How to Make Homemade Paste

My grandmother used to make us homemade paste for creating paper chains. When she made the homemade paste, it would only take her a few seconds to whip it up for us. Homemade paste is inexpensive to make. Homemade paste is earth, animal, and kid-friendly.

Homemade paste is so thick you could almost use it for hole repair in your walls. I would suggest that you don't try that because once it gets wet during a cleaning session it becomes gummy and gooey.

Recipes for Homemade Paste

Here are four recipes for homemade paste.

No Cook Paste

This is the paste that my grandmother use to make and I have a few times in a pinch when out of the store bought glue.

Water
Flour

Take a handful of flour and add a little bit of water at a time. Mix the flour and water until gooey. If you get too much water in, add more flour until thick. The paste should be the same consistency as cake or pancake batter.

Homemade Paste

1 cup flour
½ cup water

Mix the flour and water together until it is creamy.

You can store the paste in an air tight container.

For paste that is more durable:

Bring the cup of water to a boil and mix in the ½ cup of water.

Stir over low heat until shiny and thick.

Let cool before using and adding to a container.

Paper Paste

1 cup flour
1cup sugar
4cups of water
1 tablespoon powdered alum
3 drops of oil of clove (this will need to be purchased at a specialty food store)

Mix the flour and sugar together. Slowly add one cup of water. Stir until mixed.

In the top of double boiler, bring the remaining 3 cups of water and alum to a boil.

Stirring constantly, add the flour, sugar and water mixture.

You cook and stir until the mixture is fairly clear. This step will take about half an hour.

Remove the mixture from the hear and add the drops of oil of clover.

Pour the paper paste into a quart jar.

Storing the Paper Paste

Keep the paper paste in an air tight jar with a small wet sponge on top.

This next recipe is for those who want to try to bind their own books at home.

Bookbinder's Paste

1 teaspoon flour
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon alum powder
1/3 cup water

In the top of a double boiler, add and mix the dry ingredients.

Add the cup of water slowly stirring out the lumps.