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Download the PMC Over Bisque Beads PDF
[click here] (372kb)
PMC Over Bisque Beads
By Hattie Sanderson
PMC Senior Instructor

What you need:
Bisque Bead
(sample uses bisque bead #51069 “large dowel”)
2” length of drinking straw
walnut size ball of polymer clay
HattieS™ Tool Kit
Hot Pot, Torch or Kiln
PMC3 Paste, Clay, Syringe***

OPTIONAL:
Small fan (to speed up drying time)
Length of chenille stem (if tumbling)
Texture plates/stamps/pattern cutters for decorating

***PMC3 is recommended for paste layers and for firing by Hot Pot or Torch Firing. You may use PMC+ for embellishments if desired, but be sure to fire at PMC+ temperatures.
  1. Press 1⁄2” of end of drinking straw flat and then fold it in 1⁄2. Twist this folded end into the hole of the bisque bead until it is snug, leaving 1-1⁄2” of exposed straw for a handle.
  2. Roll polymer clay into a ball and press firmly onto your work surface. This will be the base to hold your work while it is drying.
  3. Using the straw as a handle, evenly coat the bead with PMC3 Paste. Be sure to paint PMC3 paste on the inner rim of the exposed end of the bead. (You will paste the inner rim of the “handle” end of the bead later.) If the paste coating is not as smooth as you would like, smooth the surface with a little water and the paint brush. Be careful not to thin the layer of paste on the bead.
  4. Place the end of the straw in polymer clay base to dry. Placing work in front of a small fan will speed up drying time.
  5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until the bead has 5 coats of paste.
  6. When bead is dry, gently remove the straw from the bead hole. Paint paste on the inner rim of the exposed bead hole. Place bead on its side to dry and repeat to build up 5 coats of paste.
  7. If needed, carefully sand surface smooth with emery board, metal files, or sanding papers. Remove as little PMC as possible from bead surface.
  8. Decorate bead as desired with PMC3 Clay and PMC3 Syringe.
  9. Fire bead using a Hot Pot, torch or kiln. Let bead cool slowly.
  10. Finish as desired. If tumbling, thread a length of chenille stem through bead hold leaving 1⁄2” excess length on each end. Fold over chenille stem ends to secure. The chenille stem will prevent shot from getting stuck in the bead hole.