Funky polymer clay and tatting necklace

Finished! I'm happy with this mix of polymer clay beads and tatting - it's really funky :)

I made up the design as I went. The front of the necklace worked out fairly easily, with only a minor setback of one polymer clay bead breaking. Since I haven't done much with polymer clay, my sculpting skills are still very basic. But, the broken bead was quickly replaced, and I do like how the colors match my hand dyed size 10 thread (Mardi Gras). I also added Lizbeth #685 Evergreen Dark.

I was unsure of what to do with the sides, and my first thought was a quick finish with metal chains, but I wanted to keep an all handmade, organic theme for this piece. Corina Meyfeldt's post on Nina Libin's technique of beaded rings with one shuttle gave me an idea! So, I combined that technique with single shuttle split rings.

I like the results - especially how the colors blend - but next time I may use 2 shuttle split rings, because having 2 threads connecting the rings seems stronger than only 1 thread. Something that probably only matters if the project has some weight to it, as this necklace does.

In between the beaded rings and the front, I added some free-form tatting, using node stitch (sets of 2 first halves followed by 2 second halves). I like how node stitch chains are easy to keep straight, or curve in various directions. (Hmm, now I'm wondering if I should capitalize the names of techniques, such as Node Stitch - any tatting editors out there?)

Anyway, I like my necklace. In the future I may try something similar for the Etsy shop or the next art/craft sales event or exhibit, but if so will try to do a more refined job of sculpting the polymer clay.

Polymer clay butterfly with tatting

It's done! This butterfly measures 6 inches (15 cm) across. The entire necklace weighs less than an ounce.

First, I made the polymer clay pieces, punching holes around the edges for attaching the tatting later. I baked the clay according to the manufacturer's directions.

Then I got out size 20 thread and a size 13 steel crochet hook. Most of the edging is just chains, attached through the holes with lock joins. Doing the body was a little trickier, and I experimented as I went along...well, you know...I just sort of "winged it" :-)

I discovered that I needed to finish both wings first, before attaching to the body in progress.

After completing the butterfly, I added the neck cord, improvising with Victorian Sets, split rings,
and rings with chains.

The closure is a toggle of polymer clay. It makes for an adjustable necklace by fitting into any of the spaces between the rings and chains.

Here's a neat trick to avoid extra cord length from sticking out around your neck: put the toggle through the last space first, then again through the desired space.

This necklace is one-of-a-kind, and I'll proudly wear it myself. But, who knows, now that I've got one figured out, I may get others finished to sell later.

Butterfly not done yet

The polymer clay butterfly with tatting is still in progress. The photo shows the 2nd wing being attached to the butterfly body. The thread is pulled through the hole in the polymer clay with a crochet hook, in preparation for a join - a normal join at that particular place. Around the outer edges I've used only chains with lock joins.

What I've learned so far is that the 2 wings needed to be completed first, then the body worked, attaching wings to the final round of the body. I'm planning to tat antennae last...well, actually the last part will be the neck cord. I'll probably have to use a slightly different thread color since I'm running out of the hand dyed color I'm using. Isn't that always the way, running out of thread! This is definitely a one-of-a-kind project, and not for sale. Just to exhibit and keep.

I hope to finish it next week, and also dye more thread for my Etsy shop.

Butterfly with polymer clay

Work in progress on a one-of-a-kind, whimsical butterfly combining polymer clay with tatting.

By the way, the new "Up and Tat 'Em" book has been selling like the proverbial hotcakes, so I haven't really had much time for anything outside of filling orders. I started this butterfly last week before the books arrived from the printer. Today, I'll have to go to the printer to order more copies, before I run out!

Funky heart pendant in polymer clay and tatting

Originally this was going to be an earring, but the 2 hearts I made of polymer clay didn't match - I mean they were VERY different, so this one got finished up into a pendant on a chain. I still like the idea for earrings, so I'll have to make more hearts. I'd like to make a lot of different colors.

Speaking of colors, some of the colors in the pendant are similar to a shirt I saw the other night at the meeting I attended for the Loose Bead Society (LBS). I just had to tell the lady, "That shirt you're wearing has wonderful colors in it - I would like to dye some thread in those colors!"

While I was at the meeting I had the opportunity to talk for 5 minutes in front of the group (over 80 people in attendance) about the beginning tatting with beads class that I'm teaching at the LBS March Retreat. I do hope I'll be able to get some more people "hooked on tatting"!

Tatted necklace with polymer clay heart finished

It's done! The polymer clay heart measures about 2 and 1/4 inches wide (5.7 cm) by 2 inches high (5 cm). The thread used was Flora size 10.

Detail of note: the ring just before the large round bead is where I began tatting the neck cord, using a Loop Tatted Ring (LTR) to get both threads through the bead without having to unwind any shuttles. This is the technique used by Bina in her Candlelight Snowflake. The LTR is a new trick for me - I don't quite have it mastered yet, but it came in handy for this project!

The closure is a toggle that I made of polymer clay, and can be inserted into any of the tatted openings for an adjustable necklace. I'm very happy with how the necklace turned out.

Funky polymer clay heart with tatting in progress

I made this funky, colorful heart in polymer clay, with holes around the edge for joining a lacy edging. So far I've tatted all the way around the heart, using rings and chains in size 10. Now, to decide what to do next. I want to finish this as a necklace.

"Glowing Embers" heart necklace

Combination polymer clay and tatting - a free form style. I am very busy getting ready for the Artisans and Entrepreneurs Market happening this weekend, but I was happy to get this done in time to show it. Due to the art show preparations my etsy shop is temporarily closed (sorry for the inconvenience!) but will re-open on Monday, Dec. 8.

A colorful polymer clay heart

Ok, I know it's not tatting, but tatting could be attached. The holes are there. - a whole bunch! A ring and chain edging would work. The rings don't need to be joined, because the stiffness of the heart form would keep 'em in place...er, that's the theory, anyhow. I've got a couple of polymer clay heart necklaces in my Flickr album.

They're old scans, so they're a little blurry.

I haven't forgotten about the beaded project for the class I'm preparing for the bead shop, just needed to take a little break from it! That's how I work - disorganized! (grin)

A polymer clay heart

This heart is ready for a tatted edging. Joins can be made through the holes, just like a normal (picot) join. I don't have time to make it into a necklace or pin myself, so I'm offering it at my Etsy shop in case anyone would enjoy playing with it as a design element.

I need to dye some more thread in the colors suggested by the bead shop owner, for inclusion in the kits she will offer at her shop in connection with my classes. I'm working on the tatted pendant design that I will teach in the class, and I'll show it when I have some finished examples.

Suspended bead in polyclay teardrop - pendant

Well, if only the top hole was bigger! Then it would have worked better - as it was, I had to improvise since the thread wouldn't fit when I needed to make the 2nd join. I'll make the top hole bigger on the next batch of polymer clay teardrop shapes. I don't know why this idea hadn't occurred to me before.

The chain with the bead is suspended using a regular jump ring. I used a "split" or coiled jump ring for attaching the tatting at the top.

Half-baked Idea

Somehow...these polymer clay teardrop and tatting earrings showed up in my imagination and in my hands.
I thought they were sort of pretty! Then I thought that some other tatters might think this would be a fun thing to do, so I added a few of the polyclay shapes to my Etsy shop.

The green ones were done with a chain on top. However, I prefer not to have to hide the ends in chains. So I modified the pattern to end with a ring.

Hope this half-baked idea leads to other ones!

Choker with "rock"

It is about 16 inches around, with 2 end loops for a slight adjustment. Only the main design area is tatted. The neck cord is just some of the matching thread twisted into a cord. I did this by doubling the thread, slipping one end over a small knob, twisting in the same direction as the twist of the thread, then taking the end off the knob and folding the whole thing in half. It jumps like crazy while it twists on itself! But it smooths out after the kinks are tugged and let go again.

The side with the pearls is what I consider the front.

The back is just some lockstitch chains. These are made by doing the 1st half of a double stitch unflipped, then flipping the 2nd half. (Or vice-versa.) Of course, some people may like that side best! The necklace could be worn either way.

I connected the inner motif to the outer ones with twisted chains of 4/4. (4 first halves, followed by 4 second halves.) I was concerned about where I was going to join these since I hadn't left any open picots! But it wasn't a problem to join beside the beads of the beaded picots.

The finished design isn't exactly symmetrical, but I figure, "Hey! It's handmade! It's original! It's unique!






By the way, I'll be selling my work at the Lake Country Harvest Art Fair on Saturday, Sept. 8. I will be in the "Wisconsin Handweaver's" booth.

"Oxidation" necklace

OK, it is done. Next time I will make the holes in the polymer clay a bit bigger! Then it would be easier to join into. I might try for more of a heart shape for the central bead. The "Flora" brand thread, size 10, that I used for this piece is sturdy, but is slightly duller and fuzzier than the DMC Cordonnet Special, in my opinion. Well, I am picky!

Anyway, I saved a scan of the necklace at actual size, to use as a reference for future designing. I think the next one will go a lot faster, now that I've got something to follow.

Oxidation

Here is a sneak peek of how the "Oxidation" necklace is coming along. This is a freeform necklace, so I'm just making it up as I go along. Ordinary tatting, combined with some zigzag sets (1st half 4 times, 2nd half 4 times) and split rings. I use to wonder what split rings were good for. They really free up the possibilities!

I did a goofy thing with an oversized bead -- I added it to the center of a split ring using the technique described at http://janeeborall.freeservers.com/tonyabeadsr.htm

Of course the ring had to be much too large because of the huge bead, so it just flopped over and twisted, but I like the effect. It's just for fun, and adds dimension.

The necklace is of the same thread as the "rock" bracelet of a previous post (seen at the top of the first photo) and actually the polymer clay beads were made at the same time.

Tatted "Rock" Bracelet

This bracelet has tatting surrounding polymer clay beads. It's based on a very simple tatting pattern: R 3-3-3-3. Ch 5-5 (for the short ch) or ch 5-3-3-5 (for the long ch). The large beads are added during joining. So the picots that hold the beads need to be long enough -- when measured open, they are twice the length of the bead plus a bit extra.

I swirled several duller colors together and used an organic (lumpy!) shape in an attempt to come up with a "rock" look for the beads. (Actually, they came out resembling a mixture of concrete and brick -- not all that attractive, but I still used them -- tatting makes any bead look great!) After baking them I painted on a coat of "Sculpey" glaze. The glaze gives a marvelous shiny finish but tends to pool in a blob at the bottom of the bead while drying; I tried to minimize this by standing the beads on pins stuck into a disposable aluminum pan.

The way I get the beads on is, I put the bead onto a small crochet hook, then hook into the picot I am joining to, pull the bead onto the picot, and finish making the join.

The smaller seed beads were strung on the ball thread before starting to tat. Since I used a chunky thread for this project (size 10 "Flora") the seed beads were size 8, a little larger than most common seed beads.

I used a lobster claw clasp for closing the bracelet, but I'm not sure if I care for that type of closure on this bracelet. I'm going to try something different next time.