bobbin tutorial

Had a request for making bobbins from Poly clay so instead of doing this on the message board I'm going to do it here. Will make a separate post on the board for any questions. You can click on the pictures to make the pictures larger.

NOTE: I made these last night using 1 teaspoon as the measuring device but have since decided to go back to the 1/2 teas. The larger ones I feel like might be to heavy.You will probably need to play & see what you think!

My tools:
Dowels cut to length
Paper cut to size for the handle
2 colors of clay for the marbled look
1/2 teas. measuring spoon
1/8 teas. measuring spoon
Sharp object for cutting the clay
dish for baking

Slice off some of the clay and condition it till it is soft. Fill the 1/2 teas. 2 times with one color and then 2 times with the other color. (we are making 2 beads.) If you only want to make one bead just fill the 1/2 teas. once with each color.

Roll each color into a rope and then twist them together

Now this part is where you will stop when you get something you like. I can't tell you how much to twist, mush, or roll till you get a bead that you like.

Here I have used painters tape to mark how far down on the dowel that I want the bead to go. Gently push & twist the bead onto the dowel trying NOT to put your finger marks or to distort it out of shape. I had to take it off a couple of times to roll it around in my hand again before I got a sorta round shape.

Take the beads of and put them in a baking dish and make 2 more in the same manner except use the 1/8 teaspoon.

Now bake them according to to the directions on your pkg. I baked at 275degrees and did the small ones for about 20 to 25 min. and the large ones for 40 to 45 degrees.

After they had cooled I glued them onto the dowels and left overnight to dry. This morning I put the paper on and painted the beads with a glossy sealer stuff that is for clay.

If anyone who has worked with this stuff has any input please do so. I do not know what I'm doing. This clay is some I have here for the Grandkids to play with and I was wondering if it would work.

THANK YOU Grishko for getting us started and I will be making more bobbins. Just a couple dozen more to go.