Making paper yarn is surprisingly simple: you cut paper into narrow strips, dampen them slightly, and twist them tightly until they form a sturdy cord. The technique has been practiced in Japan for centuries under the name “shifu,” and you can do it at home with nothing more than a sheet of paper, a spray bottle, and your hands. With the right paper choice and a bit of practice, the resulting yarn is strong enough to knit, crochet, or weave into functional textiles.
Choosing the Right Paper
Not all paper works equally well. The key factor is fiber length. Papers made from long plant fibers hold together when twisted, while short-fiber papers (like standard printer paper or newspaper) crumble and snap. The best options are handmade papers made from mulberry, abaca, or recycled linen rag. Thai kozo paper, available at most art supply stores, is one of the most affordable long-fiber papers and performs beautifully as yarn.
Watercolor paper and most art-grade handmade papers also work because they contain longer fibers and have a distinct grain direction. That grain matters: you’ll want to cut your strips along it, not against it, so the fibers run the length of your yarn and give it strength. To find the grain, gently bend a sheet in both directions. It will flex more easily in one direction, and that’s the direction the fibers run.
Tissue paper, crepe paper, and brown kraft paper can all produce usable yarn for decorative projects, though they won’t be as durable as mulberry or abaca. If you’re just experimenting, start with whatever you have. You’ll quickly feel the difference between papers that twist smoothly and ones that fall apart.
Cutting Paper Into Strips
Cut your paper into continuous strips between 1/4 inch and 1/2 inch wide, running with the grain. Narrower strips produce finer, more thread-like yarn. Wider strips create a chunkier cord that works well for baskets or bags. A rotary cutter and quilting ruler give you the most consistent width, but sharp scissors work fine.
To get a long continuous strip from a single sheet, you can use a spiral cut. Start at the outer edge and cut in a continuous rectangle toward the center, turning the paper as you go. Alternatively, cut straight strips and join them by overlapping the ends about half an inch and twisting them together while damp. The join disappears into the twist and holds surprisingly well.
Softening and Dampening
Dry paper cracks when you twist it aggressively, so you need to soften it first. Scrunch each strip in your hands several times, crumpling and smoothing it repeatedly until it feels more like fabric than paper. Then lightly spritz it with water from a spray bottle so it’s damp but not soaking. The moisture lets the fibers relax and reshape as you twist, and the resulting yarn holds its form once it dries. If the paper gets too wet, it tears easily and loses structure, so err on the side of less water. You can always add another spritz as you work.
Hand-Twisting: The Basic Method
The simplest approach is the traditional Japanese koyori method: pure hand-twisting with no tools at all. Hold one end of a damp strip between the thumb and forefinger of your left hand. With your right hand, roll the strip between your thumb and fingers, always twisting in the same direction (clockwise or counterclockwise, just stay consistent). Work your way along the strip, letting the twist travel down its length.
Once you’ve twisted a section tightly enough that it starts to kink and curl back on itself, you’ve reached the right tension. You can either leave it as a single-ply twisted cord or fold it in half and let it ply back on itself into a two-ply yarn. Two-ply paper yarn is rounder, more balanced, and less likely to untwist during use. To ply, pinch the midpoint, bring both ends together, and let the two halves wrap around each other naturally. Give the finished yarn a few minutes to dry in its twisted state, and it will hold its shape.
Using a Spindle or Spinning Wheel
If you want to produce longer, more consistent yarn, a drop spindle or spinning wheel speeds things up considerably. The process mirrors spinning wool, with a few adjustments. Cut your strips to about 1/4 inch wide, soften and dampen them, then draft the strip onto the spindle just as you would a roving of fiber. Some spinners use a bobbin winder as an improvised spindle, which works perfectly well for paper.
The main difference from spinning wool is that paper doesn’t stretch. You can’t thin it out by pulling, so the width of your cut strip largely determines the thickness of your yarn. You also need a lighter touch on the twist. Too much twist and the yarn becomes stiff and wiry. Too little and it unravels. Aim for just enough twist that the strip holds its round shape without kinking.
Keep your spray bottle nearby and re-dampen sections as they dry out during spinning. Dry spots are where breakage happens.
Strengthening Your Yarn With Sizing
For yarn that needs to hold up to regular use, especially as weaving warp, you can apply sizing before or after twisting. Sizing is a thin coating that stiffens and strengthens the fibers. Two traditional options work well.
- Wheat paste: Mix 4 parts water to 1 part wheat starch. Heat the mixture gently while stirring until it thickens into a smooth paste, then thin it with more water until it’s brushable. Apply a light coat to your strips before twisting, or dip finished yarn briefly and hang it to dry.
- Gelatin sizing: Dissolve about 1/3 cup of rabbit skin glue (or plain gelatin) in 16 to 32 ounces of water with a pinch of alum. Warm gently until dissolved. Dip your strips or finished yarn, squeeze out the excess, and dry flat or under light tension.
Sized paper yarn becomes noticeably stiffer and more resistant to fraying. It also holds its twist better over time. For purely decorative projects, sizing is optional. For anything that will see wear, it makes a real difference.
What You Can Make With Paper Yarn
Paper yarn works with knitting needles, crochet hooks, and looms just like any other yarn. It produces a lightweight, slightly textured fabric with a linen-like hand. Common projects include bags, baskets, placemats, coasters, wall hangings, and lightweight summer hats. In the Japanese shifu tradition, paper yarn was woven into full garments, sometimes combined with silk or cotton. One particularly prized form, saga nishiki, used paper yarn spun from mulberry bark with tiny gold or silver lacquered threads woven in.
The yarn also works well for bookbinding, gift wrapping, macramé, and mixed-media art. Thicker, chunkier paper yarn makes excellent basket material. Finer yarn spun from kozo or abaca can produce surprisingly soft, wearable cloth when woven densely.
Washing and Caring for Paper Textiles
Paper yarn textiles can be washed, but they need gentle treatment. Use cold water, no warmer than about 85°F (30°C), with a small amount of diluted detergent and no bleach. Don’t wring, twist, or bunch the fabric. Instead, press out excess water with a flat tool or lay it on a towel and roll gently. Dry the piece flat or hang it so water drains along the length of the yarn, not across it. Keep it out of direct sunlight while drying, and make sure air circulation is good so it dries quickly. Slow drying in a humid environment can weaken the fibers or cause mildew.
With proper care, paper yarn textiles last for years. The fibers soften slightly with each wash, developing a more fabric-like drape over time.