3 Formation Facts & 3 Ways to Better Yours
Formation describes how uniformly the fibers and other solid components of a paper furnish are distributed in the finished sheet and is massively important! Good formation results in desired outcomes … Continue reading
Rare Book School Wrap Up
I just got home from my paper geek-out week at the Rare Book School, at the University of Virginia. Two of the afternoon sessions consisted of a special collection showcase … Continue reading
Late Night Schoolin’ – Rare Book Style
Just fell into bed with my computer; it’s the end of day two at the Rare Book School (RBS) in hot and humid Charlottesville, VA. I’m here taking a course in … Continue reading
I Recycled – Now What? Why We Do It. Why It Matters.
The next time you get an ‘F’ on an exam, don’t be bummed out – you can help a tree out! This Spring Semester, the last semester of my graduate … Continue reading
Three Papery Updates
Hello, dear readers! Wrapping up my graduate degree has been an incredible time suck with incredible rewards. I’m back now, and to start I will give a few updates about what’s … Continue reading
Making Copy Paper from…100% Recycled Egg Carton
The natural dye project I worked on last semester was time-consuming. Between the soaking, scouring, cooking, dyeing, and endless washing there was the back and forth to the studio – … Continue reading
Natural Dyes and Papermaking
These natural dye experiments started with standing in line at the store, my cart overflowing with stainless steel pots, the woman behind me chuckling, “Looks like someone’s doing some cooking!” … Continue reading
Paper – Every Fiber of Its Being
Paper is a composite of fiber and air. Cellulosic fibers come from plants, either from seed hairs, stems (bast), and/or from leaves. In industrial papermaking, cellulose comes primarily from wood, both hardwoods and … Continue reading
Back Online in June
Thank you for following along with me these past two months. This has been my first go at blogging and I’ve quickly become addicted. I’m looking forward to writing about … Continue reading
Good Form, Bad Form: Ground Glass and Curdled Milk
Structural properties of paper describe how various components are arranged within a sheet of paper. Global properties are assessed independent of local variations in paper composition. These include the structural properties … Continue reading
Counterfeit this bill and…die?
The United States got a new hundred-dollar bill last year, a familiar Benjamin staring back at you surrounded by a host of new security features. There’s a blue security ribbon of liberty … Continue reading
Hollander Beaters-Helping Papermakers Since the 1600s
One way that fibers are made more flexible before papermaking is a refining process called beating. Pounding and/or shearing action works to separate the fibers for the first time, or further refines fibers … Continue reading
Grammage and Basis Weight
I usually reserve Friday’s post for things I’m learning in class but school is officially out for the summer. Summer Fridays will be a bit of a grab bag – there’s … Continue reading
The Fiber Wire 