How to Make a Textured Paper
- 1). Rip the paper or cardboard you have selected into small strips roughly 1 inch wide and 6 inches long. Choose paper alone for a smoother product, and cardboard for more texture. Add dried flowers or several pieces of short thread for additional texture. Put the strips into the blender to the halfway point. Fill with warm water and run slowly until a smooth pulp is formed, usually about 30 seconds. Make sure there are no flakes remaining and if so, blend for a few more seconds.
- 2). Make a mold by placing old door or window screening around a wooden frame and tacking or stapling around the edges. The mold should be small enough to fit into the basin but large enough to make a sheet of paper. Fill the basin halfway with water. Pour 3 blenders full of pulp into the basin. For thicker paper, use more pulp. Add 2 teaspoons of liquid starch to the mixture and stir.
- 3). Put the mold into the pulp mixture, shake it side to side to even it out. Lift the mold to the top of the basin to drain. When most of the water has stopped draining, wipe off underside of frame with sponge. Gently flip the tray onto a dishtowel. Place the felt square over the newly formed paper and use a rolling pin to squeeze out as much moisture as possible.
- 4). Dry the paper overnight. If still damp in the morning, continue to dry using an iron on a low setting. Pull the cloth gently off the paper by pulling evenly at both ends to release the paper. Your finished paper is now ready to use.
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