Making your own clay beads is a fun and easy craft that allows you to create unique jewelry pieces. With just a few simple materials and tools, you can make beautiful polymer clay or air dry clay beads in all sorts of shapes, sizes and designs. Learning how to make clay beads step-by-step opens up endless possibilities for DIY jewelry projects.
Supplies Needed
To make clay beads at home, you'll need:
- Polymer clay or air dry clay - Sculpey and Fimo are popular brands of polymer clay. Air dry clays like Crayola Model Magic are also easy to use.
- Clay tools - A blade, roller, dotting tools, cutters and mold shapes like beads or tubes make clay shaping easier.
- Beading needle or thick straight pin
- Elastic cord, string, wire or chain
- Optional: liquid clay, mica powder, alcohol inks, acrylic paints, glaze
Step 1: Condition the Clay
Start by conditioning or softening the clay. For polymer clay, knead it in your hands until smooth and pliable. For air dry clay, simply flatten and smooth any lumps. Conditioning makes the clay easier to manipulate into beads.
Step 2: Shape the Beads
There are several techniques for shaping clay beads:
- Roll beads - Roll clay between your palms or use a roller to create round, oblong and teardrop beads. Vary thickness for larger and smaller beads.
- Cut beads - Roll out a sheet of clay and use cutters, molds or a blade to cut out bead shapes.
- Mold beads - Press clay into a mold cavity to instantly achieve a bead shaped like hearts, flowers, animals, etc.
- Handform beads - Shape beads using your fingers to sculpt focal clay beads.
Step 3: Add Decorations
Here are some ways to decorate DIY clay beads:
- Imprint designs - Press a carved stamp, seed beads, sequins, beads, buttons or other objects into the clay to transfer the design.
- Apply liquid clay - Coat beads with colored liquid clay (diluted with a bit of water) for a glazed effect.
- Embed inclusions - Press bits of colored clay, mica powder, glitters or confetti into the clay.
- Draw or paint - Sketch designs into the clay using a clay shaper or paint cured beads with acrylics.
- Coat with inks - Apply alcohol inks, nail polish or acrylic paints on the bead surface to add color and patterns.
Step 4: Pierce Holes
Use a beading needle or straight pin to pierce a hole through each bead before baking. For larger beads, pierce with a thicker skewer. Holes should be big enough for your jewelry cord to pass through.
Step 5: Bake Polymer Clay Beads
Bake polymer clay beads according to package directions, usually for 15-20 minutes at 265°F. Baking cures and hardens the clay. Allow beads to cool completely before handling. Air dry clay beads can be left to dry at room temperature overnight.
Step 6: String and Finish Beads
Once cooled and hardened, string clay beads onto necklace cord, headpins or chain with jewelry pliers. For bracelets, use stretch cord or elastic beading cord. Add clasps, wire wraps, chain and other findings to finish jewelry designs.
Tips for Making DIY Clay Beads
- Condition clay well and knead out any air bubbles to prevent cracking
- Bake beads on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or foil
- Allow extra length when piercing holes to prevent breaking
- Bake beads laying flat to prevent warping
- Let beads cure for 24 hours after baking before wearing jewelry
- Seal baked polymer clay beads with a water-based polyurethane for added durability
With some clay, creative bead designs and jewelry findings, you can easily make fashionable clay bead bracelets, necklaces, earrings and more! The options for custom DIY jewelry pieces using handmade clay beads are endless.