beautiful contrast
Why sewing individual pages before hinging them matters — once pages are attached to each other, manoeuvring through a sewing machine becomes awkward. Do all your stitching on the individual pages first, then hinge them together. A zigzag stitch works well; straight stitch is fine too; hand embroidery is also an option.
How to embellish scroll pages in ways that survive rolling — there's a real constraint here. Because the pages curve when rolled, anything that isn't fully adhered will lift at the edges. What works well: large, thin pieces around copy-paper weight, scrunched and inked papers, tea bags, handmade paper scraps, stamping, washi tape strips. What causes trouble: intricate die-cut designs with small raised edges, anything thick with fine detail.
How to make a shank button closure, including:
- Threading twine or sari silk through the shank and looping through two eyelet holes
- Wrapping the long end around the rolled scroll and back through the button to close
- Adding beads at the ends to stop the twine pulling free
How to make the eyelet-and-bead loop closure — this is my favourite of the two. A small strip of paper (the leftover from cutting your hinge piece is perfect) gets distressed, sewn all the way around, and set with two eyelets. Twine threads through both eyelets from the outside. You roll the scroll, wrap the twine once, push the loop end through, and tighten. Beads at the twine ends keep the whole thing from pulling apart. The closure itself becomes the focal point of the front — so this side needs very little other embellishment.
How to colour staples with a Sharpie — a tiny detail that makes a real difference when your palette is all warm browns and ochres and a silver staple would look out of place.
Tips & gotchas
Make sure every single piece you've glued down is fully adhered before you roll — edges especially. Rolling creates outward pressure and anything that's only half-stuck will lift. If you find this happening, a little extra glue and finger pressure before rolling is all it takes, but catching it early is easier than fixing it after.
Avoid intricate die-cut shapes on pages that will be rolled. The finer the cut and the thicker the piece, the more the edges want to spring up. Stick to larger, thinner pieces — think copy-paper weight — and you'll have far fewer issues.
Do all your machine sewing on individual pages before you hinge them together. One small page through a sewing machine is easy. Two or three hinged pages is awkward; four or five is nearly impossible. Sew first, hinge after.
If you're scrunching paper before inking, lean into the effect rather than fighting it. The goal is texture that looks deliberate — ink settles into the ridges and creates depth. If you try to get it perfectly flat again you lose that quality.
For the eyelet holes in your closure strip, use proper eyelets if you have them. If you don't, paper hole reinforcers (the little sticky rings) add meaningful durability and are worth using.
When threading beads onto twine, twisting the end of the twine tightly before threading helps it pass through the bead hole cleanly. If it still won't go, a tiny dot of glue on the twisted tip and a moment to let it stiffen will get it through.
Once you've built one, the variations open up naturally: more pages for a longer roll, staggered heights for visible layering, writing or stamping on the inside so the whole scroll becomes a keepsake someone can unroll. The techniques here — distress inking, cheesecloth hinging, the eyelet closure — carry directly into other junk journal work, so nothing you practise here is wasted.
