How to Make Flower Canes
- 1). Select the colors of polymer clay that you want to work with. You'll need a color for the center of the flower, a color for the petals and a third color for the background. Choose a fourth color if you want a border to go around the cane.
- 2). Soften the clay by kneading it with your hands or running pieces of it through a pasta machine designated for working with polymer clay. Once the clay is soft, form one roll from the color you have chosen for the center of the flower by rolling out the clay with your hands in the same way a child would create a snake. Make the circumference of this roll approximately twice as large as you want the final product to be. This roll can be as long or short as you wish; simply keep in mind that the final cane will be longer than this initial construction.
- 3). Create five additional rolls that are the same size as your first one, using the color designated for the flower petals. Without distorting the shape of the rolls, gently arrange them around the roll that is the center of the flower.
- 4). Make two rolls out of the background color. Use a craft knife to slice these rolls into quarters, lengthwise. Use these triangular strips to fill in the spaces between the petals. If you find that the triangles are too large or small to fit well, simply make a roll that is larger or smaller in circumference to meet your needs and try again. Don't worry if every tiny bit of space is not filled. This will be addressed in step 6.
- 5). Make the border by rolling out a rectangle of clay that is the same length as the rolls you are working with. It should be wide enough to fit around the entire cane. Make this rectangle approximately twice as thick as you want the border to be. Wrap the border around the cane, making sure that the edges meet.
- 6). Gently roll your cane back and forth until the clay rolls are pressed together and the design appears cohesive. According to the Polymer Clay Spot, "Some clay artists recommend reducing round canes by squeezing gently in the center, then out to the ends; this reduces the distortion that sometimes happens with the rolling technique." Keep a gentle touch at all times, which will help the polymer clay hold your design. Roll the cane until it is the size you want.
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