How to Make Homemade Paper

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Cover the frame with mesh stretched as taut as possible and then pin or nail to the frame. Materials that can be used as mesh include: net curtaining, fiberglass window screening, plastic cross-stitch fabric, silk-screen mesh, or any porous fabric with a fine gauge. If using fabric, wet it before stretching so that it won't sag when placed in water.

The deckle is a removable, open frame that rests on top of the mesh and contains the pulp within the surface area of the screen. It is the same size as the mold and determines the size of the sheet of paper to be formed. If a deckle is not used, the paper formed will be thinner and the edge more irregular. For a simple but perfectly adequate deckle, make a second frame identical to the mold, but only one inch deep. Omit the mesh.(See illustration of mold and deckle )

Method 2: The Couching Technique

Your other option is to "couch" (or lay down) the paper onto wet felt (felt is available at fabric stores). First, create a small pile of five to six wet pieces of felt to form a soft pad. (Without this pad, your paper may form badly.) A wet folded towel or wet piece of carpet pad may also be placed underneath the pad of felts in order to create even more of a cushion.

Next, rest the mold with the long left-hand side of the frame against the right-hand side of the felt, pulp facing left. Hold the mold vertically (your left hand should be holding the raised left side of the frame). Using both hands and a gentle rocking motion, lower the mold (pulp against the felt) down flat on the felt with your left hand, and lift it up with the right. While the motion should be smooth, the pressure should be sufficient enough to transfer the wet pulp onto the felt. Press the mold firmly if this is your first time; with practice you'll be able to do this in one smooth movement. If your first sheet isn't successful, just place another wet felt onto the first sheet of paper and couch a second sheet onto this.

Continue this process until you have a substantial pile of felts and paper. After you've created a pile of 10 or so sheets of paper, feel free to remove the towel or carpet. Then keep piling the felts until you have anywhere between 20 and 50 of them. Now it's time to press.

The simplest way to press a pile of felts is to sandwich them between two boards and stand on the pile for 10 minutes. Then, for even further pressing, stack bricks or a bucket of water on the board and let sit for a few hours. When you return, take out your pile and place on a flat surface. Peel away the top felt in order to reveal the first wet sheet of paper. Separate each felt (with its wet sheet) from the one below. Peel them apart carefully, gently lifting a corner without lifting the sheet below. Go slow.

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