Try these recipes, from Planetpals.com (www.startribune.com/a2686), for creative uses for your dryer lint. See complete directions for papermaking, with follow-along pictures, at www.startribune.com/a2685.
Try these recipes, from Planetpals.com (www.startribune.com/a2686), for creative uses for your dryer lint. See complete directions for papermaking, with follow-along pictures, at www.startribune.com/a2685.
HOMEMADE Lint Papier-Mâché
Ingredients:
3 cups lint from your dryer
2 cups water
2/3 cup wheat flour
3 drops wintergreen oil
Newspaper
Directions:
Put lint and water in a large saucepan. Get all of the lint wet. Add flour and stir constantly so lumps won't form. Add oil of wintergreen. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture holds together and forms peaks. Pour out onto several thicknesses of newspaper to cool.
HOMEMADE Lint Clay
Ingredients:
2 cups firmly packed dryer lint
1/3 cup warm water
6 tablespoons white glue
1 tablespoon clear dishwashing liquid
Food coloring
Directions:
Put lint into a mixing bowl. Add the other ingredients. Mix thoroughly. When you can no longer mix, knead with hands until of a uniform texture. Shape and model figures or cover molds with it.
HOMEMADE Lint PAPER
Ingredients and supplies:
Large bowl
Waste paper; about 5 sheets torn into small pieces
Warm water
Dryer lint; about 1/2 cup
A blender not used for cooking
Plain wooden picture frame (8- by 10-inch)
Piece of window screen material (large enough to cover back of one frame, trim overlap)
Staple gun or waterproof glue
Large plastic dish pan or baby bathtub
Clean rags (at least 15 inches square) or large felt pieces
Sponge
Optional: spray starch, iron, thread, glitter, flowers, thin leaves, pine needles, potato or carrot peel. Be creative.
Directions:
1. Soak it: To begin, shred the paper into small squares about 1 inch and put them into the bowl with hot water. Let soak for half an hour.
2. Make a mold: While the paper is soaking, make the mold. Attach the screen to the back of the frame using staples. Leave the other frame blank.
3. Turn it into pulp: Place the soaked paper in the mixer bowl or food processor half filled with water. Mix at half speed until smooth.
At this point, you can also add the dryer lint, and small quantities of vegetables or plants to the pulp. In this case, mix until the mixture is uniform. (Only a small amount should be used or you will end up with mush.) Add color to the paper using nontoxic fabric dye or food coloring.
4. Swish it in a tub: Pour warm water into the tub until it is half full. Then, pour the pulp into the tub until the mixture resembles thick soup. The thicker the mixture, the thicker your paper will be. Place the screened frame in and shake it from side to side to distribute the pulp evenly until it makes a sheet of paper.
5. Drain, place it in a mold: Dip the frame, screen side down, into the tub from the back; in one motion, bring it down so it is completely underwater, then gently lift it from the water in a scooping fashion. The pulp will be caught in the screen and stay within the frame sides. Let water strain through.
6. Let it dry: Place a cloth or piece of felt over the top of the paper pulp in the screen, and press down to squeeze out excess water. Don't rub your hand over the felt or it could cause the pulp to shift.
Without removing the felt, flip the screen over onto a stack of paper towels or clothes. Press a sponge along the screen to soak up the water. Squeeze the water out of the sponge, and continue sponging along the screen.
7. Iron it: Place another cloth on top. Dry the paper by ironing firmly. Or, remove the cloth and let it dry naturally.
8. Using other kinds of molds: You can try other ideas such as using baking molds, plastic, plaster or candy molds. This can be fun for ornaments, small gift tags, or wall ornaments. Spray the mold with Pam or other cooking spray. Place the damp paper into a mold and let it dry; it should lift out when dry. To hang, add a string while it is wet. This might take practice.
9. Leftovers: When you are done, you can throw away the screened pulp or keep the drained, leftover pulp in the freezer, in a plastic bag, for later use.
NOTE: Do not pour the pulp into the sink or toilet because the pulp could block the drain.
Sources: www.planetpals.com, www.diynetwork.com.
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