Polymer Clay "Lampwork" Beads

The key to replicating lampwork beads with polymer clay is to add the layers of liquid polyclay dots while the base bead is still hot from the oven. This partially cures the liquid polyclay and forms the eye or horn. The best part about these beads is they are much more lightweight than the glass beads.

Materials:

black Kato Polyclay
Liquid Polyclay Clear Medium
PearlEx powders: white pearl, turquoise, black
Jacquard application bottle with metal tip
Ultra Fine INOX 1.25mm knitting needle
Marxit
Kato blade
Flecto Varathane Gloss
toggle closure
Accuflex beading wire
36 silver spacer beads
clay-dedicated pasta machine or acrylic rod
11 crystal AB Swarovski beads
clay-dedicated baking sheet

1. Condition all clay thoroughly by rolling it through the pasta machine or kneading it by hand. Roll out a 4" x 5" sheet of black clay on the thickest setting of your pasta machine, approximately 1/8 inch thick.

2. Cut the sheet in four equal 1" x 5" strips (figure A).

3. Stack the strips on top of each other (figure B), adhering each layer by rolling it with the acrylic rod (figure C). This will form a slab of clay 1/2 inch thick.

4. Mark the slab with a Marxit using the 5mm side (figure D) or use a ruler and mark every 1/2 inch. Turn the slab one-quarter turn and mark again with the same measurements. This will form perfectly square beads (figure E).

5. Following the marks, use the blade to cut 10 square beads. To make the beads look more like glass beads, finesse them with your fingers, rounding off the corners.

6. Skewer each bead with a 1.25mm knitting needle (figure F). Leave the beads on the knitting needle to bake. Tip: I use two wooden blocks with scrap clay balls to secure the knitting needles while baking (figure G). This keeps the beads off the baking pan but allows the beads to turn freely on the knitting needle. Bake according to manufacturer's instructions.

7. Mix 1/2 oz. of clear medium with 1/8 tsp. of each white pearl, turquoise and black PearlEx. Transfer the mixtures to the slip trail bottles and add metal applicator tips.

8. While the beads are still hot, right out of the oven, place a dot of white pearl liquid on one side of each bead (figure H) and bake for 5 minutes.

9. Turn the beads a quarter turn and place a dot of white pearl on that side and bake for 5 minutes. Continue until each bead has a white pearl dot on each of the four sides.

10. Repeat the process with the turquoise liquid, making slightly smaller dots on top of the white pearl dots (figure I).

11. Repeat the process with the black liquid, making slightly smaller dots on top of the turquoise dots (figure J).

12. Allow the beads to cool. Coat the beads with Flecto Varathane Gloss. Note: This particular varnish is recommended because it does not react with the polymer clay. This will give the beads a great glassy-like finish.

13. To string this bracelet, use a toggle closure on a flexible beading wire. Alternate the "lampwork" beads with silver spacer beads and crystal AB Swarovski crystal beads (figure K).