Craftsman Crate: The Papermaking Crate

Description

People have been creating surfaces to write on since the beginning of recorded history. In ancient Egypt, strips of the fibrous interior of the papyrus plant were laid side by side in layers, alternating direction, and formed into sheets. In the Americas, amate, a type of bark paper was used. In Europe, animal skins were specially treated to be made into parchment for written records.

True paper, made from plants macerated or broken down into a puree, was first made in China during the Han Dynasty, early in the first century A.D. It was inspired by wasp nests and made of rags and plant fibers, such as hemp, paper mulberry, and sandalwood bark. Cai Lun, a Chinese court official, developed the craft into a science. The first known paper money was in use in the Song Dynasty, 960–1279 A.D.

Papermaking spread first to the Arabic world, in the 8th century, where it rapidly took over, then to Europe in the 11th. By the 13th century, papermills powered by waterwheels were found in Spain. Gutenberg’s invention of the printing press in 1436 drastically increased the demand for paper. By the mid-1800s, the sulfite process allowed wood to be pulped easily for the first time, making paper easy to industrialize and be produced inexpensively enough that anyone would be able to afford it. Now, handmade paper is considered an art form and is highly prized as a status symbol and as art.

The Papermaking Crate Contains:

Instructions
Deckle and Mold
Pulp and Paper
Paper Glue
Whisk and Spoon
Dried Foliage
Spatula
Sponge
Screen
Couch Sheet
Drying Towel

Enjoy!