Things You'll Need:
- Oven
- Polymer clay in two or more colors
- Cookie sheet or pie tin
- Hot pad to remove pan with baked beads
- Toothpick or skewer
- Your hands, imagination and creativity
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Step 1
Buy polymer clay from your local craft store or order it online. Keep in mind the project you are planning and who is going to be making it when choosing your polymer clay colors. A square of polymer clay makes quite a few small beads. You may need more for larger beads or larger projects. You might want to buy smaller packages of the polymer clay to begin with. You can always get more if you need it.
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Step 2
Open the package of polymer clay and work it in the palm of your hand until it is softer. Some forms of polymer clay are very stiff when you first open them. They need to be made pliable by working them in your hands. The kneading and the warmth of your hands will soften the polymer clay.
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Step 3
Choose the size of bead you would like to make. Take a small chunk of the softened polymer clay in your hand. Roll it with the palms of both hands until you form a smooth ball. If you want more than one color in the bead, add bits of another color in small globs or strips. Then roll them into the same bead until it is smooth. They do not have to be perfectly round. Make as many beads or bead combinations as you like. These are great for bracelets or necklaces.
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Step 4
Take a toothpick or small skewer and carefully poke a hole all the way through each bead. This is where you will put thread or wire through when making a bracelet, necklace or earrings after the beads are baked and cooled. Don’t forget this step. Once the clay is baked it hardens and unless you drill it, you won’t be able to poke a hole through the bead.
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Step 5
Set the beads spaced apart on a cookie sheet or pie tin. Cook at the temperature and for the time specified on the polymer clay package wrap. Let them sit to cool. Then you have beads ready for whatever beading project you are making with the handmade polymer clay beads.
