Polymer Clay Canes for Beginners

27 videos, step by step, beginner cane workshop beginner Cane Tutorial What people are saying about this tutorial. jennifer rose Just finished this first workshop on how to make canes, and I must say I learned so much. This is exactly what I have been looking for, someone who could explain cane making in a step by step that process that I could replicate. I watched the videos, went into my studio and began to create all of the canes Alice showed. I finally have results I can be proud of, and I say thank you so much for doing this workshop. My only question now is when do we get more workshops. If you are only going to take one online class let it be this workshop. Thank you Alice for your hard work, and your dedication to helping others learn the joys of polymer clay.

Online Workshops with Alice Stroppel

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New Polymer Clay Tutorial – Tropical Leaves

Frame Made Using Leaves From Tutorial

Frame Made Using Leaves From Tutorial

I’ve finished my Tropical Leaves tutorial and it is now for sale in my Etsy shop. It’s another 40 minute video with 7 full 8 1/2″ by 11″ pages with step by step instructions. Colored drawings clearly show you the way to complete each cane.

 Tropical Leaves - 9 canes

Tropical Leaves - 9 canes

You’ll learn how to create all of these canes and yes the “vine” is a cane as well. I reduced them all down a bit to create the frame above. I also added a few other canes and bit of color to complete the overall effect.

I’ll be making a couple of other items with these canes so stop back soon.

What is a Polymer Clay Cane? – A Video

I posted this short little video on Facebook for an old high school friend. We have been following each other there and she has been watching all my posts about canes. She sent me a message asking about the canes and wanted to know what they were exactly.

So if you’re a clayer already, you’ll probably just want to skip this short subject, but if you are new to polymer, you might enjoy it. Either way, this one was made because Karen Pepper Ingram asked.  Thanks Karen!

 

Work in Progress

Worked on the tutorial video all day yesterday. Had to stop and buy food today , how rude. When I got home and everything was put away, instead of editing the video, I relaxed with this ongoing project. Posting it now and running away to bed so I can get an early  start tomorrow.

Old Polymer Clay Canes

I was working on my tutorial, filming, and the lawn man came, too much noise. the phone kept ringing, too much noise. My husband, well his TV just came back from the repair man…..so I just gave up and decided to use up some old canes and make a new mosaic.

I haven’t gotten very far but I wanted to play with colors. Orange and pink? Oh my, but don’t give up on me yet, it is an experiment after all. You never know until you try, and what is the worst that can happen? Nature doesn’t let a little color difference stop her.

Most of these canes are really old and large. And regardless of the fact that they are still usable, they are not as easy to work with the older they get. Yes you can mess around with them and reduce them some to get everything moving again, but it’s more work than I want to expend for these older canes.

They don’t reflect what I’m doing now and I have learned that no matter how much I think I will go backward and use those canes on new work, well it’s just not going to happen. So using them this way, making a large graphic piece to possibly hang on the wall, is an experiment and could let me know if I want to spend time producing canes today to use in this way.

This piece is already 5″ x 7″. I am trying to figure out how to continue to add to it, maybe make it very large, and still be able to bake it in the oven. I am guessing in sections, I’ll keep playing and let you know.

By the way, I’m using the same technique that I use in my video on how to make the fish mosaic that you can see at the top right of this page. You can watch it free by signing up for my newsletter.

It’s funny but I’ve always wanted to make large things from polymer. I think I’m a frustrated clay person with no kiln. But I love the colors with pc and not having to paint later and the instant gratification of pc. But I still can’t get large out of my head.

I made the largest mermaid, seriously, crazy big, baking her in sections and putting her together with bolts and nuts and threaded hardware. She’s 40 pounds if she’s an ounce and over 3 feet tall. I’m looking at her hanging under my stairs and laughing. You can see her on my flickr site if you want.

What wasn’t funny, and this is a word to the wise for those of you who are doing a lot of pasta machine work, I have forever damaged my shoulder from all the “turning of the crank”. Sounds like a  Shakespeare play huh? A tragedy. Do yourself a favor and purchase a motor ………. you’ll be forever grateful.

I guess I will continue to want to do something large with pc, it’s just because I can…….if I just try.

Working on Tropical Leaf Cane Tutorial

If you have been looking for me, I’m still here. I’ve been working on a new tutorial for tropical canes. I’ve finished the instructions and I’m just beginning to film the video to go with them.  Can’t wait to get it all finished and listed in my Etsy Shop for sale.

So if you don’t hear from me for a while, you’ll know where I am. I have to confess, I miss posting so I’d better hurry up.