Staetler kindly gave me a range of Fimo Professional to try out and this is what I created. The clay is really lovely to work with and this project is super easy to do.
MATERIALS
1/8 block Fimo Professional in True Red, Bordeaux, Violet and Champagne Fine chain and chunky chain (length to suit you) 8–10mm large jumpring Clasp Roller Pasta machine Tissue blade
RESOURCES
For Fimo Professional see stockist list on www.staedtler.co.uk All other materials and tools are widely available from advertisers listed throughout this magazine
STEP 1
Condition all four colours of clay. To do this, either roll the clay with a roller and fold the sheet in half as it gets thinner until the clay is soft , or run through a pasta machine about 20 times, folding in half with each roll.
STEP 2
Roll out a sheet of each colour at setting No. 4 (1.3mm) on a pasta machine or with a roller and spacer bars. Cut the sheet in half and roll one half through the machine at No. 6 (1mm).
STEP 3
Cut both sheets in half again and stack. Place the colours and thicknesses so you get diff erent colours/thicknesses together. Roughly tidy up the edges by cutting off the excess with a tissue blade.
STEP 4
Cut the stack in half, lengthwise. Roll one stack to half its depth (approx. 6mm) and the other through No. 1 (approx. 3mm) on the pasta machine, though start with the roller to get it fl atter fi rst.
STEP 5
Cut each sheet into 2mm strips using a tissue blade. Collect all the scraps from the project so far and mix into a solid colour. The easiest way to do that is by rolling it through the pasta machine, folding and rolling until the colour is even. Then fi nally roll the scrap sheet at setting No. 4.
STEP 6
Lay the strips from the last step onto scrap sheet, mixing the two sizes of stripes to make a nicely arranged stripy sheet. Be careful to lay the strips close together so you don’t get any gaps appearing later.
STEP 7
Roll this sheet with the roller until it is a little thinner, then put through the pasta machine fi rstly on setting No. 1 and then on No. 2 so you end up with a thinner sheet that is even, with clear stripes.
STEP 8
Cut out two squares using a 30mm square cutter. Take one square and with both thumbs and forefi ngers, press the two opposite corners together gently to make the top bead (check the main image). Gather the scrap clay again and make another sheet of clay, lay the other square on top and with the tissue blade cut around the shape, leaving a small border. Bake.
STEP 9
When cool, thread the pendant piece on a large jumpring and hang through the bail piece. For this necklace I used two diff erent weights of chain in gold, as that’s my colour of choice this year, but use whatever suits the polymer clay.
