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Monday Makes: Papermaking For ages 7+
Photo by Erika Stevenson
We’re taking inspiration from one of our Print Studio courses for this week’s edition of Monday Makes. Our Introduction to Papermaking course is a popular one but it does use some specialist equipment. Luckily our lovely Print Studio team (and their helpers) have come up with a way of doing it at home with items you might have around the house.
Follow our step-by-step guide below to make your own handmade, recycled paper and share your results using #DCAmakes. Use your paper to draw on or keep it for some of our future Monday Makes.
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Papermaking Step-by-step
What you’ll need:
Two small picture frames Gauze material such as old net curtain or headscarf Stapler or staple gun Heavy duty tape Waterproof table cloth or water resistant surface Scrap paper torn into small squares Bowl Jug Kitchen blender Pastic storage box J-cloths Sponge Sieve Clothes dryer and pegs
Step 1
Take the glass out of the frames to create a paper mould and deckle. Stretch the gauze fabric over one of the frames in the pair and staple or tape to the edge of the frame (this will be your mould, the other empty frame is the deckle). Once finished tape the edges.
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Step 2
Soak your paper scraps in boiling water for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, fill your storage container (vat) about one third full with lukewarm water.
Step 3
Blend the scraps a little at a time with some water in the kitchen blender. Use the pulse setting if your blender has one or blend it in short bursts. Try to make sure that any lumps are gone and that the paper starts to look soft and a bit like cotton wool. Pour the blended pulp into to the vat of water.
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Step 4
Soak some J-cloths in water. Ring out a J-cloth and spread it out flat onto the table next to your vat. Take the frames and place the empty frame (deckle) on top of the one that is covered in gauze (mould). Stir the vat to agitate the pulp fibres. Hold the mould with the deckle on top in a vertical position at the far side of the vat. Push it vertically into the water and take it to the bottom of the vat and turn it horizontally as though trying to scoop the water and pulp into the mould. Pull the mould and deckle up through the vat, keeping it horizontal. Allow the water to drain and place the mould on the edge of the vat. Carefully remove the deckle to reveal the sheet of paper. Pick up the mould and push a sponge against the underside to remove excess water.
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Step 5
Put the mould face down onto the J-cloth. Push down onto the back of it with the sponge to remove excess water. This can be squeezed back into the vat. Keep using the sponge to push on to the mould and gradually try to lift the mould away to leave a sheet of paper stuck to the J-cloth. The first sheet it the hardest to do but keep going – the second will be easier. Ring out another J-cloth and smooth this over the newly made (couched) sheet of paper. Push down onto this with the sponge to remove as much water as possible and press the new sheet of paper. Repeat the process and lay the next sheet onto the new J-cloth right on top of the first sheet of paper. Do this as many times as you like to build a stack of paper. Remember to top up the vat with pulp as you go or your sheets of paper will be too thin. If the vat becomes very full of water, use a jug to remove some and pour this through a cloth in a sieve to trap any pulp before pouring the water away (see step 7).
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Step 6
Carefully peel back each J-cloth, keeping the sheet of paper attached. Peg each sheet to a clothes rack to dry. Once dry the J-cloth can be peeled away to leave you with a sheet of homemade, recycled paper!
Step 7
When clearing up it is important to strain the pulpy water through a cloth and a sieve before it is poured away otherwise the pulp could block your drains. Squeeze the excess water out of the strained pulp inside the cloth. The remaining pulp can be shaped into balls and dried out to be used again or to put in the paper recycling bin.