How to Make Polymer Clay Canes

Polymer clay canes are used to create beads and buttons with images and shapes inside of them. These beads and buttons are known as millefiori slices. Millefiori was originally a technique for creating glass canes, beads and mosaics. Recently, millefiori has been made with polymer clay instead of glass because polymer clay millefiori slices may be made without heating the product until the final stages, when it is baked in an oven. In effect, polymer clays are easier to use than glass, making millefiori slices a relatively easy project that adults and children can try.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Pencil
• Paper
• Polymer clay
• Polymer clay slicer or Sculpey slicer

1. Draw a design the same size as the size of your cane. Circles are the most common shape for these designs. The size of the design is not crucial, but keep in mind the larger the design, the more polymer clay you must purchase. A 4-to-6 inch design is common.

2. Begin filling in the colors on the design with pieces of polymer clay. Do this by laying long tubes of clay on their ends in the shape of the area to be filled. Do this until the entire design has been filled.

3. With the cane sitting on its end, begin pinching and squeezing the cane in the middle. With time, it will become the shape of an hour glass, with wide ends and a thin middle. Squeeze the middle evenly so that the clay is evenly distributed. Continue until the middle has reached the desired diameter. The diameter will vary, but 2 or 3 inches is acceptable.

4. With the polymer clay or Sculpey slicer, cut the cane in half so that the polymer clay forms 2 cone-like (or volcano-like) shapes. Set 1 cone aside and begin pulling on the thinner end of the other cone, stretching it out and slicing off a length to the desired size. Work until you have stretched out both cones and used all bits of polymer clay. There is no set length that you must make each cane. This is all personal preference. Most canes will be sliced up as desired to make buttons, beads and magnets, so the length may not really matter, depending on your plans for each cane.

Tips & Warnings

• Especially for first time attempts, keep the cane design simple. A flower, bull's eye or other circle-based designs are especially basic and will be good starter designs. Do not bake the polymer clay until it is in the final desired shape. You will not be able to manipulate it once it has been baked. Follow baking instructions as provided on the package.

Resources

• Polymer Canes Tutorial