Home Made Paper

This is a messy project best done in a 'wet-proof' area that is easy to clean. You also might want to put newspaper down on the floor to catch water spills.

Equipment Needed:

* Blender
* Clean dishwashing basin
* 1 inexpensive wooden picture frame
* Window screening large enough to fit the frame with a bit of room to spare
* Staple gun and staples
* Several absorbant but inexpensive bath towels - these may get stained with coloring from the paper, so you don't want to use your best towels
* Rolling pin
* Plain sponges
* Iron

Also, you need scrap paper, any kind but newspaper, shiny/glossy paper and anything with a waxed type coating, torn into bits and plenty of water.

Set up 5 station areas for working, preferably close together.

Station 1: Blender, container with the torn scrap paper, and at least one pitcher of water depending on how many sheets of paper you want to make.

Station 2: The basin with water in it (not too much, about 2-3 inches depending on how deep the basin is), and the mold and deckle you will be making with the frame and screening, and some sponges.

Station 3: Several towels folded and layered to make a pad, one extra towel to put on top of the paper, and the rolling pin.

Station 4: At least two towels, one folded to make a pad and one to put on top of the paper, the iron set on medium to high heat (high to start, lower it to a medium temperature after you've been working for a while).

Station 5: A nice flat place to lay the paper, or some kind of rack to hang the paper on to dry. If you want to speed the drying time up some you can put a fan at this station.

To make the mold and deckle:

Staple the window screening to the picture frame, stretching the screening tightly and wrapping up the outsides before stapling. Place this mold and deckle device in the basin of water at Station 2 with the screening down.

To make the paper:

At Station 1:

1) Put some scraps of paper into the blender jar, filling it about halfway full.
2) Pour enough water on top to at least cover the paper. More water will make a thinner pulp resulting in a thinner paper.
3) Blend until you have a pulp with no large pieces of paper. Smaller confetti sized pieces are ok, in fact, they add character to the paper.

At Station 2:

1) Pour the pulp mixture into the mold and deckle. If there is a lot of pulp and you desire thinner pieces of paper, you can divide the mixture in half, just pour half for the first sheet, complete the rest of the steps, and pour the other half for the next sheet.
2) If desired, add some glitter, just remember...some of the glitter will escape during any of the rest of the steps and may end up on later pieces of paper, so if you want some without glitter and some with, it's best to do the glitter sheets last.
3) Gently move the mold and deckle back and forth to evenly distribute the pulp.
4) Lift the mold and deckle out of the basin and let the water drip out. Use the sponge to press more of the water from the molded paper.

At Station 3:

1) Carefully flip the mold over onto the layer of towels. Tap the screening lighly to release the paper if needed.
2) Cover the paper with the extra towel.
3) Use the rolling pin to squeeze even more water out of the paper.
4) Carefully transfer the paper to Station 4.

Note: you may have to replace the towels several times if you are making several sheets of paper so keep plenty on hand. If you have a washer and dryer available you can always run one batch of towels through the spin cycle and dry them while you are using another batch of towels.

At Station 4:

1) Place the paper on the towel padding.
2) Cover with the extra towel.
3) Iron the paper and towel layer for several minutes until it no longer steams.

The paper will still feel slightly damp to the touch. Transfer it to Station 5 to dry at least overnight before you use it for another purpose.

If you don't want to make a mold and deckle, you can cut both ends of two cans, one larger than the other. Stack the cans in the basin with a piece of window screening between them. Then just pour the pulp into the top can and let the water drain out. This will make a thicker, round piece of paper.

updated January 19, 2004 ... All graphics on this page are designed by GossamerWing