The curved corners of the Hoop-Frames give a nice finish to your handmade paper. And, Hoop-Frames come in four sizes that allow you to make different shaped papers. You can experiment with your Hoop-Frame by pulling it apart and inserting other kinds of screens for paper-making.

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE ART OF PAPER-MAKING

You have seen beautiful handmade papers, now you can make them yourself. Creating handmade paper is fun and easy. You can learn the age old process of making paper by recycling paper products of all kinds -- junk mail, used gift wrap, construction paper, grocery bags -- turning them into attractive collages, note paper, gift tags, bookmarks, and scrapbook pages. Frameable art papers with flowers and leaves embedded in them are easy to accomplish.

You will need a blender, cotton linter, paper pieces, a sponge, couch sheets (handy-wipes which are re-usable), a vat (a tub or plastic storage box, at least a few inches larger than the mold and a few inches deeper to allow room to hold the mold on each side under water).

A sheet of paper is formed by dipping the mold into a container of pulp mixture and picking up a thin layer of pulp on the surface of the screen. The water drains out of the screen. As you lift the mold out of the container a wet sheet of paper is formed.

DEFINITIONS:

MOLD -- a frame which holds a stretched screen.

DECKLE -- an uncovered frame which fits on the mold

    and shapes the paper.

DECKLE EDGE -- when pulp slips under the deckle, it forms

    a soft edge and is called a deckle edge.

COUCHING -- a method of transferring a sheet of wet

    paper from the mold onto a drying surface.

PULP -- a watery fiber mixture used to make paper.

How to Make Pulp:

1.  Fill kitchen blender with water until 3/4 full.

2.  Cut or tear scrap papers into small pieces and place them

     into blender. Also tear small pieces of cotton linter and

     put into blender.

3.  Place lid on blender. Start with lower speed. Run the

     blender in a series of short bursts. You are recycling paper

     back into pulp.

4.  Pour this into tub. Add more water until the tub is 3/4 full.

Making a Paper Sheet:

1.  Stir the pulp gently with your hand.

2.  Place the deckle against the screen side of the mold. Hold

     the two parts together.

3.  Dip the mold/deckle vertically into the edge of tub with the

     top edge tipped slightly towards you. As you lower the

     mold/deckle, tip the top edge away from you in a

     scooping motion. Lift the fully immersed mold/deckle

     straight up out of the tub, keeping it horizontal.

4.  The pulp will even out and the fibers will bond together

     while the water is draining out.

5.  Carefully lift the deckle off the mold. If you don't like the

     sheet, turn the mold over, hold it on the surface of the

     water to release the pulp so that you can try again.

6.  If you are pleased with the sheet, place a couch sheet on

     it and turn the mold over onto a firm waterproof surface.

     Remove excess water by pressing a sponge on the back of

     the mold.

7.  Carefully lift the mold off and leave your newly formed

     paper on the couch sheet to dry.

If paper does not remove easily from couch sheet,

    help it with a kitchen knife.

Several ways to dry papers: 

(a)  Place them in the sun.

(b)  Put them on a cookie sheet in a preheated warm oven

      that has been turned off.

(c)  Place them on an ironing board with a dishtowel or fabric

      over them and iron. (Ironing dried paper will flatten it

      out.)

(d)  Set them in front of a fan.

(e)  Use a hairdryer.

MAKING MORE PAPER SHEETS: To cast another sheet, gently stir the pulp and repeat the process. When your sheets become too thin, add more pulp. The more pulp you have, the thicker the sheet, and the longer it will take to dry.

VARIATIONS:  Any dye made for fabric can be used to successfully color the pulp. Add glitter, short threads (don't put these in blender), confetti, pieces of dried flowers and natural substances. 

TO DRY FLOWERS AND PARTS OF PLANTS place them between two pieces of paper towels and microwave for 30 seconds at a time. Check every 30 seconds until the plants are almost crisp.

Add the dried plants to your sheets as soon as you have lifted the mold from the pulpy water. Arrange the flowers and leaves in an artistic manner. A toothpick helps to position them. 

Make HEART, OVAL, ROUND, BELL, & SQUARE Paper Shapes.

You can make paper shapes using Easy Street's Sweet Suspensions frames. Place outer Sweet Suspensions frames onto the Hoop-Frame mold -- hold it over a tub to catch excess water. Slowly pour prepared diluted pulp into the small shapes. When the pulp has drained, carefully lift off the Sweet Suspensions frames and couch the shapes.

Be sure to rinse the mold before putting it away

to avoid clogging the next time you use it.

Do not drain pulp into sink!

Easy Street Crafts' unique Square Hoop Frames are ideal for cross stitch, embroidery, fabric crafts and more. They are perfect for displaying your artwork with the hoop used to hold the fabric taut while you created it.