How to Make Paper – Paper and Stitch

Wanna learn how to make paper? It’s a great way to reuse junk mail, paper scraps, old receipts, and so much more. Plus, it’s easy…and makes a cute gift year round.

If you’ve ever held handmade paper in your hands, you know that it feels different than ‘regular’ paper. The weight is different – typically more hefty and it just feels…special. That’s the magic of making your own paper. It’s very tactile, the process is relaxing, and easy too!

Wanna learn how? Click through for the tutorial.

I started making paper again more recently before the holidays – teaching students at my son’s school how to make their own paper for DIY notebooks, notes to friends, etc.

At the start of each class, I was surprised by how into this project the kids were. But the thing that struck me most about it was that no matter the age (ages varying from 4-12 years old), each kiddo was able to make paper from start to finish.

The process is simple, fun, and a tiny bit messy. Which just might be the perfect combo for kids. But ALSO, it kind of feels like the perfect combo for adults, who maybe need to get out of their head for a while and just do something semi-mindless but also useful.

Materials

Instructions

1. Start by cutting or ripping scrap paper into small(ish) pieces.

They don’t need to be uniform in size. I would just recommend keeping pieces under two inches.

2. Put the scrap paper in a container and add water. 

The amount of water depends on how much paper there is. So a good rule of thumb is to make sure the water covers over the paper by at least one inch.

3. Blend paper and water.

While blending, if the consistency is becoming too thick, add more water.

NOTE: If you’re using a blender, you may need to let your paper soak for an hour before blending the paper. If you’re using an immersion blender, you can blend the paper and water mixture immediately.

4. Next, add 2-3 inches of water to a tub-like container (something bigger than the papermaking mould you are using).

Then pour the paper pulp mixture from steps 2 and 3 into the tub of water.

5. Dunk the papermaking mould into the mixture and slowly bring it back up from below the surface, keeping it level.

You want to make sure the entire screen is covered in paper pulp and it appears relatively even. If it’s not, just redone the mould and try again.

Let excess water drip out from the bottom before bringing it over to a towel and placing the screen upside down (paper touching towel).

6. Place a sponge or microfiber cloth on top of the screen to push out and absorb any excess water.

Then remove the screen and let the paper dry flat on the towel overnight.*

*There are other ways you can dry paper at this stage, like using a drying rack, for example. But this is the way that I find to be the easiest.

Other Ways to Dry Homemade Paper

If you’re in a time crunch and need the paper to dry more quickly, you can use a hair dryer or a box fan to speed up the drying process.

Additionally, you could experiment with using an oven. Baking on a low setting (200 degrees) for 5-10 minutes on a baking sheet, while closely monitoring.

7. Carefully remove the paper from the towel once it appears dry.

And if there are any pieces of paper that are not flat, put them under a heavy book for a few hours to flatten them out.

IMPORTANT NOTE: When your project is completed, do NOT pour leftover water down the drain because it can clog your pipes. Instead, it is safe to pour the leftover water into your garden, assuming you didn’t use any papers with toxic dyes or finishes.

You can also save the paper pulp for a future project, if you pour the remaining paper + water mixture through mesh or cheesecloth, etc.

Gifting Ideas

Homemade paper sets are perfect for gifting – neighbors over the holidays, teachers, friend’s birthdays, and more.

To take your gifting up a notch, you can add personalization to gifted paper sets. With the person’s first or last name, a stamp featuring imagery they love, etc.

And that it’s for making your own paper. If you’ve never made paper before, I hope you’ll give it a try. It’s a great way to reuse scrap paper, old receipts, junk mail, and more. The process is addictive!