Making paper with 5 and 6 year olds




I have made paper for years, can't even remember how I got started apart from that it was when I lived in Australia...I have made paper with kids over the years at the local school and with different groups. This time the mix was a little lumpy so made books rather than give the kids flat sheets....so the weekend has spent making up 80 books for Year One...enough for the teachers too.

Rip up good quality paper, serviettes, wrapping paper (removing all sticky tape), place small ripped pieces into a bucket of water and after sometime add bit by bit to a blender to liquidise. Then add this fine pulp to a big vat of water (cold but if you have wee ones might be an idea to add a tiny bit of warm). Then get a deckel or a good frame with fine mesh stapled to it with a frame edge, submerge it in the water and pull it up so the pulp distributes itself over the mesh then flip over on to sheets of fabric a little larger than the frame, layer up layers of paper and fabric, top with fabric then put weight on it to squeeze out water. I use a baby bath so I can get the water out through the drain. I spread out the paper/fabric to dry then peel the paper off the fabric. Voila.

Comments

Judith Brown said…
Ohh i love making paper. haven't dome it for a few years though. looks like you've been really busy.
ABScraft said…
It is very messy and wet but great fun and they loved it...hope they like their books!