the wondrous world of paper making

One of my goals for this year is to select a different creative skill each month, and spend the month learning the craft through watching videos, reading, taking courses, and experimentation. I have the habit of becoming enthralled by the idea of a craft project, buying all the tools needed to do it, and then becoming distracted by some other project and never actually getting around to do the original skill I was interested in! This happens all the time, so this year, I am buckling down and taking the time to finally learn some of the skills I have always wanted to explore.

To start out the year, January’s craft is paper making! My Aunt once learned to make paper at a community center and ever since the moment she told me about it, I have wanted to give it a try! For months, I have been saving bits of scrap paper and dried flowers so when I eventually got around to try to make some, I would have some of the materials ready.

A tool that you really need when you are going to make paper is a form, otherwise known as a mold and deckle. You can make yourself a mold and deckle by following a DIY guide like this, or you can buy one. I decided to buy a kit here because I decided I wanted to jump right into the process without having another DIY project stand in my way. Luckily, there are tons of kits available to purchase on Etsy or from craft stores, so if you are interested in an easy start in paper making, I would suggest looking at different kits and finding one in your price range!

The other item you need to acquire before starting is an “old” blender. I say old because you do not want to use the everyday kitchen blender you use for your food! You will need a separate blender for this craft. I was planning on getting one at a local thrift store, but luckily found our old blender in my garage!

Once my kit arrived and I had my blender, I felt ready to give it a whirl, feeling from my research that it was going to take lots of practice and experimentation to find my perfect formula of paper. Here is what you’ll need to make paper:

a form (with at least a mold and mesh)
scraps of paper (heavier weight paper is usually better, but feel free to use scrap printer paper or any other paper laying around)
an old blender
water
an old towel or sponge
a container at least as large as your form and twice as deep (I used an old plastic storage bin)
a large, movable surface (like cutting boards, a sheet or towels, etc)
optional: dried flowers, glitter, colorful string, fragrance, colored paper, bits of fabric, feathers, etc

To learn the process, I watched many videos and read many articles. Some of my favorites include this video and this post. But really, the process is very easy to follow and I found it very relaxing… almost meditative once I got the hang of it! And it is such a forgiving craft. If you mess up, it’s no big deal at all because you can just scrape the pulp back into the tub and try again! It’s a perfect craft for kids or anyone in your family!

As far as adding little bits of dried flowers or other items to your paper, that is when the process becomes slightly less meditative and becomes more creative. I gave a list of ideas of things to add to your paper, but the sky is the limit, so feel free to go crazy and try all sorts of things! I actually saw a video (here) where a guy threw all sorts of things in his paper, going as far as throwing a taco in the paper pulp mixture. I don’t necessarily advise adding food to your paper, but it goes to show that you can do anything you’d like with your paper!

Here is how to make paper:

Rip your scrap paper into small bits, gathering them in a large bowl. Fill the bowl with enough water to cover the paper scraps and let them sit for a couple hours or overnight.
Put a hand full of the soaked paper in the blender with a generous amount of water (no need to be stingy with the water – the more the merrier!) and blend until the paper becomes a smooth pulp. Empty the pulp into your large container.
Repeat this process until you’ve gone through all your paper.
Add water to your bin of pulp to thin the pulp mixture. If you are adding dried flowers, glitter, or any other optional addition, add it now.
Get your form and submerge it in the water, swaying it side to side in the water so the pulp moves over your mold.
Bring the form up out of the pulp mixture slowly and evenly to get a nice even layer of pulp on your mesh and let the water slowly drain from the form. Once most of the water is out, it is easier to move the form without disrupting the pulp and creating a smooth surface!
Remove the mold from your form and carefully remove as much water as possible from your paper. If you have another piece of mesh as part of your form, put that on top, sandwiching your paper between the two layers of mesh and use a sponge or a towel to soak up the excess water.
Carefully remove one layer of mesh and flip your paper onto your large, moveable surface. Let it dry in a sunny or warm area for as long as it needs to dry fully.
You can now trim your piece of paper into a neat rectangle if you would like, or iron it flat if it curled.
Enjoy your handmade paper!