TUTORIAL:

Have you ever wondered what your beads or gemstones would look like with your own handmade bead caps? This lesson shows you how to produce versatile, attractive and durable bead caps from polymer clay. These days, polymer clay can become almost anything you desire as the imitative techniques are endless. Polymer clay can simulate many materials, including stone, wood, bone and even metal, as these bead caps will demonstrate. Decorative buttons will be used as the texture of the bead caps. The finished bead caps will fit 15mm beads, but smaller (or larger) ones can easily be made by choosing smaller or larger buttons for the mold.

• Sculpey mold maker Super Elasticlay
• Black Premo or Fimo Polymer Clay
• Fimo Gloss Varnish or Water based Varnish
• Armour All or cornstarch or talcum powder for release agent
• Pearlex mica powder in your choice of gold or silver or copper

• Tissue Blade
• Pasta machine or hand roller
• Needle tool or bamboo skewer or knitting needle
• small round decorative or antique buttons in 15mm size
• 15mm diameter small round cutter
• 12 14 or 15mm glass marbles or glass beads
• Oven
• Oven thermometer
• Tile or glass surface or card stock to work and bake on
• polyester batting optional