Materials :
-2 plain wooden hardware knobs( you can get it from Home Depot or another store like it).
-Polymer clay( 2 contrasting colors- use Sculpey brand because it can be manipulated better and use the 2 0z packages. You will need to use approximately half of the package from both colors.)
-Pasta Machine( if you dont have one use a rolling pin which will work just as well)
- Glaze
- xacto knife
- oil if clay is hard and cannot be manipulated well.
-2 metal screws
-paintbrush( cannot be reused once it has been used with the glaze)
Direction
In order to achieve a really beautiful looking pattern on clay without having to be painted after its been baked you can learn to make different canes. In this Tutorial I will show you how to make the lace cane effect for the knobs. Follow my pictures to help you see exactly how its done.
- First take your darker color clay and put it in the pasta machine so it rolls out into a flat sheet( or use a rolling pin).
- Then you will need to take your lighter color clay and roll it into a tube about the same width and length as your contrasting color.
- Take your light color clay and put in the middle of the darker clay and make the darker clay cover the whole length of the lighter clay. (make sure not to cover the ends- you should be able to see the light color on both ends- if you huave a little overlapping just trim it off with the xacto knife as shown in picture).
- Next roll your cane till its about 8" in length.
- Now you will use your xacto knife to cut 7 pieces that are about 1" each.
- Place one of your pieces that will be the center and the rest of the six will surround the center piece.
- Now your new cane will look segmented so you will need to make it into another long cane by rolling it together.( refer to the pictures to see what it should look like... trim the ends a little so the design looks even on both sides). Make your new cane as long as 5".
- Cut your new cane into four pieces about 1" each.
- Now place two pieces next to each other that will be the top row and two pieces next to each other that will be the bottom row. Then place top and bottom together and roll out your final cane.
- Start to slice off thin pieces( not too thin that it will tear when molding it onto the knob) and place onto knob carefully covering all of the knob except for the very bottom.
- Once both knobs are covered you will need to bake it in a clay oven or a separate toaster oven only used for clay. Bake at 265 degrees for about 25 minutes.
- After knobs have been cooled you can use the glaze and cover with just one coat... apply smoothly.
- Last but not least put your new knobs on any dresser you like and enjoy.( I think I will try a different color for mine next time.)
