A craft project that many children enjoy is making homemade paper. A very simplified way of describing how paper is made begins with a solution of fibrous pulp suspended in water. The pulp is removed from the water on a screen and dried, thus creating a piece of paper. Various ways exist to make paper at home. A very simple, inexpensive way to make homemade paper is with facial tissue. This process is simple enough that children over the age of three can make a sheet of homemade paper. Adult supervision is required during the paper making process to ensure the children are able to complete each step. The instructions below will create approximately four sheets of homemade paper.
Things You’ll Need:
Newspaper
30 sheets of facial tissue
Large mixing bowl
Water
Egg beater
Cake pan
Liquid starch
Measuring cup with ounce line
8-by-10-inch piece of plastic window screen
9-by-12-inch square of white felt or couching sheet – a couching sheet is a special absorbent piece of material used to make paper. It is available at local hobby and craft stores.
Instructions:
Step 1 – Cover a flat work surface with approximately a dozen sheets of newspaper. The newspaper acts like a blotter and absorbs the excess water spilled or dropped during the paper making process.
Step 2 – Fill the large mixing bowl half full of hot water (but not too hot to touch). Shred the facial tissue and drop it into the hot water. Now, place your fingers in the water. Continue to shred the facial tissue until it creates a mixture that looks like thin cereal.
Step 3 – Add 2 ounces of liquid starch to the mixing bowl. Stir the contents of the bowl with an egg beater.
Step 4 – Place the cake pan on the newspaper covered work surface. Pour the contents of the mixing bowl in the cake pan. Add more water until the cake pan contains approximately 1-inch of liquid. Stir the mixture with the egg beater to evenly distribute the facial tissue fibers.
Step 5 – Slide an 8-by-10-inch piece of screen along the bottom of the pan. Turn the screen so the 8-inch edge is on the bottom. Position the screen along the 9-inch side of the cake pan. Slide the screen along the bottom of the pan.
Step 6 – Slowly pull the screen from the bottom of the pan moving it back and forth slightly as you lift. Hold the screen above the water to allow the excess water to drain.
Step 7 – Place a piece of white felt or couching sheet over the top of the screen. Quickly, flip the screen allowing the facial tissue paper to fall from the screen onto the felt or couching sheet.
Step 8 – Place the felt or couching sheet in a safe location to dry for 30 minutes.
Step 9 – Carefully peal the sheet of facial tissue paper from the felt or couching sheet.