Layering Colored Paper to Create Personalized Stationery

by Mary Reimer
co-author of 300 Papermaking Recipes
co-founder of Botanical PaperWorks papermaking studio.

Check out this article for information on "Pigmenting Handmade Paper for Perminance"

Project Instructions

1. Prepare one container of blue pigment: Using 1/4 lb. cotton pulp, tear dry pulp into 1 inch pieces and blend, 3 or 4 pieces at a time, in a blender of water. When the pulp is all blended, drain the water and store in a bucket while you prepare the pigment. In one cup of water, stir in 1/8 tsp. of Blue #15 pigment until completely mixed. Stir the diluted pigment into the pulp, mixing thoroughly for at least 5 minutes. Now prepare the contrasting colour, in this case, we are using Yellow #74. Follow the same procedure as for the blue pulp, being sure to mix thoroughly to allow all fibres equal access to the pigment! Allow the pulp to sit overnight for best absorption.

2. When the pigment has been absorbed and you are ready to pull your sheets, add sizing according to instructions and mix well, allowing the pulp to sit for 10 minutes while you set up your papermaking station. Using an 8 1/2 by 11 mould and deckle, pull a sheet of the base colour (blue) and couch it onto a felt pad or stack of newspapers covered in a tea towel. Using the top edge of the mould, scoop a thin layer of the yellow pulp to make a band of colour about an inch deep across the top of the mould, Line this up with the top edge of the couched blue sheet and lightly couch the yellow across the top edge of the blue. Repeat across the bottom edge to make borders at the top and bottom of the sheet.

3. Repeat until you have the desired number of sheets.(1/4 pound of pulp will yield 14-15 sheets), or until the base pulp is used up. For variety, switch to the yellow as the base and use the blue for the border. This will help you use up the pulp evenly and give you a delightful set of contrasting, yet complementary sheets of personalized writing paper.

4.Your sheets will fit well as a single sheet folded in three in a #10 envelope or torn in two and folded in an A2 envelope.

Check out this article for information on "Pigmenting Handmade Paper for Perminance