Have you ever wondered what you
can do with all that dryer lint that accumulates after you do your laundry?
Materials you will need:
Lint
Warm water
Wood frames (you can use two wood picture frames) or cardboard
Window screening
Scissors to cut the screening
Staple gun or hammer and nails
Tub
Blender
Fabric
Now that you have the consistency for the thickness of paper you want, be
sure to remove any and all clumps that you can see. Make your paper-paste as
smooth as you can.
If you plan on using your paper for stationary or other writing purposes,
you will want to make it ready for ink use. To prevent ink from soaking into
your new paper, simply add two teaspoons of liquid starch into your paste mix
and stir it well.
Next, immerse your preparation frame into the paste, with the screen on the
bottom. While it’s covered with the pulp, make it as level as possible, and
slowly move the frame back and forth until there is an even layer of pulp
covering the top of the screen.
Once you have this layer, slowly pick up the frame, until it is hovering
just above the sink or basin. Smooth out any areas that are still chunky
or lumped together. Allow the screen to drip over the basin; once the water is
drained, your new paper will begin to form! At this beginning stage, it is
still possible to remove from or add to your paper-paste mixture to create
the thickness you want.
Once the frame is dry, place a t-shirt or another form of soft fabric on top
of the newly-formed paper and press down to release any water still in it. You
can also press out excess water with a sponge.
Once your paper is completely dry, it’s ready to leave the frame. Very
gently, remove the fabric; your paper should stay attached to the fabric
instead of the screen. Once the screen and the paper are separate, without
removing the fabric, arrange the paper on a flat surface to allow it to dry.
Do not remove the cloth until the paper is fully dry. Once it has reached
full dryness, gently peel it away from the fabric. Your new sheet of paper is
complete and ready for use!
First Soak the Lint
The first step is to soak the lint in warm water for at
least 30 minutes. This helps the lint to break down so that it's easier to
blend during the next step. You should soak the lint in warm water until it
becomes saturated and soft, the longer the better. If you have the time then
soak the lint over night. You can also add other ingredients to be soaked in
the water like shredded paper or leaves. Both paper and leaves will give the
lint paper more body in the end.
Make the Deckle and the Mold
While the lint is soaking you can make the deckle and the
mold, integral parts of paper making. The mold is a frame with screening (like
window screening) in the center that is used to catch the lint. The deckle is a
frame without any screening. It is placed on top of the mold and gives the
paper smooth edges.
Both should be the same size.
The deckle and the mold are used together: the mold on the bottom (screen
facing up) and the deckle on top.
You can choose to make the frames with old wood pictures frames, or even
cardboard covered in duct tape (so that it is water proof.)
Make sure the screening is pulled tightly across the frame.
To add the screening to the mold, use a staple gun or nails.
Blending the Lint
The next step is to liquefy the lint in a blender.
Scoop one cup of lint and put it in the blender, then add water to fill the
rest of the blender until it is close to the top.
There should be more water than lint in the blender. Blend until it is smooth
and mushy.
Pour the Mush in a Tub
After the lint is blended to a fine mush, pour it into a
tub. I used my kitchen sink. You can also use baby bathtubs, large pans or
buckets. Just keep in mind that the mold and the deckle will need to be able to
fit in whatever you choose to use as your tub.
Keep blending and pouring mush into the tub until there are a few inches of
mush.
Then it is time to use the deckle and the mold. Place them into the water with
the mold on the bottom (screen side up) and the deckle on top.
Shift the lint
Sift the mold and the deckle in the water until enough lint
has been evenly collected onto the screening.
Remove the mold and the deckle from the water and let it drip for a few
seconds. Then remove the deckle.
Off the Mold and onto the Fabric
Now place the mold face down onto a piece of fabric so that
the lint is on the fabric.
Use a sponge to press the lint onto the fabric and to soak up excess water.
Then slowly lift the mold off of the fabric so that the lint is left.
Last Step
If you are making multiple pieces of paper, then place
another piece of fabric on top of the lint and repeat the process. Once you are
finished you can add books on top of the stack of fabric to flatten out the
paper and press out the water.
After several hours (mine took about 6 hours indoors) remove the books and
allow the lint to completely dry.
Once the lint is dry, you have your very own Lint Paper!
can do with all that dryer lint that accumulates after you do your laundry?
Materials you will need:
Lint
Warm water
Wood frames (you can use two wood picture frames) or cardboard
Window screening
Scissors to cut the screening
Staple gun or hammer and nails
Tub
Blender
Fabric
Now that you have the consistency for the thickness of paper you want, be
sure to remove any and all clumps that you can see. Make your paper-paste as
smooth as you can.
If you plan on using your paper for stationary or other writing purposes,
you will want to make it ready for ink use. To prevent ink from soaking into
your new paper, simply add two teaspoons of liquid starch into your paste mix
and stir it well.
Next, immerse your preparation frame into the paste, with the screen on the
bottom. While it’s covered with the pulp, make it as level as possible, and
slowly move the frame back and forth until there is an even layer of pulp
covering the top of the screen.
Once you have this layer, slowly pick up the frame, until it is hovering
just above the sink or basin. Smooth out any areas that are still chunky
or lumped together. Allow the screen to drip over the basin; once the water is
drained, your new paper will begin to form! At this beginning stage, it is
still possible to remove from or add to your paper-paste mixture to create
the thickness you want.
Once the frame is dry, place a t-shirt or another form of soft fabric on top
of the newly-formed paper and press down to release any water still in it. You
can also press out excess water with a sponge.
Once your paper is completely dry, it’s ready to leave the frame. Very
gently, remove the fabric; your paper should stay attached to the fabric
instead of the screen. Once the screen and the paper are separate, without
removing the fabric, arrange the paper on a flat surface to allow it to dry.
Do not remove the cloth until the paper is fully dry. Once it has reached
full dryness, gently peel it away from the fabric. Your new sheet of paper is
complete and ready for use!
First Soak the Lint
The first step is to soak the lint in warm water for at
least 30 minutes. This helps the lint to break down so that it's easier to
blend during the next step. You should soak the lint in warm water until it
becomes saturated and soft, the longer the better. If you have the time then
soak the lint over night. You can also add other ingredients to be soaked in
the water like shredded paper or leaves. Both paper and leaves will give the
lint paper more body in the end.
Make the Deckle and the Mold
While the lint is soaking you can make the deckle and the
mold, integral parts of paper making. The mold is a frame with screening (like
window screening) in the center that is used to catch the lint. The deckle is a
frame without any screening. It is placed on top of the mold and gives the
paper smooth edges.
Both should be the same size.
The deckle and the mold are used together: the mold on the bottom (screen
facing up) and the deckle on top.
You can choose to make the frames with old wood pictures frames, or even
cardboard covered in duct tape (so that it is water proof.)
Make sure the screening is pulled tightly across the frame.
To add the screening to the mold, use a staple gun or nails.
Blending the Lint
The next step is to liquefy the lint in a blender.
Scoop one cup of lint and put it in the blender, then add water to fill the
rest of the blender until it is close to the top.
There should be more water than lint in the blender. Blend until it is smooth
and mushy.
Pour the Mush in a Tub
After the lint is blended to a fine mush, pour it into a
tub. I used my kitchen sink. You can also use baby bathtubs, large pans or
buckets. Just keep in mind that the mold and the deckle will need to be able to
fit in whatever you choose to use as your tub.
Keep blending and pouring mush into the tub until there are a few inches of
mush.
Then it is time to use the deckle and the mold. Place them into the water with
the mold on the bottom (screen side up) and the deckle on top.
Shift the lint
Sift the mold and the deckle in the water until enough lint
has been evenly collected onto the screening.
Remove the mold and the deckle from the water and let it drip for a few
seconds. Then remove the deckle.
Off the Mold and onto the Fabric
Now place the mold face down onto a piece of fabric so that
the lint is on the fabric.
Use a sponge to press the lint onto the fabric and to soak up excess water.
Then slowly lift the mold off of the fabric so that the lint is left.
Last Step
If you are making multiple pieces of paper, then place
another piece of fabric on top of the lint and repeat the process. Once you are
finished you can add books on top of the stack of fabric to flatten out the
paper and press out the water.
After several hours (mine took about 6 hours indoors) remove the books and
allow the lint to completely dry.
Once the lint is dry, you have your very own Lint Paper!