This simple contraption is called a deckle and will help press, shape, and mold your DIY paper. If you don’t have the materials to make a deckle, try shaping the paper by handing by pressing it between 2 pieces of cloth. [2] X Research source
To make white paper, collect white sheets of paper with little ink to no ink on them. Even the smallest amount of ink can turn your paper gray. Avoid using glossy or shiny paper from magazines, photographs, or wrapping paper, as it doesn’t work well for papermaking. 6 cups (768 g) of scrap paper can make a handful of pages, depending on the size and thickness of your paper.
If you’re doing this project with kids, they’ll love tearing the paper apart. Let them be in charge of this step!
If all your paper doesn’t fit into one pitcher or bowl, no worries! Soak the paper in multiple containers at once or in one large plastic bucket. If you want whiter paper, add 1⁄2 cup (120 mL) of white vinegar to the pulp mixture to “bleach” the paper scraps.
Try not to over-blend the paper, as a thin, soupy slurry won’t mold into paper well. Blend your soaked paper scraps in batches if you soaked them in multiple pitchers or bowls. This way, the blender won’t be too full and can blend each batch evenly. This thick, oatmeal-like mixture is called a slurry and is a combination of paper pulp (blended soaked paper clumps) and water.
If you mix more than 2 colors in a single pitcher, you’ll end up with an ugly brown. Try adding drops of brewed coffee to color and darken your paper with a natural dye.
If you’d rather not use seeds, try dropping a small handful of shredded flower petals, dried herbs, leaves, or green grass into the slurry.
A large casserole pan or even a rectangular plastic bin works well for this step; just make sure the basin is a little wider and longer than your deckle.
The more slurry you add, the thicker the paper will be. The less slurry you add, the thinner the paper will be.
If you don’t even out the pulp on top of the screen, you’ll end up with an uneven paper that has thinner and thicker spots.
If the paper is thicker than you’d like it to be, remove some of the pulp from the top. If it’s too thin, dip it into the slurry mixture again and pile more slurry on top of the screen.
If you don’t have towels, try using a large sheet of felt or cloth instead.
Try drying out and flattening a thicker piece of paper by placing another towel on top of it and pressing down on it gently with your hands. Consider using a hair dryer to blow hot air on the underside of the paper for 10 to 15 seconds to help it transfer. Transferring the paper from the deckle to the towel is called couching (pronounced “coo-ching”). Sometimes, thicker paper doesn’t transfer to the towel easily. If your paper gets stuck, gently peel it off the screen using your fingers. [16] X Research source
Try speeding up the drying process by blowing hot air from a hair dryer on the paper. Use the lowest setting, and keep the hot air on the paper for about 10 minutes. Avoid leaving your paper to dry on a colored sheet of paper because it may take on the shape and color of the material it’s drying on.
Send a friend or family member a letter using paper designed specifically for them. Create name cards for weddings or parties. Make a book or journal using the paper. Print a picture or story onto the paper. Scrapbook or create a collage.
