How to Make a Fimo Pin
This craft project results in lovely items just right for gift giving. Working with an oven baked clay like Fimo is simple enough to use for a craft with children and professional enough to make items for a craft show. Try it for Valentine's Day for preschool teachers or adapt it for Christmas trees or Easter eggs. Handmade gifts make for specialized one-of-a-kind gift giving sure to be treasured. The overall cost of Fimo is inexpensive if you make multiple pieces for teachers, coaches, grandparents or a craft fair.
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Things You'll Need
- Oven bake clay, like Fimo
- Rolling pin or round bottle or dedicated pasta machine
- Aluminum foil
- Cookie cutter
- Cookie sheet/baking pan
- Oven or toaster oven
- 300 grade sand paper, wet
- Future floor finish
- Paintbrush
- Hot glue gun and glue or super glue
- Pin backs
Instructions
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Begin working with the clay. Try a variety of colors and specifically a few that have a metallic or sparkle character to them for added visual appeal. Typically, oven baked clay needs to be conditioned--this just means kneading until it is pliable (usually 30 to 50 kneads). Work each color separately. If you have a pasta maker dedicated to working with the clay. run it through the machine 20 times to condition it. Failure to condition the clay will cause it to be brittle or crack after baking. You can find oven-baked clay that doesn't need conditioning, such as Fimo Soft. It is ready to use right out of the package.
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Once the clay is ready, mix all colors chosen together. This process needs finesse. Mixing too long will create a muddy mix so try twisting together and folding. Roll the blended clay out flat with a dedicated rolling pin or a round bottle to about a quarter inch in thickness. If its too thin, the clay will easily break or snap in two after baking. Use the cookie cutter to cut out desirable shapes that have interesting patterns. You can use your fingers to smooth out the edges if needed. Place the shapes on aluminum foil on a baking sheet and try not to over-handle the shaped clay. Follow the baking instructions on the clay packaging.
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As soon as you can touch the baked clay, you can continue to work with the shapes. If there are any flaws along the edges or on the surface (like a fingerprint) you can use the wet sandpaper to smooth out the surface. Don't overuse the sandpaper or it will change the original look of the piece. Rinse with water and paper towel dry. The shapes can be used this way or can be finished with a glossy surface.
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While there are many finishing products available where the oven baking clay is sold, the following suggestion is thrifty and produces excellent results. Use Future floor finish and paint thin layers onto the clay surface. Allow each layer to dry before applying more layers (this take about 30 minutes to dry). Once the desired effect is achieved (try using three layers), allow it to dry thoroughly overnight. The Future floor finish can also be sanded if an air bubble or flaw appears, then apply another layer.
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With the dry finished shape in hand, use the appropriate glue to apply the pin to the back. The item is now finished and ready to be worn. Have your child give them to their teachers on a card that says, "Handmade especially for you."
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Tips & Warnings
Many of the tools needed for this craft are typical cookie making items. Never mix food-making items with craft-making items. You can easily buy inexpensive duplicate items for craft projects at the local dollar store.
When painting the Future floor polish onto the shapes, be careful with the bristols of hair from the paintbrush. These can easily be removed while the finish is wet but more difficult to do so once dry. Using a good quality brush will alleviate this problem.
Oven baked clay that is baked at too high a temperature can burn and let off a gas, so be sure to read and follow the manufacturer's directions carefully. Doing so will result in a non-toxic product.
Resources
- Photo Credit J. Van Lone Trieschman
