potholder from old newspapers

 by eliajn
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This is a potholder / trivet / thing-to-put-hot-things-on made entirely from old newspaper, glue, and a little string.

Materials:

1) 8 half-size sheets of newspaper or 4 full size sheets
I used the advertisement section for the colors; extra is good to have for covering your work surface.

2) scissors

3) glue
You need something that will dry clear and is easy to apply. I used Scotch brand scrap-booking glue, which came in a tube with two applicator tips, one small and pointed, one round and fabric for smearing. I found this fabric side to be the most helpful for applying thin coats of glue.

4) needle (& thimble)
The eye of the needle needs to be big enough for whatever string you choose, but otherwise the needle should be as small as possible to keep from making huge holes in your final product. You may also want a thimble to protect your fingers while pushing the needle through the paper rolls.

5) thread or string
I used #20 red hemp cord, which I had on hand, but probably picked up in the beading section of a craft store at some point. Other good options would be cotton twine or sturdy button thread (probably doubled). This is mostly an aesthetic choice.
 
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Step 1: Prepping the newspaper

Cut each half-size newspaper in half, so that you have 16 strips of newspaper, each approximately 6 inches wide.

Fold each strip in thirds lengthwise. Just this first time, you don't need to glue down the flaps. As you fold, you are choosing which colors will end up on the outside - whichever colors are in the center on the outside (you are folding away from the outside) will be the color of the rolled paper unit.

Then fold each strip in thirds lengthwise again and glue in place. It helps to fold first to get the creases straight, then unfold, apply glue, and press together. Using a fingernail to get your creases really crisp at this step makes the final fold easier.

Repeat the folding in thirds and gluing one more time, so that you have long strips of folded newspaper about a quarter of an inch wide. This is possibly the most difficult step, since you are folding several layers of gluey newspaper together. Don't expect to get past this step without sticky fingers...
McElmire says: Apr 14, 2009. 2:54 PM
You mentioned using this as a coaster, does it hold up well after use? I'm not sure about the paper being water resistant like it is heat resistant.
jessimata in reply to McElmireSep 20, 2010. 7:39 AM
You can use a glossy paper such as that of magazines which is more water resistant than most papers. Generally grocery store ads are a bit glossy as well, although not as much as magazines. And if you must use newspaper and want to use as coasters you will have to seal your crafty creation with a spray sealer. Happy Crafting!
eliajn (author) in reply to McElmireApr 15, 2009. 7:58 AM
Good question. I haven't actually put one into use as a drinks coaster - I do have one sitting under a vase of flowers, and it doesn't seem to mind a few drips every now and then. But I also question its water resistance, unless you were to seal it with varnish or something similar. Might make a good base if you glued a piece of cork to the top side to absorb water? Let us know if you try it and what you learn!
merijnvw says: Nov 20, 2009. 11:38 AM
Hey I know this is a late reaction. I'm making some of these too, and now I have the pieces I want to make them together, why did you do that all with needle and thread? It seems easier with just glue. Is there a special reason for it?
By the way I can't find as colourful newspaper (advert)pages as you did. Maybe the Dutch adverts have less colour.
I like the project very much, thanks for sharing!
adidame says: Dec 12, 2008. 10:10 AM
I have seen these as coasters and picture frames. Very good!
sasafras says: Nov 22, 2008. 7:04 AM
i found these at global infusion, a shop here in gr mi which sells only fair trade items. they were made by someone in ...ghana...? they are so very striking looking, finely crafted and almost enigmatic, with the print randomness. these are made mostly of regular black and white print paper with occasional touches of colon in one or another spiral. cool to see people hare are making them too. i gave the fair trade ones as gifts. not one of us have ever used them as trivits...they are on our walls. maybe i will actually use it, thanks to the reassurances of eliajn!
leahbuechley says: Nov 15, 2008. 11:08 AM
what a beautiful thing! spinning straw into gold ;)
LuminousObject says: Nov 4, 2008. 4:16 PM
This is a really cool idea. Like Doctor What said, if only you got this in sooner.
Doctor What says: Nov 3, 2008. 6:29 PM
If you would have posted this yesterday, it would have been perfect for the 1929 contest! Dang! Pretty cool! But I'm not sure exactly how well it would, well, not catch fire.
eliajn (author) in reply to Doctor WhatNov 3, 2008. 8:46 PM
Shoot! Didn't know about the contest. Oh well... As for the catching of fire, compressed paper is surprisingly resistant to such things. Paper alone has a pretty high flash point (about 450 deg F / 232 deg C), so even if you take something right out of the oven it's not likely to ignite. Since it's also impregnated with glue and very tightly compressed, it's even more heat-safe. All very nice in theory, but I've also been using one of these for nearly a year with not even a singe mark. Thanks for mentioning it, however, as others might have similar concerns!
ChrysN says: Nov 3, 2008. 5:05 PM
It's so nice and colourful, and a great use of old newspapers. Nice instructable!
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