Floral fiesta! - Polymer Clay Charm Beads

Make a statement with Ellen Kharade's bright polymer clay charm beads

Ellen Kharade, MJ Designer

"These beads look great threaded onto dark leather cord, but they would be equally stylish on a silver snake chain"

Festival season is here and our polymer clay charm bead set really tops the bill. These bright candycoloured designs have been made by rolling up a ball of polymer clay, making a large hole in the centre and slipping in bead sleeves. They can be decorated with flowers, balls and crystals, or adorned with glitter for extra sparkle.

Necklace

1. Choose a clay shade or create a mix, then roll into a small ball, roughly 6mm in diameter. Gently push a tapered metal skewer through one side of the ball and out through the other (Fig.1).
2. Continue pushing the skewer through until the hole is large enough to take a bead sleeve. Take your time with this process so as not to distort the shape of the bead. If the clay is too soft, pop it into the fridge for half an hour to firm up before trying again. Once the hole is big enough, slip a bead sleeve into both ends and gently re-shape with your fingers (Fig.2).
3. Leave the bead on the skewer to add the decoration. Mix up more clay and pinch off four small evenly sized balls. To make a petal, roll one of the balls between your fingers, flatten it and pinch into a point. Carefully position the petal onthe side of the bead (Fig.3), make three more petals in the same way and position them to complete the flower motif.
4. Roll out a small ball of clay and position in the centre of the flower (Fig.4). On the opposite side of the bead add another flower as before. Roll out more small balls of clay and position in between the flowers (Fig.5). Make up another seven beads in the same way, varying the colours and surface decorations, as shown. Leave on the skewers and bake for 20 minutes at 110°C.
5. Condition a ball of Indian red clay and roll into a long sausage, then cut into eight evenly sized pieces, about 5mm. Roll the pieces into balls and make a hole through the centres using the skewer. Remember to make the holes large enough to thread a 2mm diameter length of leather cord through. Bake for 15 minutes at 110°C.
6. Roll out a ball of lavender clay measuring roughly 2cm in diameter and make a pilot hole through the centre using a needle, then push a long head pin through. Mix up some pale pink clay and pinch off four evenly sized pieces, form them into petals and arrange on the ball of clay.
7. Roll out a small ball of white clay and place in the centre of the flower. Make up another flower and arrange on the opposite side of the ball. Add a row of white balls in between the flowers and decorate with pink flat back crystals. Roll out a white ball of clay and thread onto the head pin. Bake the ball for 30 minutes at 110°C.
8. Trim the head pin to size and turn into a neat loop, then attach to a small jump ring. Cut 46cm of leather cord and attach a fold-over end cap at one end. Thread on a red bead and a decorative bead, then repeat three more times. Thread the large decorative ball onto the middle of the cord followed by the remainder of the beads. Slip the other end of the cord into a cap and add jump rings to either end, plus a clasp.

Bracelet

1. Make up nine decorative beads with sleeves and 10 smaller red beads in the same way as the necklace. Cut 19cm of brown leather cord, or enough to fit your own wrist. Lay the cord in the bottom of a fold over end cap channel with the end of the cord facing the loop of the component.
2. Hold the cord in place with one hand and using roundnosed pliers, roll over the side of the cap inwards towards the leather cord. Squeeze the side of the cap flat over the cord with flat-nosed pliers. Fold the other side of the cap over the first fold and squeeze shut using the pliers.
3. Thread a red bead onto the cord, followed by a decorative bead. Repeat, alternating between the two types until all the beads have been added. Slip the other end of the cord into another end cap and add jump rings to either end. Add a clasp to finish.

Handbag Charm

1. Roll out a ball of raspberry clay measuring roughly 3cm in diameter. Push a head pin through the ball as before and decorate with flowers and crystals. Sprinkle with a little glitter if desired and bake for 30 minutes at 110°C.
2. Using raspberry and pale pink clay, cut out five flower shapes with a blossom cutter and decorate, before pushing head pins through the middles. Make a few small round plum beads and push head pins through them. Bake all the beads for 15 minutes at 110°C.
3. Trim the head pins to size and turn over into neat loops. Attach the charms to a 3.5cm length of chain with small jump rings. Fasten the ball and a key ring fob to the ends of the chain with large jump rings to complete.