Member Benefits 020-3: Cane Making

Simply wonderful and once again with a brilliant tip about squaring everything up to avoid unsightly gaps between the cane slices!  That is really simple and really clever. Thank you once again Cindy. ~Susan-B >> This comment was originally posted here: Heart Shaped Beads

Very good tutorial today. I’m so glad you kept your cane at a reasonable size…. I’ve seen lots of sites where they use literally pounds of clay to make a cane. I would just sit back amazed and astounded at the sheer volume of clay and huge amount of money. Now eventually I got past that hurdle and scaled back measurements for my canes and eventually learned the little tips you freely gave out in these tutorials. I really wish I had this a year ago. Fabulous teaching!!!! AND I love the petal which is different than any of the petals I’ve learned before and the center made by the extruder is GREAT!!!! It makes such a nice natural center. I will definitely be using that center a lot! Thanks. ~Melinda-H >> This comment was originally posted here: Polymer Clay Flower Cane Tutorial

As always thank you for the wonderful teaching. I fired up the Gerbera Flower Cane video yesterday and actually made one as I watched, stopping and rewinding as I needed to until I finished all the steps. It felt like you were right here — it was very cool (and my cane is, too). ~Elizabeth-S >> This comment was originally posted here: Polymer Clay Beads

Excellent suggestions, Cindy!!! You are absolutely right about the need for high contrast in cane designs. Over the years I would watch my intricate cane designs reduce to a barely distinguishable pattern. Finally, after accumulating piles of muddy scrap and ‘reject canes’ I have learned to use the principle of contrast. I have also learned to compensate for the tendency of clay to darken after baking by adding white to the darker colors. I still make my share of rejects, but not nearly as many! ~Dora-C >> This comment was originally posted here: Polymer Clay Canes

Wow … Thank you soooo much guys for all your kind words. Makes me wanna hug each and every one of you. I love Art and I am learning more everyday from each and every one of you too — Cindy I can’t thank you enough for everything u been teaching us. And thanks for your suggestion about the [Rose Bead] cane I will definitely try that:) ~Tania-K >> This comment was originally posted here: Rose Bead Jewelry

FLOWER CANE! My heart skipped a beat when I read this! Nature and flowers are the biggest source of my inspiration. I have fiddled around with flower canes but have a hard time getting realistic effects in the petals. God bless you, Cindy Lietz. I can’t wait!! ~Carrie-W >> This comment was originally posted here: Polymer Clay Flower Cane Tutorials

You just won’t believe that I sat ALL Thursday making flower canes! Just watched the video, great idea with the extruder. Looking forward to the next installment, my flowers look different to the one pictured, so that’ll be a nice addition. Many many thanks Cindy! ~Polyanya >> This comment was originally posted here: Gerbera Flower Cane Centers

Cindy, I love how you show how versatile a single cane can be. I used the video last week and as always the directions are easy to follow and a definite inspiration to us claybees. I have made several of each cane that you showed us last week. Can’t wait for Friday to incorporate the next step. ~Nancy-R >> This comment was originally posted here: Flower Cane Tutorial

Certainly I feel that if you wanted to learn how to make functional beautiful flower canes, this is the series to purchase. You get the color palettes and skills to start using the gerba daisy cane, but just about any other petaled center flower can be made from adjusting the colors or the petal shape, using Cindy’s base techniques and excellent design variations. When I think of my lousy results, year after year, finally giving up after countless scrap clay efforts, that I could have come here and had the process mastered for such a small cost in such a short time, these beautiful canes the result…well, it almost makes me want to weep for that time lost. But, I cannot.  Because now I know how to do it, I can do it, and I will do it.  So now, perhaps, I will shed a few tears of joy. Thank you Cindy for helping me to master a much needed skill!!! ~Jocelyn-C >> This comment was originally posted here: Gerbera Flower Canes

Hi Cindy and other blessed members, Amazed and thrilled again. Can’t wait to try this cane. I love the bead you made out of the distorted end of cane. This is my favorite of all. Congrats to another great video. ~Peggy-B >> This comment was originally posted here: Polymer Clay Cane Project

Loved the Dogwood flower cane. The dogwood flowers we see here in North Georgia are either white or pink – and they are the most beautiful trees when in bloom. Next year I’ll get some pictures for you if I remember. ~Doug-K >> This comment was originally posted here: Polymer Clay Library

That is sweet and quite attractive at the same time. Your use of canes is never ending isn’t it! I have noted for some time that you also do a lot of work with copper. I’m usually a silver type of gal even if it is only plated – but because of you I’m starting to think along the lines of copper all the time now. ~Aims >> This comment was originally posted here: Butterfly Jewelry

It’s amazing just how many different patterns can come from one cane. Of course you have to have a knack for that kind of ideas to come from your head. Cindy is full of all those wonderful ideas, and so many people have learned from her and her videos. She teaches in a way that is easy to understand and relaxed. ~Lynn-W >> This comment was originally posted here: Dogwood Flower Cane

Hi Cindy and all, Just love this spliced cane so pretty. I will have a go at it tomorrow, hope I can make it nearly as nice as yours Cindy. At last I have found out properly how to use this site and comment on the videos, mm, takes some people a bit longer than others so, you’ll be seeing a bit more of me. Love all the beads you made from the spliced cane too Cindy, it is good to see where it goes to. Bye for now. ~Elizabeth-K >> This comment was originally posted here: Flower Cane Project

One thing I really like about all your designs is that we can substitute other colors for different seasons of the year. I am going to try making the Spliced Cane in winter colors. Though about dark reds to simulate a Poinsettia. It would look great in poppy colors too. You have good judgment on how much of any theme to share with us. You also provide us videos on things we cannot find elsewhere. ~Anna-S >> This comment was originally posted here: Christmas Necklace Project

For me, the more ideas you provide, the better! Not that I don’t think of a bazillion things to do anyway, but seeing lots of different possibilities can trigger the imagination and also get you to consider something which you might otherwise ignore. For example, the gerbera cane is totally not my kind of thing, but later seeing the calla lily bead made from a gerbera petal cane made me decide to try the technique anyway (but not in pink ;D), including for long, sword-like leaves which are a logical extension. ~Sue-F >> This comment was originally posted here: Seasonal Cane Designs

Cindy, that was such a great post to read. I must have said, AHAaaaa, at least five times. Everything was so logical. When I saw the dogwood cane I started conditioning my clay, not realizing anything about size. Well, I conditioned three bars of each color. It took so long and after that I was too tired to do the cane. It really pays to read these blogs. I think they’re so informative. Well, anyhow, I did the dogwood cane and I love it. Thanks, Cindy. I did make one mistake. I forgot to cut a piece off before reducing. I wanted to make earrings and a charm to match. That doesn’t matter, though, because I have plenty of conditioned clay!!!!!!!!!! I have to say it again, I’m sooooo glad I’m a member here. LOVE IT LOVE IT, LOVE IT. Thanks Cindy. ~Helen-S >> This comment was originally posted here: Sizing Polymer Clay Canes

Hi Cindy, I would be interested in kaleidoscope, face, flower and ghost canes. I LOVE all of your videos!!!! ~Stephanie-B >> This comment was originally posted here: Polymer Clay Cane Video Tutorials

Oh, oh, oh, I am sooooo excited!! I finally did it. I made a couple canes. They weren’t this one but one is a flower petal and the other is a leaf.  The flower petal came out different than the picture on the instructions but still pretty. The leaf one came out totally like it should. I am soooo proud. Finally, finally. And you all are so right. They are so fun. Now I have these little canes I can make all kinds of things with. I made a really cool pendant already. Yea!! ~Laurel-B >> This comment was originally posted here: Polymer Clay Canes

Hi Cindy. Thanks for this tutorial. I  loved loved loved it!!! The cane looks very complex and yet very easy to do. I have recently bought the Makins extruder and it is a totally essential tool for polymer clayers. Have a wonderful week end. ~Monica-D >> This comment was originally posted here: Polymer Clay Cane Making

Versatility certainly applies to this tribal cane. It took me nearly all afternoon yesterday to accomplish this cane but it is done and I am happy with the results. Now to reduce it. Jocelyn, it shouted turquoise to me also. I am thinking a yellow and brown to separate the colors but I am still debating what the other colors should be. That will come probably when I least expect it. Something to look forward to. I love geometrics and have done some quilting so now I will have to check in that area of my crafts and see what designs pop out. Thanks, Cindy, for an awesome tut and as usual an infinite number of possibilities. ~Joyce-M >> This comment was originally posted here: How to Make Polymer Canes

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