Most of the plant materials I work with tend to make dark papers. Western Red Cedar inner bark makes a lovely dark red-brown and most of the long leaves and grasses I use make papers that are shades of yellows, tan or greenish. I love the natural tones and shades and accept the fact that natural plant fibers will continue to change over time. 
In the ditches along our walking route grows Reed Canary Grass. I couldn’t help notice the older sun bleached light coloration of last years grasses and I wondered if this material might make a light toned paper.
I decided not to separate the leaves from the stalk. The stalk seems really fibrous like it would have a lot of cellulose in it. I washed the plant materials and soaked them outside for a few days until I could get time to cut them into 1” pieces and then cook them.
I cooked the stems and leaves for 3 hours and let them sit in their cooking water for almost a week.
Hand-pounding did not work well.
Using the blender to help masticate the fibers worked better. After trying to screen a few test papers, I realized I needed to add some filler. In this case I soaked and blended some recycled mail. I also added okra juice to help disperse the fibers in my vat which helps the forming of the pulp on the screen mold.
Here’s my simple set-up, in the studio today. The weather is improving so I hope to be back out on the porch soon. I usually start test pieces of any new batch of paper on a small embroidery hoop set-up with screen until I get a good mix of fiber, filler and water. I’ve got lots of cloths, called felts, on hand to receive the newly formed papers.
I’ve learned that it’s easier to couch the newly formed papers onto the felts if I set up my mold and deckle with an extra piece of screen the same size as the mold.
That extra loose screen allows me to more easily transfer the newly molded paper to the felt and remove some of the water with a sponge without mis-shaping the fibers which are quite delicate until they are fully pressed and dried.
The molded papers are each removed from the screen onto a felt. The papers are stacked on top of each other, each on their own felt. This pile is called a post.
Once I’ve screened my batch of papers and they are in a stack, I put waterproof plastic cutting boards on the top and bottom and press the post of papers in my small paper-press. The pressing step is important for helping the hydrogen bonds reform to create what we call paper! If you don’t have a press, having a few boards with weight on top, like a bucket of water, will do. Just be sure there is an even distribution of the weight.
There are several ways to dry the paper once pressed. On a board.
On old window screens.
On a window, or a smooth wall, or counter.
While the papers are drying there is plenty of clean up to do; lots of felts and cloths to clean up and dry.
I had some green colored paper to use up with this batch.
The finished papers. With the filler added, I like how these papers turned out. But I learned something to watch for that will inform my future papers.
I don’t know if you can see all the shiny white bits of the stalk of the Reed Canary Grass in this picture? I like the texture for some applications, but it makes a rough paper. I realize there are lots of plants that have shiny surface to parts of their structure that would probably have similar results. The Reed Canary Grass stems are a material that is hard to break down with heat alone. Chemicals might work, not for me. However, if I use only the leaves of this grass I think I could make paper with a smooth surface. Either way has it’s attributes, it’s just nice to know you can have control over the qualities of the papers you make.
Next time…..my favorite go-to paper….Cardoon!
Be well, take good care of yourself and those around you.
Thanks for listening!
