Combing is a simple but pretty technique to create interesting patterns for your pieces. This tutorial shows the basic steps for combing polymer clay. The result can be used for pendants and other jewellery pieces or you can wrap the clay sheet around beads.

Materials

• Different colours of clay – the amount of clay depends on how many pieces you want to make – and you can use as many colours as you like.

Tools and equipment

• Oven
• Darning needle or something similar
• Glass sheet or ceramic tile to work on
• Rolling pin or pasta machine
• Baking paper

Method

Condition and roll the clay you want to use into logs. Place the logs next to each other [image 1] and twist them [image 2]. Carry on twisting and rolling the clay until the logs are evenly spaced throughout [image 3].  

Roll out your clay using a rolling pin [image 4]. Place the clay on a piece of baking paper. The baking paper should be big enough to cover both sides.

Turn it so that the stripes are vertical. Take the back of the darning needle and pull so that it scratches the clay (scoring). Image 5. Make several lines in the same direction evenly spaced.

Turn the sheet 180 degrees, to get the proper pattern you have to draw a line between each of the ones you’ve already drawn, in the opposite direction the first set.

You should have a pretty pattern on your clay now [image 6]. Depending on your design you can use the sheet as is for flat objects like pendants. In this case the lines give your piece some texture. Generally you will want to smooth the sheet. Fold the baking sheet over to cover both sides of the sheet [image 7]. Roll the sheet through your pasta machine until it is smooth [image 8]. Remember to pull the baking sheet away from the clay for every setting you take it through.

That’s it. Now you can wrap the sheet around some bead cores, make pendants or bracelets out of it.