Category: IttyBitty Bunting Beads

Itty Bitty Bunting Beads

11/9/2021

A string of green beads with green, white, pink, and brown polka dots. They are triangles and resemble bunting.

A fun little polymer clay project! You can make these in three different sizes and string them up in your dollhouse, on a shelf, or in your own unique jewelry creations! Video first, or scroll down for written instructions with pictures. Note: Video contains some sped-up footage.

VIDEO

MUSIC
Music by Lesfm on pixabay:
https://pixabay.com/music/search/lesfm/

Materials

You will need:
Polymer Clay
Polymer Clay Canes
Pasta Machine
(strongly recommended)
Liquid Clay
(optional but recommended)
Rolling tool
(acrylic roller, fondant roller, large knitting needle, etc.)
Blade/Cutting tool
(I use a wallpaper scraper replacement blade, but a craft knife would also work)
Ruler
Index Cards (or other sturdy paper)
Scissors
Toothpicks
Cord and Beads for stringing
Floss threader

How-To

Condition clay until it is warm and pliable. Warm and reduce canes to desired size.

Want to make your own canes? I have 3 instructional videos:
Bullseye Cane
Jellyroll Cane
Checkerboard Cane

Using ruler, measure and cut out three triangles from the index card to use as templates:

LARGE: 4cm x 8cm x 8cm
MEDIUM: 3cm x 6cm x 6cm
SMALL: 2cm x 5cm x 5cm

A cutting mat with an index card and scissors on it. There are triangles drawn on the index card.

A cutting mat with three triangles cut out of index card on it. The measurements are written on the triangles, one across the top and one down one side: 4cm and 8cm on the largest, 3cm and 6cm on the medium, and 2cm and 5 cm on the smallest.d

METHOD #1
Roll clay out into thin sheet
(2nd thickest setting on the pasta machine, or approximately 2mm thick.) Using template as a guide, cut clay into triangles.

One of the triangles on a rolled out piece of green polymer clay, showing the clay being cut in the same shape

Cut cane slices and gently press onto triangle, leaving approximately the top 2 centimeters blank. Use different sizes of cane slices for interest. (For this method, leave some background space between the slices.) Use roller tool to smooth cane slice down. (Gently so you don't warp the triangle.)

A green triangle of clay with pink, white, green, and brown polka dot canes on it. The canes are on the side showing several slices cut.

The same green triangle with more dots on it. These are smaller in size. There are also two canes (tubes of patterned clay) on each side with slices cut out.

The decorated triangle of clay being smoothed with a clear acrylic roller

Using toothpick, start at top and roll down to create a tube for stringing. If desired, secure with liquid clay. (recommended)

The decorated green triangle on a cutting mat with a toothpick at the top (the shortest side of the triangle)

The decorated green triangle of clay with a toothpick at the top. It is rolled down a little and there is a bottle of liquid polymer clay beside it.

The decorated green triangle of clay. The top is now rolled down around the toothpick, forming a tube at the top.

METHOD #2
Roll out a thin sheet of clay (2nd thickest setting on the pasta machine, or about 2mm thick) Make sure it is large enough for the template you want to use, and gently press cane slices down on it. (For this method, press the edges of each slice up against each other.) Continue until you have enough covered for the size of triangle you are going to cut. Smooth with roller tool.

A sheet of pink clay laid out on a cutting board. There are a few slices of clay in a checkerboard pattern on the top right corner. There is a checkerboard patterned cane on one side with several slices cut from it.

The same pink sheet of clay with more checkerboard patterned clay on it.

The decorated pink sheet of clay with a clear acrylic roller smoothing the checkerboard design out.

Using template, trim clay into triangle.

The pink sheet of clay with a checkerboard pattern on it with a triangle template made out of paper on the top.

The checkerboard patterned sheet of clay being trimmed into a triangle using the paper triangle as a template.

Using toothpick, start at top and roll down to create a tube for stringing. If desired, secure with liquid clay. (recommended)

A checkerboard patterned triangle of clay in green and pink with a toothpick at the top of the triangle (the shortest side) the clay is slightly curved over the toothpick.

A checkerboard patterned triangle of clay in pink and green with a toothpic at the top and a tube created around it with the clay

Pull out the toothpicks and gently curve the tube at the top. (Be careful not to accidentally pinch it shut!) Place triangles on cardstock or index card, and bake at the temperature indicated by the clay manufacturer. I always cover my pans with aluminum foil and bake for an hour. (Extended time is not a problem, but be careful about the temperature. An oven thermometer is always a good idea when baking polymer clay!)

Patterned polymer clay triangles with a slightly curved tube at top on an index card. The triangles are green with pink, white, green, and brown polka-dots, and green and pink checkerboards. The triangles are of various sizes with one short side and two long equal sides.

String on cord with a bead between each triangle. Floss threaders from the toothbrush aisle make good inexpensive, flexible needles. Now you can hang it up in your dollhouse, add a cute accent to a small shelf, or use them in your own unique jewelry creations!

A gray cutting mat with stringing materials laid out on it: the baked green triangles, green cord, small scissors, floss threaders, and silver colored beads.

A string of green beads with green, white, pink, an

A string of triangle beads in green and pink checkerboard. They are strung with a round silver colored bead in betwwen them and resemble a string of bunting.

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Itty Bitty Bunting Beads

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