How to Make Clay Necklace Beads
Clay necklace beads are a creative way for children to learn about jewelry making. These beads can be made at home from a couple of common ingredients, and can be used once dry to make colorful accessories for your children to wear or give as gifts. Follow the steps listed to learn how to make clay necklace beads.
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Things You'll Need
- 4 cups of flour
- 1 cup salt
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 tbsp. of vegetable oil
- Different colors of food coloring
- Paper clips
- Old newspapers or rags
- Large mixing spoons
- Mixing bowls
- An oven
- A cookie sheet
- Aluminum foil
Instructions
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1
Lay some old newspapers or rags over your work surface, so that it does not get stained in the bead making process.
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2
Mix together the flour, water, salt and oil in a large mixing bowl. Mix the items well until they are completely combined, and no loose ingredients remain.
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3
Separate the dough into a few different mixing bowls.
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4
Add a few drops of food coloring to each bowl and mix the dough together until it has absorbed the food coloring and changed color. Place a different color in each bowl to create a variety of colors.
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5
Form the dough into ovals, hearts, squares, circles, rectangles or small animal shapes. You can be creative here, these are the bead shapes that will later go on your necklaces, so make them any way you like.
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6
Unwrap a paper clip, and use it to poke holes in each of the beads. Make the holes wide enough to accommodate whatever type of material you are using for the necklaces. Keep in mind that yarn would need bigger holes, and thread would need smaller ones. Be sure that the holes go all the way through to the other side of the bead, or you won't be able to thread them on your necklaces.
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7
Line a cookie sheet with some aluminum foil. You do this so that the beads will not stick to the cookie sheet while they are in the oven.
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Place the shaped clay beads onto the cookie sheet and insert it into a 250 degree F oven for about 15 to 20 minutes. Check on the beads every five minutes or so to make sure they are not burning. When they have started to harden, remove them and let them cool.
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Take the clay beads off of the cookie sheet once they have cooled, and you can now use them to make your necklaces. Visit the Resources section below for more clay crafts.
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Tips & Warnings
Be sure to poke the paper clip all the way through the bead, or you won't be able to use it to make a necklace.
Decorate your beads with paint or markers when they have cooled down to give them a creative touch.
Use caution when operating a stove, and wear oven mitts to avoid getting burned.
