How to make Parchment

Parchment:

For thy writing, purchase parchment from thy local parchmenter. If thou dost not have a parchmenter, make the parchment thyself. Followeth these steps below:

I. Soaking
II. Unhairing
III. Fleshing
IV. Liming
V. De-Liming
VI. Stretching/Drying/Finishing

Remembereth patience is thy virtue. The making of parchment is a slow and complicated process. First taketh thy skins that are of good quality and of few flaws. If thy is looking for parchment of white, taketh the skins of white sheep or cows. Parchment that is patterned which is pleasing to thy eye may be foundeth from bridled cows or piebald goats. Remembereth that the colour of the wool will predict the colour of the parchment.

First Phase:

Step one: Taketh the skin and wash it thoroughly in cold, clear stream water until it is clean.

Step two: As the skin layeth in the heat of the sun, it shalt beggineth to decay and the hairs will fall out. Removeth all the hairs from the skin.

Step three: Placeth thy skins in barrels of wood or stone, in which water and lime hast been added. Leave the skins in the mixture for three days, stirring often.

Step four: Removeth thy skins from their barrels and drape them over a shield of wood that hast been placed upright. Take thy knife and scrape the skins until all the hairs hast been removed.

Step five: Now taketh thy skins and rinse them again in the clean stream water for two days, to take the lime away from thy skins.

Second Phase:

Now that thou hast clean, smooth animal skins, thy can begin to maketh thy parchment:

Step six: Placeth thy skins on a frame of wood and stretcheth them on it while they are still wet. Attach thy skins to its frame by use of pegs that can be adjusted.

Step seven: If thy notices holes in thy drying skins, take ye a needle and thread and stitch them closed.

Step eight: Begin to scrapeth at thy wet skins with a lunellum, which is a curved knife whose handle is at the center point. Don’t forgeteth to keepeth thy skins wet by ladling on hot water as needeth!

Step nine: Allow thou skins that are now scraped clean to beginneth to dry.

Step ten: Continue to tighten the pegs on thy frame and to move them as thou needeth for the shrinking of the skins.

Step eleven : Now that thou hast skins that are dry and have shrunk, beggineth once more thy scraping and shaving until thy skin has become thin and the grain side of the skin hast become smooth.

Release then thy parchment from its frame and taketh quick to thy scriptorium for it to be used.