Polymer Focal Bead

• 1/3 oz of black polymer clay (makes a handful of beads)
• Scrap clay, about 1/2 oz or less
• Imitation Gold Leaf or Gold metallic acrylic paint
• Green metallic acrylic paint (and small paint brush)
• *Translucent Liquid Sculpey: TLS (*Optional, if you don't have TLS you will need varnish)
• 1/2" flat paint brush for applying the TLS
• Roller, brayer, or pasta machine
• Varnish or sanding materials (See Sanding)
• Misc. items: Oven or toaster oven, shallow baking dish, skewers, work surface, needle tool for making the hole, wax paper

Materials for the Bracelet

• Green or matching color nylon beading thread: Size B or D Nymo, or Silamide
• Size °10 or °12 long beading needle
• Assorted glass beads in matching color of focal bead, 40-50 various 4-6mm shapes
• Two large (8mm) beads
• About half a hank total of assorted seed beads in various colors, the project bracelet uses 4 different green shades and a gold.
• 4 large bead caps (You can make them out of clay, see below)
• 2, 2" eyepins
• Clasp
• Jump rings
• Round nosed pliers
• Flat nosed pliers
• Wire cutters
• Scissors
• Clear nailpolish
• Good lighting

1. Condition the clay. Roll out the black clay into a strip 1" wide and 1/8" thick.
   
   
2. Place a small piece of gold leaf onto the clay, smooth down. Paint a moderate layer of green and/or gold acrylic onto the clay. You can blend the colors together a little bit, you can also overlap onto the leafing. Set aside to dry (about 15 min).
   
   
   • *Note: the work-up project uses purple and gold!
   
   Step 2
   
   
3. When the paint is totally dry use the roller to stretch the clay and crack the paint. Roll in the opposite (90°) direction to create cross-cracking.
   
   Step 3
   
   
4. Roll the scrap clay into a ball about 1/2" in diametr. Wrap pieces of the crackled clay sheet around the bead, covering all the scrap clay and pressing out any air bubbles. Roll in your hands to re-shape and smooth the edges. Press the bead into a flattened round shape, about 1" in diameter (you'll want it 1/4" thick). If you flatten the bead in the palms of your hands it will be a mounded shape rather than flat like a pancake if you were to press it with a flat object. Make 3 or 4 very small beads for the rest of the bracelet.
   
   Step 4
   
   
5. Use the needle tool to make a hole through the beads. Place on a skewer. Gently smooth out any fingerprints. *The picture shows all the beads made with the strip from step 2. Large round are 1" in diam. Smallest of the small beads is 1/4".
   
   Step 5
   
   
6. Baking:(See Safety tips about baking) Place the beads into a pre-heated oven and bake according to the package directions.
   
   
   • You have the option of either coating the bead with TLS to give it the appearence of depth, and to simulate a glass bead; or you can skip this step and go on to varnishing.
   
   
7. When the beads are cool, use a 1/2" flat brush to coat the focal bead with a thin layer of TLS, place back into the oven to bake. You can repeat this process to build up depth. You will start to lose the sparkle in the acrylic paint, however. I usually use one or two coats.
   
   
8. Finishing:If you used the TLS, you have the option of either sanding and buffing the piece or varnishing. TLS is known to take longer to sand/buff so I generally skip the work and just varnish. If you did not cover the bead with TLS you'll want to varnish to protect the paint and the leafing. Apply varnish with a small flat brush in at least two coats, drying between each application. If you choose to sand and buff see sanding/buffing in my tips page.

Making your own bead caps:

• You can make your own bead caps or bells, by forming a little clay over a 8mm round glass bead.
  
  Stick the bead onto the end of a large needle. Roll some black clay into a thin snake and coil around the bead starting at the top and twisting around until you are at the equator. Add a little paint or gold leaf so it coordinates. Stick the needle into a piece of crumpled foil for support, bake as usual. Let cool, varnish, pop-off glass bead, et voila!

1. Lay out the beads on a towel or placemat. Balance colors and accent bead types on either side of the focal bead.
   
   
2. The tricky part is to determine the length needed for the beaded sections. Measure your wrist and add 1/2" for give. Measure the length of the clasp (closed) and subtract. Place one of the beadcaps and a 8mm bead on the eye pin, measure the length and subtract for both ends. Now subtract the diameter of the focal bead. Divide this number in half and you have the length of one beaded section. For my 7" wrist the beaded sections were 2 1/4" on either side. You may want to add 1/4" for give.
   
   
3. String about 4 yards of thread and double it. Make sure the eyes on the eye pins are closed all the way. If not, give them a squeeze with the flat nosed pliers. Tie the ends to one of the eye pins, leaving a 6" tail.
   
   Step 3
   
   
   
4. Randomly string groups of seed beads and accent beads for the length determined in Step 2. When you are half way, bring the needle through a bead cap (open end towards the beads you've just strung) and then the focal bead and then through another bead cap. String the other half of the bracelet.
   
   
5. When you get to the end, tie a knot around the eye pin. Make sure your thread is pulled tight and the beads are snug. Keep stringing back and forth until you have at least seven strands. Add enough accent beads to visually balance the weight of the focal bead. If you run out of thread, knot it off at the eye pin and start a new thread as before.
   
   Step 4 Step 5
   
   
   
6. When you've strung all your beads knot off the last strand. Work the ends back into the bead work and knot off. Dab all the knots with a little nailpolish to secure. Trim the ends.
   
   
7. String a bead cap on to one eye-pin, push the cap down so it covers the eye and knots. Add an 8mm glass bead. Using the chain-nose pliers (or flat-nosed) bend the eye pin just above the 8mm bead. It should make about a 45° angle. Cut the wire to about 3/8" (1cm). Using the round-nose pliers wrap the end around into a loop. Repeat for the other end.
   
   Step 7
   
   
   
8. Attach the clasps, adding jump rings if needed.
   
   Step 8
   
   
   
9. If the finished piece is too short you can add extra jump rings at the clasp connection. If the bracelet is too long give the strands a twist as you put it on.