Papermaking Process 3

Here is a view using my figure and walking down the sushi mat and easing the screen and newly formed paper down.

After a sheet is laid down I need to press it a bit with my hands over the whole mat section to create a suction or called Couching and allow the paper to come off the screen to the felt to form a post which is a stack of felts and newly formed sheets of paper. Couch is pronounced like Cooch, not like the couch you sit on and watch TV, I believe it's french.

I use two different styles of molds and deckles, this one is the japanese style with a sushi mat and screen sewing in at the top. I still place this system between the two stretch bar frames I've created for study bracing.

Couched sheet of handmade paper to a felt.

Vat of slurry, or Russian Iris leaves and Abaca-inner bark of the banana tree, which I purchase from Twinrockers out of Indiana.