Polymer Clay Watch

Materials

Kato Polyclay: 1/4 block each yellow, green, blue, black
paintable face watch
Kato Acrylic clay roller
Kemper 5/8" circle pattern cutter #PCAR
1-1/4" circle template
clay blade
craft knife
clay-dedicated pasta machine
needle tool
work/baking surface (12" x 12" or 8" x 8" smooth ceramic tile)
automotive protectant spray like Armor All or Son-of-a Gun
brush-on superglue or nail glue
black fine-tip permanent marker
ruler

1. Condition all clay thoroughly before using, starting with the lightest colors first. Knead for 1 or 2 minutes until soft and pliable or cut a block into four to five slices and run through a pasta machine on the largest setting several times until pliable.

2. Roll the yellow, green, and blue clays through the largest setting of the pasta machine. Stack each sheet of clay in the order listed and trim to 3" x 1".

3. Roll the black clay through the fifth largest setting of the pasta machine. Lay the 3" x 1" stack of layered clays (yellow side down) over the black clay sheet and trim away excess clay with the clay blade (figure A).

4. Turn the layered stack so the black layer faces up. Make 10 to 12 indentations along the width of the stacked block, every 1/4 inch (figure B). The needle tool should be pressed about two-thirds of the way through the stacked block (figure C).

5. Roll a large ball of black clay into a 1/8-inch-diameter snake. Run the snake through the fifth largest setting of the pasta machine. Cut the flattened snake into 10 or 12 1-inch lengths with the craft knife. Insert a 1-inch section in each gap created by the needle tool (figure D).

6. Press the gaps together with your fingers (figure E) and roll over the surface of the clay with the acrylic roller to "heal" the seams in the black clay (figure F).

7. Pinch along the length of one end of the stacked clay block, between thumb and index finger (figure G). Fold the pinched end over the black layer and roll up the entire stacked clay block jellyroll fashion (the black layer should be on the inside of the roll) (figure H).

8. Compress the jellyroll cane by gently squeezing and rotating from the center, working out to one end. Turn the cane over and compress the other half using the same squeezing and rotating motion. Roll the compacted cane against the work surface to reduce and even the diameter with palm or fingers (figure I).

9. Cut the cane in half and reduce one half to 1/4 inch in diameter. Pinch one side of the reduced cane along the entire length to form the paisley teardrop shape (figure J).

10. Roll a small ball of yellow clay through the seventh largest setting of the pasta machine. (Note: This is very thin!) Cut approximately 16 thin slices from the paisley cane (figure K) and place randomly over the yellow clay sheet. (Tip: Turn the cane over after cutting each slice to keep from flattening the teardrop shape.)

11. Run the yellow sheet with the cane slices through the pasta machine on the seventh largest setting again (figure L).

12. Place the embedded sheet on the tile work surface. Spray a small amount of automotive protectant spray on the embedded sheet and spread over clay surface with finger. Smooth the clay by rolling the acrylic rod over it several times. Place the 1-1/4-inch circle template over the patterned clay and cut around the inside edge with the craft knife (the blade should be pointed and very sharp). Lift the template away and remove excess clay. Smooth the edges of the clay circle with fingertips (figure M).

13. Press the circle pattern cutter into the clay circle, 1/16" away from the edge (figure N). Lift away the pattern cutter, but do not remove the small clay circle left by the pattern cutter.

14. Draw a black line around the inside edge of the watch frame with a black permanent marker. This line should be about 1/8 inch thick. Super glue the clay watch face in place, making sure the inner small circle is aligned with the watch’s hands (figure O).

15. Apply a few drops over super glue around the bottom edge of the watch’s crystal and press into place over the opening of the watch.

16. For added flair, paint or embellish the watchband.