How To Make Fimo Beads

Begin by slicing off a 3 sq inch piece from your block of clay and with your hands knead the clay thoroughly. Roll the clay with your fingers into long tubes, bend them over and repeat the process until the clay is soft and pliable.

At this stage you can combine different colored clay. To mix the colors twist them together like a candy stick, then roll the clay into a ball and knead until you have the desired mix.

Place your clay on a flat surface and with a rolling pin flatten the clay making sure there are no trapped air bubbles.

What I love about fimo clay is the unlimited ways in which you can create different shapes and sizes. Also, by combining and mixing different colors you can create a vast range of simple and intricate designs.

The basic shapes that you can begin with are round and oval balls, squares, oblongs and cylinders. If you are making a bracelet or necklace then ball or cylinder shapes work really well.

With more practice you can begin to create more intricate designs such as cane work which is a log of clay with a design running through it. These can be cut into thin slices or mini logs.

The best way to shape your beads is using your hands or a sheet of clear plexiglass will do.

Making holes in your beads will allow you to string them together. Take a bead and position the tip of a wooden skewer at the centre of the bead.

Like a drill gently rotate the skewer until it pierces the bead. Repeat this process until each skewer is full and make sure there is an equal space between each bead.

Ok, you are ready to bake your beads.

Place your skewers over a bead baking rack ensuring there is a sufficient gap between each skewer. This is important as the heat will expand the clay and the gaps prevent the beads fusing together.

Bake your beads in a well-ventilated oven at a temperature of 130C (266F) for approx 30 minutes. Never bake fimo beads in a microwave!, and always remember to check with the clay manufacturers instructions on baking.

Remove the beads from the oven and place them in a safe area to cool and harden fully. After the beads have cooled down carefully remove them from each skewer. If you notice any rough edges smooth these down with fine sandpaper.

This step is entirely optional.

You can leave your beads as they are and just string' em up, or you can enhance the color of your beads by spraying on a clear varnish to give a glossy effect.

I hope you find this information useful and that it inspires you to give it a try. But I must warn you, if you do you, will get addicted to making fimo beads. Enjoy.