Easy Breezy Canes – YES, You Can Create Canes!
By Amy Koranek for Polyform Products, Inc.
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What is a cane?
cane \'kan\ n a polymer clay rod of two or more colors; the colors inside the rod are constructed in such a way that when the rod is cross-sectioned at any point, a 2 dimensional pattern is revealed
Have you ever seen those brightly colored polymer clay canes and thought you could never make them yourself? Canes can be made quite easily if you'll just start at the beginning. The canes described in these projects are the most basic foundational techniques. If you take your time and try these easy steps, you'll find that you can master these simple patterns. Then when you combine these simple patterns together, you'll have a quilt-like display of colors and designs.
Once you've constructed several canes, you can use them to make beads for jewelry projects. You can also use slices from your canes to cover home decorating items. Any item that can withstand the curing temperature of polymer clay (only 275 Degrees F for 20 minutes) can be covered with your wonderful patterns. Items include paper mache frames and boxes, wooden shapes like drawer pulls or finials, glass jars or bottles, and empty metal cans. The possibilities are endless!
Sculpey III is the perfect polymer clay for beginning cane making. Sculpey III is soft and smooth and it's easy to condition and shape. The colors are awesome and inspiring! Sculpey III is also very easy to slice with polymer clay slicing blades. Once baked, Sculpey III is perfect for thick beads and decorative items that aren't to be handled often. After you've mastered these techniques with Sculpey III, you may want to begin working with Premo Sculpey for items that require more strength and durability. |
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| | Each cane that is featured here has been worked into a square cane - when you view it from the cross-section, it is a square. Making each of your simple canes the same square shape, makes it easier to use them together later in a complex pattern.
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| | Speckle Cane
The Speckle Cane is probably the easiest to achieve. Making this cane first will teach you the foundational technique for making rods of equal size and length. The colors I used in the sample are Sculpey III Lemon, Atomic Orange, and Red Hot Red. Any colors will work but I think that the Speckle Cane lends itself nicely to a monochromatic color scheme.
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| | What you'll need: 1 oz. each of 3 or more Sculpey III colors (I used colors which are monochromatic - side by side on the color wheel).
Knife for sectioning clay
Baby wipes for clean up
Clay roller or glass jar
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| | Condition your lightest color first. Then roll it into a rod about 3-inch long on the work surface. Clean your hands and work surface and repeat with the medium color. Clean again and repeat with the darkest color. Working from lightest to darkest and cleaning your hands and work surface between each color will keep the darker colors from transferring to the lighter ones. You should now have 3 rods each about 3 inches in length.
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| | Gather the three rods together into a bundle.
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| | Gently roll the bundle on the work surface until it is one smooth rod. As you roll, don't let the colors turn. Roll this new rod gently until it's about 8 inches long.
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| | Divide the rod into four sections each about 2 inches in length.
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| | Bundle the four sections together in your hand. Gently squeeze them together. Roll the bundle gently on the work surface until it is again about 8-inch long. Always be sure with this cane to keep the stripes on the outside straight - don't let them twist. When the cane is about 8 inches long, repeat steps Number 4 and Number 5 to multiply the speckles. You can keep repeating steps Number 4 and Number 5 until the cane is as speckled as you like.
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| | Once the cane is as speckled as you like, roll it gently on the work surface but keep it short. The speckle cane is now complete but for the purpose of these projects, I'll describe to you how to change it from a circle cane to a square cane. Gently apply pressure along one side of the cane with your hand. Turn it ¼ turn and apply pressure again. Repeat this step until the cane has four definite sides. You can now make the cane more square by rolling along each side of it with a clay roller, or glass jar.
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| | Pinch the corners all along the length of the cane with your fingers. Turn the cane and repeat this process on each corner. After pinching, roll along all four sides again with a roller. This process will allow you to turn any circle cane into a square cane. Next, we will reduce the cane slightly.
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| | Note: Reducing a cane means making the diameter smaller while increasing the length. By reducing you can make the details in the cane more intricate. This is a foundational technique that will work with all cane types.
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| | Reduce the cane by gently rolling along the side with the roller, applying gentle pressure as you roll. Then turn the cane 1/4 turn and repeat for each side. Repeat this process on all sides until the cane is approximately 1-inch square. The length of the cane is not important at this point - only the measurement across. Set the cane aside and allow it to firm up while you work on your next cane.
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| | Note: While making a cane, the clay tends to soften as it becomes the same temperature as your hands. Allowing the cane to firm at room temperature will make it easier to slice and use. You may also find that you prefer your canes to be even more firm for slicing. Placing them in the refrigerator for a few minutes will give even more firmness.
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| | What you'll need: 1 oz. each of Sculpey III in two colors - I used Lime and Emerald
Knife for sectioning clay
Baby wipes for clean up
Clay roller or glass jar
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| | After conditioning each color, you'll need to turn each one into a sheet. Flatten the lighter lump of clay into a slab. Keep flattening the slab until it's easily rolled over with a clay roller or heavy glass jar. Roll over the clay in one direction then lift it from the work surface and turn it ¼ turn. Repeat rolling and lifting and turning until the clay is a sheet about 1/6-inch thick. Clean your hands and work surface and repeat this process with the darker color.
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| | Layer the light color over the dark color. Press them together by rolling over the top. Trim one edge straight.
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| | Gently roll the light color up inside the dark color. Work slowly so that you form a firm roll without trapping air bubbles inside.
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| | Squeeze the jellyroll in your hand working from the middle of the cane to the ends to choke out air bubbles. Roll the cane gently on the work surface to smooth. Refer to Speckle Cane instructions Number 6-8 to change its shape to a square cane. Reduce the square cane until it is 1-inch across. Set the cane aside for a while to firm it.
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| | Checkerboard Cane
The Checkerboard Cane looks great in two colors which contrast each other. Try this cane using a light and a dark color or two colors which are opposites.
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| | What you'll need: 1 oz. each of Sculpey III in two colors - I used Mint and Turquoise
Knife for sectioning clay
Baby wipes for clean up
Clay roller or glass jar
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| | Condition and shape each color into a fat rod. Remember to work from light to dark and also to clean your hands and work surface between colors.
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| | Refer to Speckle cane instructions Number 6-8 to change your circle rods into square rods. Make your square rods equal in diameter.
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| | Press the two colors side by side and roll over the top of them to make sure they are level with each other. Cut the two-colored rod into two equal lengths.
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| | Group the two sections together with the colors alternating in checkerboard fashion. Press them firmly together. Refer to Speckle Cane instructions to reduce the cane to 1-inch square. Trim the ends and divide the cane into four equal sections.
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| | Group the four sections together again in checkerboard fashion. Reduce again until the cane is 1-inch in across. Set the cane aside to firm while you make your next cane.
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| | Pinwheel Cane
The Pinwheel Cane starts out basically the same as the Speckle Cane using rods of equal proportions. The Pinwheel Cane will look great with any three colors, but I like it best with the lightest color in the middle. The Pinwheel Cane can also be made with more sides. For this instruction I used only four sides so that the cane lends itself well to the square shape.
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| | What you'll need: 1 oz. each of Sculpey III in three colors - I used Hot Pink, Violet, and Purple
Knife for sectioning clay
Baby wipes for clean up
Clay roller or glass jar
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| | Refer to Speckle Cane instruction Number 1 to make three rods of equal size and length. Refer to Speckle Cane instructions Number 2 and Number 3 to bundle and roll the three colors together. Pinch a sharp point along the top of each color so that your rod becomes triangular. Smooth the sides between the points with your fingers.
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| | Trim the ends of the rod. Divide the rod into four equal sections each about 2 inches long.
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| | Bundle these together with the light color always in the middle and the other two colors in an alternating pattern.
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| | Pinwheel Erasers Any of the canes we have made with Sculpey III can be made with Amazing Eraser Clay as well. The techniques are just the same and when you're done, you've got your own one-of-a-kind erasers. For this project we'll make a Pinwheel Cane with six sides instead of four.
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| | What you'll need: 1 oz. each of three colors of Amazing Eraser Clay - I used White, Yellow, and Orange
Sculpey Super Slicer cutting blade
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| | Refer to the instructions for the Pinwheel Cane. When you get to step Number 2, divide the rod into six equal sections instead of four. Put the cane together in a pie shape with all the white in the middle and the other two colors alternating around the outside.
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| | Refer to the instructions for the Pinwheel Cane. When you get to step Number 2, divide the rod into six equal sections instead of four. Put the cane together in a pie shape with all the white in the middle and the other two colors alternating around the outside.
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| | Because Amazing Eraser Clay is much softer than Sculpey III it may be harder to slice. There are a couple of things that you can do with Eraser Clay to make it easier to slice but these techniques do not work with any other polymer clays.
Bake - Trim the ends of the cane and then bake the whole thing. Amazing Eraser Clay bakes at 250 for 10 minutes. Slice the erasers apart after the cane is baked.
Freeze - Freeze the whole cane and then slice it. Bake the slices at 250 for 10 minutes.
Note: Amazing Eraser Clay bakes at 250 for only 10 minutes. Over-baking it will cause it to not work well as an eraser.
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| | Now that you've constructed several patterns of canes, they'll look great combined together on a picture frame.
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| | What you'll need: Patterned canes
Sculpey Super Slicer cutting blade
White glue such as Aileen's tacky glue or Crafter's Pick
Paper mache frame
Clay roller or brayer
Acrylic paint in a coordinating color
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| | Cover the front of the picture frame with white glue. Allow the glue to dry completely.
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| | Trim the ends of your canes. Using the Super Slicer, cut several thin slices from one of your canes. Note: If you've never done this before, you may want to practice using the cutting blades on scrap lumps of clay before cutting into your canes. Practice making even cuts of equal thickness. The more even your slices are, the nicer your project will turn out. If your slices seem to drag you might try refrigerating your canes for a few minutes to firm them.
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| | Use a straight edge to help you align your first row of slices on the frame. Press the squares into position with your finger. Do not leave any gaps between slices.
Once you have a straight row in place, keep adding rows alongside the first until the frame is covered. Roll gently over the top of the frame with a clay roller or brayer to level the slices.
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| | Trim excess clay along the outside edge of the frame and also around the picture area. Bake the clay on the frame at 275 for 15 minutes. When the frame is completely cool, paint the back and edges with a coordinating color of acrylic paint.
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| | Quilt Notebook
What you'll need: Patterned canes
Sculpey Super Slicer cutting blade
White glue such as Aileen's tacky glue or Crafter's Pick
Notebook with heavy cardboard cover and metal spiral
Clay roller or brayer
1. Cover the front of the notebook with glue. Allow the glue to dry completely.
2. Place thin slices from your canes onto the cover of the notebook. Make sure there are no gaps between slices. Roll over the top to smooth. Trim the slices around the edges.
3. Bake the whole notebook at 275 for 15 minutes.
Note: It's important that you select a notebook with a spiral that will not melt in the oven
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