DIY-Grass Paper

How to Make Grass Paper

The process of making your own paper from plants can be time consuming, but extremely rewarding. I’ve been noticing plants in my neighborhood I usually overlook. Suddenly weeds are beautiful, and yard work is no longer work.

Materials:

Stainless steel stock pot
Soda ash
Stir stick
Digital Scale

Papermaking mold and deckle
Large basin
Cloths

Step 1:
I went out to my backyard and harvested a pile of dry grass.

Step 2:
Grasses are cut to 1″ length.

Step 3:
Fill 2/3 of the pot with water — you don’t want hot water to overflow when you add the grass. Measure out soda ash. For every 1 liter of water, use 15 grams (1/2 ounce) of soda ash.

When water is beginning to simmer, add soda ash.

Step 4:
Add grass a handful at a time. Bring to a boil, lower heat, and simmer for 2 hours.

Open windows and doors for ventilation. It will get smelly. The smell reminds me of the Chinese medicine my mom use to make…

Every 1/2 hour or so, give it a stir.

Step 5:
After cooking, drain and rinse the fibers until the water runs clear.

Step 6:
Put on a good movie and start pounding the fibers. Pound it into pulp. I pound my fibers for about 2 hours.

Step 7:
Set up your couching area by layering a pile of cloths.

Step 8:
Fill basin with water and add pulp. Agitate the water to distribute the pulp evenly.

Step 9:
Slide your mold and deckle into the basin, lift up, and let excess water drain.

Step 10:
Remove the deckle and bring the mold over to the couching area. Flip the mold over, paper side down, and sponge off excess water.

Step 11:
Gently lift off mold, and allow the paper to dry flat.
In step 11, if the paper is stuck on the mold, just gently peel it off from the corner.

Tutorial courtesy of Sculpted Light at: http://sculptedlight.blogspot.com/2010/01/how-to-make-grass-paper.html

Tags: Handmade, Handmade Artists, handmade crafts, handmade paper, handmade tutorial, paper tutorial

Posted in Handmade Harbor, Tutorials