| Handmade Stationery |
From "DIY Crafts"
episode DIC-158 |
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Papermaking expert and author Arnold Grummer explains the basics of papermaking, using a screen mold and paper pulp. He adds a flower-petal border to the top to create customized stationery. Materials:
Arnold Grummer's Papermill Complete Papermaking Kit® (item #10016), which includes the following: a hardwood hand mold with hook-and-loop closures (inside dimensions 5.5" x 8"), a detachable drain rack, a professional papermaking screen, 20 reusable professional couch sheets, a cover screen, a press bar, a sponge, an envelope pattern and a storage bag for screens and couch sheets
Colorful paper to use for pulp (e.g., junk mail)
Rectangular tub
Water
Sponges
Cloth towel
Blender
Flower petals
Screen
Hardware cloth
Wood strips
Nails
Hammer
Hook-and-loop tape
Fine screen
Measuring cup
Blotter paper (couching paper)
Tray
Small wooden block
- Tear up paper such as colorful junk mail or colored copy paper (figure A). Color will come from both the pulp and the ink on the paper. Place the torn pieces in a blender with about 2 cups water.
- Blend the mixture to create a pulp. Start the blender on slow speed until the paper has mixed with the water, then increase to high speed. Blend for 20 to 30 seconds.
- Place the paper mold in a rectangular tub one-quarter full of water. The paper mold will be nearly submerged. Pour the pulp from the blender into the mold (the pulp will be very watery). You can make your own paper mold by constructing a four-sided wood box and using hook-and-loop tape to hold a piece of hardware cloth onto the bottom. Place a piece of fine window screen on top of the hardware cloth inside the box (figure B).
- While it's still in the tub, evenly distribute the pulp mixture with your fingers on the screen of the mold (figure C). Lift the mold straight up, holding it level while the water drains out through the screen into the tub (figure D).
- Release the bottom of the paper mold by unhooking the hook-and-loop tape. Remove the screen containing the paper pulp from the mold. Turn the screen upside-down onto a blotter, and press with a sponge. Remove the screen.
- Place a piece of screen in a tray. Pour a little pulp into a measuring cup. Place flower petals in the pulp, and pour the pulp along the top end of the screen (figure E).
- Turn the screen over on top of the paper, positioning the petals where you want them on the sheet of paper. Because there is also a little pulp on the screen, the petals will stay on the screen when it's turned upside down (figure F).
- Press a sponge over the screen (figure G). Remove the screen, and the petals will remain on the paper (figure H).
- Place a blotter or couch sheet over the paper, and press with a small wooden block to remove more water. The couch sheet will absorb the water. These sheets may be dried and reused. Dry the paper between couch sheets with a stack of books on top.
Tin-Can Papermaking Materials:
Two large tin cans (empty coffee cans work well)--use a can opener to remove the bottom from one can
Recyclable paper-- newspaper, wrapping paper, microwave-popcorn bags, flyer paper, etc.
Two 6 x 6" window screens
6" x 6" 1/4"-grid hardware cloth
Paper towels
Paper plate
Blender
Sponge
Small wood block
2 1/2 cups water
Two plastic cups
Iron with ironing pad
Optional: Tin Can Papermaking kit or Tin Can Papermaking (Greg Markim, 1993) by Arnold Grummer
- Set up cans for papermaking by stacking cans and screens. Stack them from bottom up: paper plate, large can with bottom intact, hardware cloth, window screen and large can without bottom. Take care to line up the cans exactly (figure I).
- Place paper recyclables and 2 to 2 1/2 cups water in a blender. Blend to make paper pulp.
- Empty pulp from blender into two cups. Pour the pulp from two cups simultaneously into the top can. The paper pulp should form a sheet on the screen (figure J).
- Lift off the top can, exposing the pulp (figure K). Cover the sheet with a second piece of window screen (figure L).
- Transfer the paper-pulp sheet to a paper towel. Press the screen-covered pulp with a sponge to remove excess water (figure M).
- If desired, drop flower petals onto the paper pulp after it has been poured. Place the second piece of window screen on top, and squeeze out the excess water. The flower petals will be embedded in the paper (figure N).
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