Quick & Easy 3 colour Polymer Clay Beads

Sue Heaser's cane

I was trying to recreate Sue Heaser's perfectly worked spiral cane when I started to make these beads out of left over polymer clay (visit the Fact File to see How to make a Spiral Cane).  However, a lack of practice and patience resulted in a skew-whiff pink and white version which I decided to use regardless.  The black and white 'spiral' cane was deliberately made to emulate the first.

Choose colours to compliment an outfit

With the remainder of the clay, I made three sausages and divided them into equally sized pieces before rolling them into beads. 
Each of the spiral canes were then sliced and divided out so that there were 3-4 slices for each bead which I then applied before rolling them into the surface.  There is no need for glue as the clays blend together easily.

Each bead was then given a hole with a thin knitting needle before baking them in a cool oven for 30 minutes.  Baking the polymer clay turns it into a hard and durable material, remember to bake in a well ventilated room and not to use ovenware that will be used for cooking food.  I use disposable tin trays, lined with baking parchment.

When the beads cooled, I strung them on a length of black elastic.

Visit the website to see our selection of Polymer Clays in the Jewellery Making or pop into the Fact File to see what else you can make with polymer clay.