DIY Network

Japanese Inro Box Necklace by Michelle Ross From "Jewelry Making" episode DJMK-408

Guest artist Michelle Ross shows you how to make a Japanese Inro Box that makes a perfect hiding place.

Materials --

Kato Polyclay (small amounts of red, gold, white or pearl)
Kato Repel Gel
Texture sheet (cultural set -- Asian)
Approximately 1 yd. of cord of your choice
Embellishments of your choice

Tools --

Kato or other flex blade (very sharp, flexible tissue blade)
Mold to shape Inro on (either scrap clay or other shape)
Kemper Shaper Cutters: Oval set (3/16" round and 5/8" round)
Water spray bottle
Clay dedicated pasta machine or acrylic rod
Work surface
Oven to bake clay in
Rubber stamp of your choice
Pigment or heat set ink
Small drill and drill bit
Paintbrush
X-Acto knife
Parchment paper
Pasta machine

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	Figure A
	Figure B
	Figure C
	Figure D
	Figure E

FYI: Inro boxes are traditionally worn with kimonos and are used to carry small objects. Mokume Gane is an ancient Japanese metal working technique. They fuse layers and layers of metal together, create patterns, shave it off to give it an interesting look.

Create the Mokume Gane Stack:

1. Use three contrasting colors of conditioned clay. Cut a 2" square of each color. Stack the three pieces of clay up, placing the lightest and brightest color in the middle.

2. Flatten one of the edges down with your finger (figure A) and run it through the pasta machine, on the thickest setting, three times.
   
   
3. Run it through, cut it in half and stack, and repeat this procedure two more times. You will end up with a piece that looks like a sandwich (figure B).

   Note: All thickness' are for an Atlas Pasta Machine.

4. Spray the texture plate sheet with water (this prevents the clay from sticking to the texture plate sheet), place the clay sheet on the texture sheet and put both together through the pasta machine on a number one setting (figure C).

5. Blot a little of the water off the clay. With a sharp tissue blade, shave off the raised areas of clay with a clay blade to reveal the pattern underneath (figure D).

   Tip: Save the shavings to put on another sheet of clay to use later.

6. When done shaving, put a backing sheet of clay behind that is a number three thickness together with the patterned sheet.

7. Put these together through the pasta machine, beginning on a number one thickness, turn 1/4" and run it through again, turn it another 1/4" and then put it through the pasta machine a third time on number three setting.

8. The sheet should be very smooth (figure E) and ready to cut to size and put on your mold.

   Note: You want the piece of clay to thin without losing much of the pattern.

Figure F

Choose the Mold You Will Use

1. Coat the mold with Repel Gel using a paintbrush. The Repel Gel keeps the clay from sticking to the mold when you bake it in the oven.

2. Wrap the mokume gane piece on the mold (figure F), cut to size and smooth the seam, bake for 30 minutes at 275 degrees.

   Note: Check the manufacturer's instructions for cooking time and temperature.

RESOURCES :

Kato Polyclay, Repel Gel, Flex Blade
Phone: 719-748-5114
Websites: www.katopolyclay.com
www.prairiecraft.com
www.donnakato.com

Also available from:

Van Aken International
Phone: 909-980-2001
Website: www.vanaken.com

Texture Plates and Kemper Cutters
Websites: www.polymerclayexpress.com
www.clayfactoryinc.com

Gwen Gibson's Wearable Vessels Videotape
Website: www.gwengibson.com

GUESTS :

Michelle Ross
Artist
We apologize no further information is available.