Stencil Embossed Necklace

Shirley Rufener

After experimenting with artist pastel chalks a few years ago, Shirley’s first trial was to simply stencil onto polymer clay. She was thrilled to find out that the two worked beautifully together! This necklace is the result of trying two types of small stencils, an actual brass embossing plate and a thin plastic stencil.

Getting Started

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.

Step 1

Mix 1/32 cube of Cobalt clay with 1/2 cube White clay. Roll to the second thickest setting on the Clay Conditioning Machine (a little thinner then 1/8" thick with roller tool). If needed, mask off the unwanted areas of the stencil with drafting tape on the bottom side, with the stickiness facing up. Dust the backside of the stencils with Baby Powder or Cornstarch to prevent sticking. Place the stencil on the clay and roll over it with the roller tool, slowly with fairly firm pressure. Rub your finger across brick color chalk and tap it onto the (flowers) of the design until the color is solid. Clean and dry your finger. Repeat to color remaining (leaf) areas brown. Clean fingers.

Step 2

Slide a craft knife under a clay sheet to aid in lifting it. Roll the decorated clay on the third thickest setting (about 1/16") of the Clay Conditioning Machine. Clean the machine rollers well, by turning the handle and wiping with a dry paper towel between each pass of chalked clay. Turn the clay one-quarter turn and run though at the fourth thickest setting (just under 1/16" thick) of the Clay Conditioning Machine. Turn one-quarter turn again and run though at the fifth thickest setting (1/32" thick) of the Clay Conditioning Machine and secure to a tile.

Step 3

Cut one stenciled oval shape and two circles. Remove excess clay from around shapes. Bake at 275 °F for 15 minutes and allow clay to cool. Handle these thin shapes with care. Slide the slicer blade back and forth, under the disks, to lift them off of the tile. Gently sand the side edges smooth.

Step 4

Condition 1/4 cube of Copper clay, roll gradually up to the third thickest setting (1/16") of the Clay Conditioning Machine and secure to the baking tile. Press the disks onto the copper sheet leaving 1/4" space between them. Cut the background clay layer with the slicer blade corner, leaving 1/8" around each shape. Lift the layered disk and evenly press the copper clay up against the side edges of the top layer. Use the slicer blade to cut the excess copper bezel clay even with the top baked layer. Place the disks on cardstock.

Step 5

Close all of the oval jump rings with pliers. Grasp a jump ring with needle nose pliers opposite to where the ends meet. Add a dot of quick drying glue to rings where the ends meet and immediately press the ring half way into the side edge of a bezel, just beneath the baked clay layer. Repeat adding the remaining jump rings where indicated, and then bake pieces at 275 °F for 15minutes. Allow the clay to cool.

Step 6

Using pliers, open a round jump ring, thread through two corresponding clay link loops and close ring to connect links. Add a second jump ring to each connection for added interest. Connect remaining links in this manner. Clip the chain with wire cutters to form ten-twelve 3/4" long pieces (depending on your desired length). Thread a wood bead onto an eyepin, bend the straight side to a 90° angle with needle nose pliers, clip end to 1/4" length and form a loop with round nose pliers. Secure open loop into the jump ring on the right clay disk and close. Secure the opposite open loop into a piece of cut chain to connect them. Repeat adding beads to eyepins and connecting four more chains lengths to each end of the necklace.

Step 7

Secure the lobster clasp to last chain length and a jumpring to the opposite chain end.