DIY Network

Working With Polymer Clay: Using Impression Plates and Cookie Cutters Visit DIY's Craft Lab to learn how to work with polymer clay. From "Craft Lab" episode DCLB-210

Host Jennifer Perkins demonstrates how to work with polymer clay by using impression plates and cookie cutters as practice before moving onto metal clay.

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Learn how to use impression plates and cookies cutters to work with polymer clay.

Working with Polymer Clay: Using Impression Plates and Cookie Cutters

Project designed by Jennifer Perkins.

Materials:

polymer clay
impression clay
cookie cutters
drawing straws of various sizes
mat
acrylic roller
rolling pins
embroidery needles
dish of olive oil
make-up wedges (or any other small absorbent sponge/brush)
craft knife

	Figure A
	Figure B

1. Take some conditioned polymer clay and heat it up in your hand by rolling it into a ball. Clean your workspace by using a makeup wedge soaked in olive oil so that the clay does not stick. Clean your roller with olive oil as well.

2. Roll the polymer clay ball into a thin sheet as you would with bread or pizza dough using an acrylic roller. This flattened piece of clay will be used for buttons so roll the clay out as thick as you desire your buttons to be.

3. Take an impression plate with the raised side facing up and apply olive oil to prevent clay from sticking. Press raised side down firmly into the clay (figure A).

4. Gently peel the plate off once it has evenly been spread into the clay. There should be a nice clean indention as long as enough olive oil has been applied to the plate (figure B).

5. Take a cookie cutter and wipe it down with olive oil before pressing it into the flat sheet of clay. Remove the excess clay, revealing the final cut out.

6. To make button holes use a cut up straw (preferably a coffee stirrer) and make two button holes. Place finished button(s) into preheated oven and cook per manufacturer's instructions.

RESOURCES :

Photopolymer Plates and Metal Clay
Art Clay World
Website: www.artclayworld.com

GUESTS :

Cathi Milligan
Bead Brains
Website: www.beadbrains.com