Select sheer or 'cardstock' designs for embroidering on balsa wood. Selecting dense designs will cut sections out of the wood.
Supplies & Materials:
- Wooden box with a plain top
- 1/16" or 1/32" balsa wood, slightly larger than the top of the box.
- 3 types of stabilizer: Solvy (water soluble stabilizer), medium cut-away,
and medium tear-away
- Wood glue
- Fine-grit sandpaper
The designs used in this tutorial include:
Any design that has been digitized for cardstock will work well on balsa wood. Click here to see designs that have been digitized for cardstock.
Cut a piece of the balsa wood that is slightly larger than your box top.
Choose an appropriately sized hoop and hoop with medium-weight, tear-away stabilizer. Then cut a piece of medium-weight, cut-away stabilizer slightly smaller than your piece of balsa wood. Adhere it to the back of the balsa with spray adhesive.
Lightly spray the hooped stabilizer with adhesive. Position the wood in the hoop with the stabilizer side down. Make sure that the wood is straight in the hoop.
In experimenting with balsa embroidery, I found that a double layer of topping really helps to keep stitches from sinking into the soft wood, especially when sewing along the grain.
Position a double layer of Solvy over the area to be embroidered. I used a couple of pieces of tape to keep the Solvy in place.
Sew out your embroidery design. I used a universal point, 75/11 embroidery needle.
When the embroidery is finished, carefully remove the topping one layer at a time.Â
Then unhoop the tear-away stabilizer and gently tear it away. Next, lift and trim away large sections of the cut-away stabilizer from the edges of the balsa.
On the back side of the balsa wood, mark where the edges of the box cover go, so that the embroidery will be in the desired location when finished.
Put a thin even coat of wood glue on the box's top and carefully adhere the top to the wrong side of the embroidered balsa. Line the cover up with your markings.
Use weights like books, or small clamps to squeeze the balsa and box top together.
Wipe away any glue that oozes out.
Allow the glue to dry completely.
After the glue has dried, trim off the extra wood with a rotary cutter or a hobby knife.
With a light touch, smooth any rough edges of the balsa wood with a fine-grit sandpaper.
If you want to seal the balsa wood, do so after you have sewn the embroidery. Use a clear spray sealer.
