Sushi Knitting Needles

Denise Cozzitorto, of Orangevale, Calif., is young, hip and loves to try out playful projects. She learned to sew from her mom and taught herself some D-I-Y techniques. When Cozzitorto loves something, she finds a clever way to incorporate it into her work. Two examples–a sushi inspired knitting set and a stuffed creature molded after her pet cat, Flash.

Materials:

12" wood dowels (approximate diameter of a pencil)
pencil sharpener
medium-grit and extra-fine grit-sandpaper
light green acrylic paint
gel medium-glossy
foam brush
empty egg carton to hold dowel rods while painting and drying
polymer clay: white, translucent, green, red, yellow, black
acrylic roller
polymer clay cutting blade
needle tool
oven for baking clay
cotton fabric
fusible interfacing
sewing machine
iron and ironing board
pins
cement glue
scissors
ribbon
Velcro
jewelry wire
4 jump rings
aluminum foil

1. Condition one package of translucent clay with hands until soft. Roll an approximate 3/4-inch diameter cylinder with your fingers (figure A).

2. Condition one package of white clay, roll it out flat using an acrylic rod and wrap it around the translucent clay cylinder (figure B).

3. Roll the white and translucent clay into a long snake about 1/8 inch in diameter using your fingers. Cut into 12 equal sections (figure C). This makes the rice part of the sushi roll.

4. Condition the red, yellow and green clays, mixing with a little white clay. Roll colored clay into 1/8 inch diameter snakes using your fingers and cut to the same length as the white clay snakes.

5. Position the colored clay snakes in the center and surround them with white clay snakes. Roll to compress the snakes together and squeeze out any air pockets (figure D).

6. Condition black clay, roll it out flat using an acrylic roller and wrap around the colored clay roll.

7. Compress the entire sushi clay roll so it bonds together. Cut the ends to even.

8. Put the clay in the fridge for about 10 minutes to cool.