If you are working with several different colors, wipe your hands clean with the baby wipes. Cut off a small amount of clay and knead it. Most polymer clays will be hard when you first get them, but they will soften up the more you work with them. In general, the solid colors will require more kneading than the glittery or pearly colors. If your clay is too hard to work with, consider working in some clay conditioner or clay softener. You can usually buy it in the same aisle that sells polymer clay.
Shape your clay. Polymer clay is great in that it does not require water to be smoothed. It also does not harden or dry unless you bake it in the oven. Take your time to create your beautiful beads. Here are some shaping ideas to get you started: To create a sphere: roll a small amount of clay between your palms until it is smooth and round. To create discs: roll your clay into a thin cylinder or tube shape, about the thickness of a pencil.
Use a sharp blade to cut the cane into discs. To create tapered tubes: roll your clay into a thin cylinder, about the thickness of a pencil. Use your fingers to pinch the ends of each mini-tube. Consider making a little animal shaped bead. Keep the design simple. Set your clay aside if it becomes too soft. Polymer clay will soften the more you work with it. Sometimes, it may even become sticky and mushy. When this happens, the best thing to do is to set it aside for 10 to 15 minutes.
You can also let the clay cool down in the fridge. Poke holes using a toothpick or tapestry needle. If the clay is too soft and starts to lose its shape as you poke the needle through it, set it aside or stick it in the fridge.
Let the clay sit for about 15 minutes until it firms up again. Once the clay is firm, you can try poking the holes again. Consider using a soft paintbrush to smooth out any finger prints. Polymer clay picks up fingerprints very easily. These can be sanded out once you bake the clay, or they can be brushed out with a soft paintbrush.
Simply brush the surface of the beads until the finger prints disappear. You do not need to use water. Place the pieces on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake the clay.
Different brands will require different baking times. Refer to the packaging or the manufacturer's website for exact baking times. Use sandpaper to smooth out any uneven edges once the clay cools. After you take the clay out of the oven, it will be very hot. Let the clay cool down before you touch it. If you see any sharp or jagged edges, smooth them away with some fine-grit sandpaper.
The clay may turn chalky when you do this. This is just dust. Simply rinse the clay under running water, and pat it dry with a paper towel.
Consider coating the clay with glaze. Slide the beads back onto the toothpick or tapestry needle. Set the toothpick or tapestry needle down between two objects, so that the bead hangs freely. You can either spray or paint the beads with a clear glaze. Let the glaze dry and cure fully before you move the beads; if you use them too soon, the glaze may turn sticky.
This may take two to four hours. You can string them onto clear beading elastic to make jewelry. You can also use them to make bookmark tassels or key chains. If you are working with air dry clay, place the beads on a tray, spritz a sheet of plastic wrap with water, then cover the tray with it. Th plastic wrap will try moisture and keep the clay from drying out. If you are working with polymer clay, simply cover it with some plastic wrap, a bowl, a cup, or anything else to keep it dust free.
Not Helpful 0 Helpful 2. Polymer clay does not harden until you bake it. It may become brittle if you do not use it for several years, however. If you mean mixing color into the clay to make a solid-colored bead, you can--but it will be very messy and the paint may not mix evenly into the clay itself.
You can also keep a spray bottle of water near by and spritz the clay every so often. Take some more clay, and fill the crack in. This is a great and useful hub. The layout is beautiful and easy to follow. Thanks for offering such great projects for making beads. I will try my hand at this one day. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Kris! That's awesome that you've had fun making paper beads. Sometimes the simple processes are just as satisfying as the more complex ones. What a wonderful and very thorough hub! I learned how to make paper beads last summer and had a blast doing it. I'm not the most creative person so it was something easy and straightforward - and I had fun sharing it with my nieces.
And I'm in awe of the other styles of bead making you've shared here. I'm glad someone posted this on Hub Hoppers or I would have missed it This is such an amazing hub! I have had the tab open for three days waiting until I had time to comment and I will probably keep it open for the rest of the month so I can make some of these beads!
I can't wait to start creating with the help of the videos, links and supply lists you've included in this hub! Excellent job! I will definitely vote up, share and click on the feedback. Great work! I love all the various types of beads, but I haven't seen the unique-looking lampwork glass beads before.
This is a terrific hub; I voted it up and useful. I am so happy I ran across this hub. A friend of mine gave me a bracelet made with paper beads. It is so beautiful and I could not figure out how paper could be made into beads. Now that I know, the bracelet is even more valuable to me. Thank you for such thorough information on all of the different techniques for making beads. Cyndi, thanks! I can spend hours in a bead store, too.
I'm sure that's a big surprise. Fantastic ideas and your directions are so easy to follow. The photos, tutorials, the entire hub is rock star status! I love the colors, beads and all the ideas in this hub! I can spend hours at the bead store. Thanks cloverleaf! I didn't know much about making beads out of plastic bottles, but it seems like it's a pretty popular technique. Enjoy the videos here! Great hub. I love polymer clay.
I have used that for years. I never realized you could make beads from plastic bottles. I have bookmarked this so I can come back and watch all the videos.
I would vote this "up" a hundred times if they'd let me! I had no idea that you could make your own beads. This was really inspirational. Crafts For Kids. Book Repair. Craft Organization. Cross Stitch. Where did I put them? I just saw them! Sound familiar. Like making your own beads! I know this is a little far fetched for some beads.
I can make the perfect amount in the perfect sizes for my project without leaving the house or my credit card details with another website! Just look how easy they are to make:. Carefully poke the reamer through the middle of the bead all the way through to the other side. Lucky devils.
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