Single-Strand Necklace, Bracelet and Earring Set with Fimo® Professional Polymer Clay and Kumihimo Seed Beads

Necklace Instructions

Polymer Clay Flowers

Note: These instructions create seven flowers for the necklace, one for the bracelet and two for the earrings of this set.

Blend together 10 parts white, 10 parts translucent and one part red polymer clays, resulting in a ball approximately 2 inches in diameter. The resulting color should be a very pale pink.

Roll the clay out on the thickest setting of a clay roller machine then place on a work surface.

Use a 1/4 inch square Kemper® clay cutter to cut 50 pieces out of the pale pink clay.

Roll a small piece of pale pink clay into a ball. Squeeze one side of the ball and roll slightly to create a teardrop. Place the teardrop onto the work surface and flatten into a petal.

Repeat with the remaining pieces of clay.

Draw the end of a tooth pick down the center of each petal to create a slight crease.

Lightly press a ball-shaped texture tool all over the surface of each petal, avoiding the crease.

Using the corner of the 1/4 inch square cutter, cut a small notch from the wide end of each petal.

Arrange five petals into a flower shape. Use the ball-shaped texture tool to press the centers together into a natural shape.

Repeat to create a total of ten flowers.

Brush mica powder on each petal crease and in the center of each flower.

Place a flower on the concave side of a bead cap. Place a few micro beads in the center of the flower. Gently tamp down on the micro beads with the tip of a pinkie finger or the end of a pen to create a concave shape.

Note: Do not press the clay onto the bead cap with the intent of creating a secure connection. The bead caps will be removed after the shape has been baked.

Bake the flowers, in the bead caps, according to the clay instructions.

Once the clay has cooled remove the bead caps.

Braided Rope

Cut eight 10-foot lengths of pink imitation silk cord. Apply E6000® Fray Lock™ to the end of each cord.

Gather the strands of cord together. Tightly wrap a 3-inch head pin around the center point of the cords twice.

String a 3mm round bead, a cone and second 3mm round bead onto the head pin then create a wrapped loop, pulling the cords into the cone.

String the following onto each cord. Tie a small overhand knot at the end of each cord to secure the beads.

Cord 1:

• 10 ceylon pastel light blue #6 seed beads
• 18 ceylon pastel sea foam #6 seed beads
• 18 ceylon pastel pink #6 seed beads
• 25 luster antique ivory pearl #6 seed beads
• 18 ceylon pastel pink #6 seed beads
• 18 sea foam seed beads
• 24 light blue seed beads

Cord 2

• 12 light blue seed beads
• 18 sea foam seed beads
• 18 pink seed beads
• 25 ivory pearl seed beads
• 18 pink seed beads
• 18 sea foam seed beads
• 22 light blue seed beads

Cord 3

• 14 light blue seed beads
• 18 sea foam seed beads
• 18 pink seed beads
• 25 ivory pearl seed beads
• 18 pink seed beads
• 18 sea foam seed beads
• 18 light blue seed beads

Cord 4

• 16 light blue seed beads
• 18 sea foam seed beads
• 18 pink seed beads
• 25 ivory pearl seed beads
• 18 pink seed beads
• 18 sea foam seed beads
• 16 light blue seed beads

Cord 5

• 18 light blue seed beads
• 18 sea foam seed beads
• 18 pink seed beads
• 25 ivory pearl seed beads
• 18 pink seed beads
• 18 sea foam seed beads
• 16 light blue seed beads

Cord 6

• 20 light blue seed beads
• 18 sea foam seed beads
• 18 pink seed beads
• 25 ivory pearl seed beads
• 18 pink seed beads
• 18 sea foam seed beads
• 14 light blue seed beads

Cord 7

• 22 light blue seed beads
• 18 sea foam seed beads
• 18 pink seed beads
• 25 ivory pearl seed beads
• 18 pink seed beads
• 18 sea foam seed beads
• 12 light blue seed beads

Cord 8

• 24 light blue seed beads
• 18 sea foam seed beads
• 18 pink seed beads
• 25 ivory pearl seed beads
• 18 pink seed beads
• 18 sea foam seed beads
• 10 light blue seed beads

Insert the cone end of the cords into the center of a round kumihimo disk. Place the cords according to the spiral kumihimo braid instructions.

Note: To reduce tangling while braiding, wrap each beaded cords onto a Huggy® Spools.

Braid a standard spiral braid for 1/4 inch.

Continue to use the standard spiral braid technique while adding beads until all but two beads on each strand are used. Slide a bead down into the braid with each cord movement, positioning the bead under the adjacent cord in the center of the disk.

Place the head of a head pin into the center of the braid with the straight end point up.

Continue to braid while adding beads until all the beads are used then braid without beads for 1/4 inch.

Using a length of nylon thread, tie a whipping knot around the silk cords close to the head of the head pin.

Trim excess cords from around the straight end of the head pin.

String a 3mm round bead, a cone and second 3mm round bead onto the head pin then create a wrapped loop.

Branch and Assembling the Necklace

Mix four parts yellow, four parts white and one part red polymer clays. Slowly add small amounts of black and green clay, blending between each addition, until the desired brown color a branch is achieved. The result should be a ball approximately 2 inches in diameter.

Apply a small amount of Poly Bonder to the setting of a box clasp then press a small amount of light brown clay into the setting.

Apply a small amount of Poly Bonder to the top of the clay then press a flower on.

If creating a matching bracelet, repeat to embellish a second clasp.

Roll the remaining light brown clay into several tapered snakes.

Roll each snake over a texture plate.

Wrap the snakes around the braided cord in an organic branch fashion.

Note: If creating earrings, reserve enough brown clay to fill the settings of the ear wires.

Determine where on the branch(es) the flowers will be placed.

Apply a small amount of Poly Bonder™ adhesive where a flower will be placed and on the back of a flower, then press the flower onto a branch.

Repeat to add a total of six flowers to the clay branch.

Bake the entire necklace and each clasp according to the polymer clay instructions.

Once the clay has cooled, use 4mm jump rings to attach each half of the clasp to the loops at the end of the braided cord.

Bracelet Instructions

Cut eight 10-foot lengths of pink imitation silk cord. Apply E6000® Fray Lock™ to the end of each cord.

Gather the strands of cord together. Tightly wrap a 3-inch head pin around the center point of the cords twice.

String a 3mm round bead, a cone and a second 3mm round bead onto the head pin then create a wrapped loop, pulling the cords into the cone.

String the following onto each cord. Tie a small overhand knot at the end of each cord to secure the beads.

Cord 1

• 10 ceylon pastel light blue #6 seed beads
• Eight ceylon pastel sea foam #6 seed beads
• Eight ceylon pastel pink #6 seed beads
• Three luster antique ivory pearl #6 seed beads

Cord 2

• Nine light blue seed beads
• Eight sea foam seed beads
• Eight pink seed beads
• Four ivory pearl seed beads

Cord 3

• Eight light blue seed beads
• Eight sea foam seed beads
• Eight pink seed beads
• Five ivory pearl seed beads

Cord 4

• Seven light blue seed beads
• Eight sea foam seed beads
• Eight pink seed beads
• Six ivory pearl seed beads

Cord 5

• Six light blue seed beads
• Eight sea foam seed beads
• Eight pink seed beads
• Eight ivory pearl seed beads

Cord 6

• Five light blue seed beads
• Eight sea foam seed beads
• Eight pink seed beads
• Eight ivory pearl seed beads

Cord 7

• Four light blue seed beads
• Eight sea foam seed beads
• Eight pink seed beads
• Nine ivory pearl seed beads

Cord 8

• Three light blue seed beads
• Eight sea foam seed beads
• Eight pink seed beads
• 10 ivory pearl seed beads

Insert the cone end of the cords into the center of a round kumihimo disk. Place the cords according to the spiral kumihimo braid instructions.

Note: To reduce tangling while braiding, wrap each beaded cords onto a Huggy® Spools.

Braid a standard spiral braid for 1/4 inch.

Continue to use the standard spiral braid technique while adding beads until all but two beads on each strand are used. Slide a bead down into the braid with each cord movement, positioning the bead under the adjacent cord in the center of the disk.

Place the head of a head pin into the center of the braid with the straight end point up.

Continue to braid while adding beads until all the beads are used then braid without beads for 1/4 inch.

Using a length of nylon thread, tie a whipping knot around the silk cords close to the head of the head pin.

Trim excess cords from around the straight end of the head pin.

String a 3mm round bead, a cone and second 3mm round bead onto the head pin then create a wrapped loop.

Use 4mm jump rings to add each half of an embellished clasp to the loops of the braided rope.

Earring Instructions

Apply a small amount of Poly Bonder to the setting of an ear wire then press a small amount of light brown clay into the setting.

Apply a small amount of Poly Bonder to the top of the clay then press a flower on.

Repeat to embellish a second ear wire.

Bake the earrings according to the polymer clay instructions.