An overview of papermaking

Although most paper these days is mas-produced you can still find specialist makers of unique papers.

A history of papermaking

In Britain the first machines to make paper on a roll were created in the early 19th century. Based on the original French design but Britain led the way on paper making at this time.

Techniques of papermaking

To make paper you will need old paper products to recycle, a wooden frame, screen (mould), sponge, food blender, plastic bowl, tacks or staples, fabric and starch.

Choose the used paper that you are going to recycle. This could include old newspapers or magazines, stationery and cardboard.

Tear up the paper into small pieces, half fill a blender with the paper and the rest with warm water. Gradually increase the speed of the blender until, after around a minute, the pulp is smoothly blended.

Make a mould by stretching a screen tightly over a wood frame and holding it in place with staples or tacks.

Fill half of a bowl with water, add a few loads of pulp from the blender and stir the resulting mixture.

Add to the paper pulp a couple of teaspoons of liquid starch and stir it in.

Submerge the mould in the pulp and move it around until the pulp appears to be spread evenly over it.

Lift the mould slowly upwards so that it is above water level and allow most of the water to drain from the new sheet of paper. To alter the thickness of the paper add more water or pulp, stirring the mixture.

After the mould has stopped dripping, rest one edge on a piece of fabric and slowly lay flat against it the side of the mould covered with paper

Using a sponge pressed down remove as much of the excess water as you can.

Secure the fabric and carefully raise the mould. This should leave the wet paper sheet on the fabric. Remove bubbles by gently pressing the paper.

After repeating this process a number of times, stack the pieces of paper with their fabric bases and cover the top piece of paper with another piece of fabric.

Press the excess water from the layered stack and then carefully separate the paper sheets.

Hang the paper on a clothesline to dry.

When the sheets of paper have dried, peel them away from the fabric.