Member Benefits 013-4: Cane Making

Cindy – I absolutely love, love, love your site!!! It has been so helpful and your beads are so fun to make!! I enjoy making beads as well as caning. ~Carrie >> This comment was originally posted here: Polymer Clay Tutorials

OH I just LOVE THIS CANE!! when I saw it I just had to make it, and it came out so cute that I’m going to make earrings to match, and I’m going to make some for my sister and mom..and everyone else!! I really love your work Cindy, and I’m so glad that I stumbled upon your website. I look forward to more videos!! ~Crystal >> This comment was originally posted here: Mod Cane Tutorial

Thanks for sharing the cane [Variegated Rose Bead Video]. I had wondered how to get the colors going in the right direction, that is always where I have the most difficult is getting the colors to be in the right place in the cane so  (another mystery solved thank you !!). so wil make up some rose canes and happily await for next weeks video !!! ~Patrica >> This comment was originally posted here: Rose Bead Tutorial

I’ll try to remember your tips. A had the same problem with clay I didn’t store properly and did the clay softener drop-at-a-time trick. With determination it finally came alive. That was my first. Thanks again. ~MaryEllen>> This comment was originally posted here: Old Polymer Clay Canes

Hi Cindy! It’s hard to keep up with you, you are publishing one article per day :)). I think that your site will soon become a real polymer clay encyclopedia. I enjoyed a lot the pictures of your crackled faux raku beads, they must be wonderful to touch. And the gingham lentil is just beautiful, I’ve made that kind of cane some time ago, the pattern is called a Vichy cane on the French blogs. I’ve never thought of using it on a lentil though. Regarding the cube beads…I have made very few until now, they seem quite difficult to mix in a necklace or it’s me who don’t have the skills. Otherwise I like to make square canes and there’s nothing more appropriate than a square cane for a cube bead. The more complicated bead shape are lovely but time-consuming, especially the sculpted ones. So I mainly stick with the round beads and lately with some tubes. I don’t know about which kind of beads I would like to read more, all you’re writing is always very useful. ~Squash >> This comment was originally posted here: Square Cube Beads

OOOOO good thing I did such a bad job of storing the clay I bought about 5 years ago when I thought I had time for this new hobby!  It’s rock hard, but I’ll bet with some conditioning it will be just the right firmness for impeccable canes.  Did I say impeccable? I may be aiming a tad high.  I went out and bought a new batch this time around, but I’ll hang on to the old stuff in eager anticipation of making beautiful canes!! Thanks ~Sue >> This comment was originally posted here: Making Polymer Clay Canes

I have been trying my hand at different wild flower canes. Not a simple task. Using a wildflower book with up close photos have helped but I think now I have found out why they didn’t have that realistic look to them. By adding translucent clay, which I did not do before does them much more justice. All your post/articles add to my creativity in greater depth——thanks. ~Yvonne >> This comment was originally posted here: Polymer Clay Cane Designs

Once again another wonderful time saver.  The extruder in my studio will now live next to the pasta machine.  I also appreciate the tip about surrounding the cane with thin sheets of translucent in steps.  I can see where this will assist in the compression of the flower without distorting.  I am blessed for finding you Cindy. ~Illaya >> This comment was originally posted here: Polymer Cane Backgrounds

Any of them sound great, but have always wanted to see the brain cane demonstrated. So many pattern possibilities with this cane… but, to get a truly great one I am going to put my money on Cindy’s upcoming method. ~Jocelyn >> This comment was originally posted here: Polymer Clay How To Videos

Hi Cindy, The above bead is so lovely. It is so hard to believe that with some practice and patience, we (humans) can make such beautiful pieces with our own two hands and the proper tools.  We can mimic nature, and we can bring forth what was once only in our imaginations using these cane methods that you are teaching us. I am learning that the sky really is the limit as far as what we can do with Polymer Clay.  Thank you for sharing all that you do.  You are appreciated :) ~Cindy >> This comment was originally posted here: Polymer Clay Canes

I just love this site!! It blesses my heart. Your cane tutorials have enlarged my clay making abilities. Thanks. God bless you. ~Sandra >> This comment was originally posted here: Heart Shaped Beads

Bravo Hun on another great tutorial. You made it look so simple and easy. Wish I’d have seen this when I tried my first ones. I remember trying to follow directions from a book and agonizing over trying to make mine look like the ones in the illustrations. But of course there weren’t enough pictures. And of course they didn’t look very much like leaves when I was done. Unless of course they were some kind of radioactive mutant plant form, LOL! But if I could have watched a good tutorial like yours I have no doubt I would have done much better and much sooner, with lots less frustration. Thanks so much for being you and sharing so generously with everyone the way you do. I know if more people could watch your tutorials, the ranks of clayers would grow exponentially when they saw how easy and fun it really is and passed the word along. XOXO ~Jaime >> This comment was originally posted here: Polymer Clay Veined Leaf Cane

I’ve got an extruder. I bought it on sale a long time ago and now I know what to do with it. I will try this type of cane for my fingernail canes.  Yeeaaa! ~Marianne >> This comment was originally posted here: Mod Polymer Clay Cane

Ha! That’s funny! “Splash a little on your face”! Because I like to achieve very precise pendants, hot and sticky clay are combated by sliding my work paper with the pre-conditioned and rolled flat clay on it into the freezer for a minute before I cut and bake. This keeps the clay from distorting when a blade or cutter runs through it. These are great suggestions I will have to remember, thank you for sharing them! ~Shannon >> This comment was originally posted here: Dealing with Soft Polymer Clay

Nice job on this video. Really shows the student the process quite nicely. Looking forward to the next video. ~Adrienne >> This comment was originally posted here: Leaf Cane Tutorial

My biggest challenge is canes… have been claying for a while now and seem to have some trouble with the idea of reducing and how to get the kaleidescope effect. I have lots of tutorials but a video seems to be my greatest learning tools. Is why I like your site, you have quite a few to learn from. I would like to know exactly how to put the clay into the canes to keep the petals of a flower rounded instead of sqaring off. Also the process of cutting and getting the kaliedescope effect seems to be eluding me….lol….Would like to see more detailed videos on the process. ~Laurel >> This comment was originally posted here: Mixing Polymer Clay Colors

Great idea! I would never have thought to look at quilting magazines with polymer clay eyes. ~Joyce >> This comment was originally posted here: Polymer Clay Cane Inspiration

Hi Cindy, I’m really enjoying the weekly lessons, and have learned a great deal in a short time. since I now know how to make a “clay fabric”, I have gone wild and fabriced (no such word) nearly every cane sitting on my shelves. Also made lots of beads from that fabric. Thanks. ~Judith >> This comment was originally posted here: Polymer Clay Bead Making Success Stories

I have made the brain cane before using different colors and the brain cane is absolutely beeeautiful in metallic colors. I love the colors you have used too. ~Lynn >> This comment was originally posted here: Combining a Brain Cane with a Rose Cane

I like it – reminds me a little of some of Donna Kato’s work. ~Silverleaf >> This comment was originally posted here: Ghost Cane Polymer Clay Tutorial

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