We often consider making paper to be a very complicated, skilled process and of course, that can be true. But it's not hard to craft paper yourself at home with very little equipment. The only special item you'll need is a mould. This is a wooden frame with a mesh stretched across it to act as a filter or sieve. It's very simple to make your own mould - just fasten four pieces of wood together in a rectangular shape to make the frame. Use 3/4" x 2" wood (20 x 50 mm) and make the inner dimensions of the frame the size of the paper you want to make. The frame needs to be about 2" (200 mm) in depth. Then cover the frame with tightly stretched mesh - mosquito net or just a piece of net curtain is fine. Make sure it's securely fastened to the edge of the frame. You'll also need a large container to hold water, about the size of a baby bath.
Now you're ready - let's get started! To make the pulp collect together a variety of unwanted paper (this craft is great for recycling). avoid newspaper (not pretty) and glossy magazines (the gloss makes them unsuitable) but you can use tissues, art paper, envelopes, discarded letter paper or copier paper - these are all suitable. Then tear the paper into about 1" (25 mm) square pieces and soak it in water. The soaking time depends on the paper you're using. Tissues will take under an hour, while high quality paper may take up to 3 days. Using hot water will speed up the process.
The next step is to macerate the paper in a blender or food processor. Add a couple of cups of water to each small handful of the paper. (225 ml). You only want to blend until the fibres separate, so be cautious and use short bursts. If you blend for too long your paper will be very smooth and you won't have that rustic, handmade quality which is so attractive. Put the blended pulp into another container. A blenderful will make about 1 letter-sized sheet, so continue until you've blended as much as you think you'll need.
Now comes the even more fun part - making the paper! You can add all sorts of small things to give your paper an individual feel. For a country theme add some tiny feathers or pressed leaves and flowers. For Christmas or a child's party you can add sparkles, or tiny foil shapes. If you'd like to colour the paper, you can use natural dyes like blueberry or beetroot juice, onion skins, turmeric or coffee grounds, or you can purchase commercial dyes from craft stores. Just stir your dye into the pulp, adding a little at a time until you have the colour you want. Remember though, the colour will lighten as the pulp dries.
Stir the pulp well and dip your frame vertically into the far side of your container then, in one smooth movement, tip it towards you so it's lying horizontally beneath the pulp and lift it out, holding it level. Then, quickly, before the water's drained away, give it a little shake to even it out. Don't wait too long before doing this or the paper will become too dry and tear when you shake it. If this happens, just scrape it back into the container and try again.
Leave your frame to drain, then place in a warm place to dry out. This will take anything from 2 - 24 hours. Then peel it from the frame using a palette knife. That's it - you're done! Crafting your own homemade paper is a great family activity - why not get the kids involved too?
Don't forget to wrap up in aprons to keep them clean and dry, do take a look at these great designs for kids. You can use your paper as a whole sheet, or fold it to make cards and matching envelopes. Crafting home made paper is a wonderful way to recycle - and if you enjoy recycling and vintage products, check out our vintage linen aprons, all made from genuine antique European linen.
