Preheat oven to 275 °F. Test temperature with oven thermometer for perfectly cured clay. Condition all clay by kneading until it’s soft and smooth or running it through the Clay Conditioning Machine for several passes on the widest setting. Fold the clay in half after each pass and insert the fold side into the rollers first.

Roll Red, White and Blue into logs of equal size and length. Set 1/2 aside for marbled beads.

Layer the three logs together with sides touching.

Gently push the 3 logs together with your fingers. Then begin pinching the striped log into a triangular shape. Pinch up one color at a time and then turn the log 1/3 turn. Pinch the new color up. Continue pinching and turning each color until the whole log is triangular. Gently pull and stretch as you go so that the log will be about 6" long.

Trim off the ends. Section the log into 6 equal pieces.

Stand each section on end. Place them in a pie-shape pattern with the white points in the middle.

Gently press the sections together in the middle with your fingers.

Continue pressing on all six sides. Soon the log will begin getting smaller in diameter and longer in length. Once it's 2-3" long, you may start rolling it on the work surface. Use the stripes to keep the log straight. Roll the log gently until it is about 1/2" in diameter.

Refrigerate the log for a few minutes to firm it up. This next instruction must be adult supervised. Slice the log with a Studio by Sculpey Super Slicer. If the log seems to want to smoosh while cutting, just use a cutting and rolling motion, allowing the whole log to roll under the gentle pressure of your blade. This will make it easier to slice the log without it becoming smashed on one side. After the beads are sliced, smooth the edges of them with your fingers.

To make holes in your beads, poke a toothpick through until the tip reaches the other side. Pull out the toothpick. Poke the toothpick back through the other side where the tip came through. Push all the way through to form a nice hole. Spin the toothpick gently to remove it from the bead.

To make marbled you'll need the clay that you set aside in Step 1 of Pinwheel Beads. Repeat Steps 1 and 2 from Pinwheel Beads (but do not set half of the clay aside).

Roll the three colors gently together on the work surface. Gently twist the log so that the colors turn in candy-cane fashion. Keep rolling and twisting until the log is about 1/2" thick.

Section the rope into equal portions each about 1/2" long. Gently roll these into balls in the palms of your hands. Poke holes in them using Step 9 from Pinwheel Beads.

To make donut beads, gently flatten a round marbled bead. Poke a hole down through the middle. Push the toothpick all the way through and twist and spin the toothpick to enlarge the hole. Bake all beads at 275 °F for 20 minutes. String to make bracelets, key chains, napkin rings, etc.