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Making jewelry is a popular focus for many crafters and polymer clay lovers. Sculpey® offers an extensive inventory of tools to simplify beading and jewelry making. Create professionally finished polymer clay pendants and beads by trying out our tools and techniques.
Looking for a visual? Explore our featured projects page to browse earrings, necklaces, rings and other adornments created with Sculpey® clay.
Are you wondering how to make polymer clay beads? Sculpey® carries several polymer clay bead makers to help you create clay beads easily. some of our top bead makers include:
Follow the steps below to make lightweight, inexpensive polymer clay beads:
Polymer clay beads require the following supplies:
It's essential to keep your work station as clean as possible, as polymer clay tends to pick up anything it comes into contact with.
Find a flat, clean surface in your house where you have high-quality lighting. Next, lay down your wax paper and pull all corners snug. Tape the four edges to your work surface and make sure the paper is secure after taping.
Choose your polymer clay cane and begin cutting fine, even slices from one end. Slices should have approximately the same thickness and be thin but not to the extent that they are see-through.
To cover your polymer clay beads, select a wood bead to work with first. Next:
Set your bead down on the wax paper and place your finger gently on top. Using just a small amount of pressure, slowly roll the bead around in tiny circles on the paper. Try to refrain from using too much force, as you want to keep all colors intact.
Keep rolling until all the slices have rounded out and are relatively flat against the bead. They should now cover all visible sections of the wood underneath.
Every bead needs a hole for a string to be pushed through. Use the end of a needle on each side of the bead. Then, slant the needle and move it clockwise around the face of the hole.
The most important thing to keep in mind when baking your polymer clay beads is that they need to be suspended when cured to hold their shape. You can use our Bead Baking Rack for even, perfectly shaped beads.
Polymer clay beads need to bake for 10 minutes at approximately 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Always use an oven thermometer and read the directions on your packaging to ensure you are baking the beads at the correct temperature.
Here at Sculpey®, we provide the tools, you provide the creativity. Ready to get inspired? Shop our inventory of polymer clay bead makers and pick out your favorite Sculpey® brand to get started!