Making paper

A workshop with paper artist Michelle Wilson changed my view of what paper is and what it can be. Wilson creates paper in many different ways using both the familiar (recycled paper, cotton...etc) and the unfamiliar (vegetables, weeds...etc). All paper is made from plant fibers, and Michelle showed us how to process a variety of plants.

Armed with this knowledge I decided to have the first graders make paper covers for the poetry books they write in their classroom. We started by shredding white scrap paper that was heading to the recycling bin and soaking it in water. Handfuls of this go into a blender with plenty of water and are blended until you see fibers floating in solution- if it just looks chunky it might not have absorbed the water yet, or might just need more blending. Make sure it isn't too thick or you will burn out your motor!

In order to emphasize that paper is made out of plant fibers I use celery as a part of the paper we use. The day before class I cut up several bunches of celery into 1" slices and boiled them in water until they mushed when pressed against the side of the pot- usually a couple of hours. I then let this cool overnight. The next morning I start rinsing them in a colander until the water runs completely clear. This is a super important step, as you are rinsing out the parts of the vegetable that will grow mold in your paper.

Young students often have the misconception that paper is made by shaving trees very thin, so I use the long stringy fibers of the celery as an example of the kind of fibers that trees have, and talk about how trees are ground down and processed, kind of like how I cook the celery. I then mush a little of the celery between my fingers so they can see that it turns into a kind of pulp.

When I demonstrate making paper I mush up and mix in some celery, and I give them the chance to do the same if they wish. I use Arnold Grummer pour handmolds, which work well. Here is a pdf of my instructions.

There are a few options for drying out your new paper:

If you don't mind it being warped you can just dry it on a drying rack.

If you want it flatter and don't want a lot of work you can press the blotted paper onto a non-porous surface and let it dry for a couple of days before peeling it off.

I use exchange drying (like blotting), which presses both sides and doesn't risk sticking and tearing. After class I swap out couch sheets a couple of times before placing the large stack into a book press. I continue to swap out couch sheets many times- 2-3 times the first day, 2 the next and so on. If you let them sit too long wet they can stick or get funky, so don't neglect them and make sure you have plenty of extra couch sheets- even though you can dry and reuse them they don't dry instantly, so you will be happy you have them.