DIY Card Suits Woodburned Sketch Coasters
This year celebrates the 250th anniversary of Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.
Card suits to rest a cup of tea on sounds like appropriate homage to me!
These suits coasters were an easy project, even for a novice. A ‘sketched’ design is forgiving, even when the lines aren’t perfect. Simple shapes work best!
Materials
- Woodburning pen + ‘skew tip’ as seen in photo above (I use this Weller model)
- Heavy ceramic tile or similar heat-resistant surface to rest pen on
- Wooden coasters to burn
- Spray finish (I love Testors Dullcote)
- Optional: Sand paper
Always follow the safety advice of your tools and work in a well-ventilated area! Many woods aren’t safe to burn. There’s a very useful pyrography safety list here.
Putting it all together
I use a so-called solid tip woodburning pen. (Literally, the tips for it are solid instead of wire.) It takes a couple minutes to warm up after being plugged in.
To start, practise straight lines on one of your coasters. I find it easiest to pull the pen towards myself. Experiment! The trick is to find the right speed and pressure to get the lines you want. Drawing lines is the only skill you need to ‘sketch’ any shape you like!
To create a shape, use a pencil to trace or draw the outline of the shape. Don’t draw in too much detail, as the pencil might get burned into the wood and you won’t be able to erase it. Then start burning! Unevenly burnt lines just add to the sketched look.
Try to think of how the coaster will look in use. Borders (again, just straight lines!) add interest, too.
After burning, you can protect the coasters with a spray finish of your choice. I love matte finishes that don’t change the look of the wood too much. For a smoother finish, sand the coasters before burning and between finishing coats.
Be sure to check out Liberty’s new Pictures and Conversations fabric collection. “Inspired by Lewis Carroll’s literary masterpieces, the collection takes inspiration straight from the colours, motifs and characters on his pages.” I’m in love!
What have you been making?
Lots of crafty love,
