The possibilities are unlimited.
There is a wide variety of plants suitable for making paper. Half the fun of making handmade paper is experimenting with different plants. Some suggestions are grasses, cotton, banana, the bark of trees, vine plants; the possibilities are unlimited. I was growing lufa recently and the stem seemed to contain extraordinary fiber.
Remember the test. If a segment of a plant bends but is difficult to break, it probably contains usable fiber. The other important consideration is the ratio of fiber to non-fibrous material. Experiment!
Crushed flowers add color to your paper.
In addition to a variety of raw materials that can be used for fiber, you can also add elements for design purposes. Flower peddles, pine needles, very small seeds, and other non-fibrous elements can add a unique touch to your paper. Simply add the desired material to your slurry and mix it in well.
There are numerous other additives that can be used for a variety of purposes. The most common is probably dye to add color. Please visit some of the links for more information.
Hint: You can also use one of those metal paint mixers that you put on the end of a drill.
Advice: If you use a blender, be sure it's one that you're not terribly fond of. Alternatively, you can borrow your neighbor's.
Using a blender to process your fiber more completely is highly recommended if you have access to one that you no longer want to use for food. Please note that household blenders can quickly burn up when used for papermaking, but the results are worthwhile.
To use a blender, simply add a small handful of fiber which has already been mashed and rinsed (step 4) to the blender and fill the blender 3/4 full with water. Cross your fingers, and turn the blender on. If the fibers get caught up in the blade, you may need to untangle them. You can also try simply turning the blender on and off.
Thanks for visiting!
This site presents only the very basics of making handmade paper. It has not even touched on using recycled paper, coloring, or other common procedures. The links at right will give you information about additional areas of papermaking.
- Twinrocker Handmade Paper Learn about papermaking in more detail. You can also order materials here.
- http://www.intersurf.com/~redstic/Paper/Hand.htm Good diagrams and great tips and tricks.
- http://www0.delphi.com/crafts/papermak2.html More good tips and tricks.
- Tutorial by Birdsong Studio More good pictures.
- Hands On Paper This site has good information regarding using natural fibers.
- Handmade Papermaking A great site giving straightforward information and diagrams. It's last on the list, but it may be a good place to start.
- Institute of Paper Science and Technology This page gives a short history of papermaking, with links to other informative pages.