Polymer Pendant & Beads

My latest obsession in making jewellery is using polmer clay. Polymer clay is so versatile, it is not only used to make all types of jewellery but also figurines, cake toppers, decorations and so much more. It’s such a versatile medium.

So what is polymer clay? - Polymer clay is a pliable bendable compound made up of fine particles of PVC suspended in plasticer. It is not a true clay by definition but what makes it so special is it’s versatility. It comes in many, vibrant colours which can be mixed together to make new, original colours. As the colour is present in the PVC particles the different coloured clays can be used together without the colour blending for special effects such as caneworking and marbling. Once the clay is conditioned it’s easy to work with and can be moulded, pressed or sculpted into almost any shape. Another advantage is that, unlike normal clay, polymer clay does not dry out so you can work with it without having a time limit. Finally the temperature required to fuse the particles together is relatively low and the pieces can be fired in a domestic oven. Once fired the piece can be filed, sanded and varnished to give different matt or gloss effects.

Polymer & Silver Bracelet

Do I need specialist equipment? – The simple answer is no. You can start working with polymer clay with hardly any specialist tools or equipment. All you need to start with is a shiny flat surface (a ceramic tile or glass cutting board is ideal) to work on, something to roll the clay, an unserrated knife to slice the clay, if you are making beads, wooden cocktail sticks or skewers to pierce the beads and finally an oven to fire the clay. Thats it! Later you may want to invest in a pasta machine (to roll the clay flat), cutters and extruders but you don’t need all that when you start.

Where do I find out more? - The internet has plenty of sites with free tutorials, hints and tips as well as sites to buy the clay and equipment. If you’d like to see more jewellery made using polymer clay have a look at my polymer jewellery. So what are you waiting for? Just google “polymer clay” and get started!