Three Tips for Working with Polymer Clay

     If you don’t have easy access to a pottery studio or kiln, there’s still a way you can work with clay at home.  Polymer clay bakes in a conventional oven and is a great medium for making jewelry or home décor items.  Unlike porcelain, china, or other types of pottery made from mineral clay, baked polymer clay is shatter-proof and very lightweight.
 
     Here are my top three tips for working with polymer clay for beginners:
 
1. Cover your working space with wax paper.

Polymer clay is highly pigmented and can stain the surface you’re working on.  A layer of wax paper under your project will also prevent it from sticking to a table or tray and ripping when you attempt to peel the clay off the flat surface.

2. Polymer clay hardens after it fully cools.

When you’re baking polymer clay, don’t expect to see the object harden as it cooks.  The polymer clay will only harden once it’s removed from the oven and completely cools to room temperature. 

3. Follow the directions on the packaging.

If polymer clay bakes for too long or at too high of a temperature, your project could burn, bubble, and run into all sorts of trouble!  Monitor the baking process when you try a new brand of clay for the first time.

​     Below are some of the projects I’ve been working on lately:

​A monstera leaf trinket tray from issue 95 of Mollie Makes:

​My design for a magnetic air plant holder:

     I hope that you feel inspired to try something new!  If you’re a fan of polymer clay, please share your story in the comments. ​