How To Make Your Own Paper

Paper is easy enough to make that you can turn it into a home crafting project using old paper, a blender, and other household materials. Handmade paper makes a unique gift and can be used for special stationery.

Step one: Gather some old paper

Many types of paper can be recycled for use in making homemade paper. Plain white paper will result in homemade paper that looks white, while newsprint and other marked papers will look grey or tinted with color.

Step two: Put paper in a blender with warm water

Making paper requires paper pulp, and to make that, all you need is a blender and some warm water, along with the paper that you're recycling. Fill the blender halfway with ripped up bits of paper, then fill the blender the rest of the way with warm water. Slowly blend the mixture, gradually speeding up, until all the chunks of paper have been shredded.

Step three: put a mold into a tub and pour the pulp onto it

During his step, add some liquid starch to the pulp in thw tub if you want to improve your paper's ability to hold ink. Then, using a small flat tub that is big enough to fit the size of paper that you want to make, place a mold. This is a frame with a hole in it that is covered with mesh. These supplies can be obtained inexpensively in a hardware or crafting supply store. Pour the pulp onto the mold, then shake the mold from side to side so that the pulp makes a flat, even layer.

Step four: Pull out the mold, dry the paper, and place it on fabric

Gently pull the mold out of the tub and wait for it to stop dripping. Then place the paper against a clean piece of fabric and use a sponge to absorb all of the water. Carefully peel away the mold. Layer your paper and fabric on a flat surface and press down with something flat to squeeze out any water.

Step five: wait for the paper to dry

You can hang up each sheet of paper to dry or you can dry them lying flat. Once they are dry, peel them off of whatever they might be sticking to, and enjoy.