To make polymer clay jewelry, you condition the clay until it's soft, roll it to an even thickness (about 3mm or 1/8 inch for earrings), cut your shapes, pierce any holes, then bake in a home oven at the temperature on the package, usually between 230 and 275°F. Once cool, you sand the edges, add jump rings or glue on posts, and your piece is ready to wear.
That's the whole process in a nutshell. Below you'll find the supply list, each step in more detail, three easy first projects and the mistakes that trip up most beginners.
What you'll need
- Oven-bake polymer clay in two or three colors. A soft polymer clay block is easy to condition by hand, and a metallic like pearlescent gold polymer clay adds instant shimmer.
- A roller. An acrylic clay roller is ideal because clay doesn't stick to it and you can see through it. A smooth glass jar works in a pinch.
- Cutters or a craft blade. Shape cutters give clean, matching pairs. A tissue blade or craft knife handles freehand shapes.
- A small hole punch or needle tool for jump ring holes.
- A baking surface: a ceramic tile or a metal tray lined with parchment or plain printer paper.
- An oven thermometer. Home ovens often run hotter or cooler than the dial says.
- Jewelry findings: earring hooks or posts, jump rings, and two pairs of flat or chain-nose pliers.
- Wet/dry sandpaper (around 400 to 1000 grit) for smoothing edges.
- Optional: texture stamps, transfer paper, and a water-based varnish made for polymer clay.
Keep your clay tools for clay only. Once a roller, blade or tray has been used for polymer clay, don't use it for food again.
Step-by-step: making your first piece
- Condition the clay. Knead, roll and fold each color in your hands for a few minutes until it's soft, warm and bends without cracking at the edges. This lines up the particles and makes the baked piece much stronger. If the clay is very sticky and soft, leave it between sheets of plain paper for an hour so some of the excess plasticizer soaks out (crafters call this leaching).
- Roll it out evenly. Aim for about 3mm (1/8 inch) for earrings and pendants. Two stacks of playing cards either side of the clay work as guides so the roller can't go thinner than you want.
- Cut your shapes. Press the cutter straight down, wiggle gently and lift. Clean cutters help, so wipe them between cuts. For freehand shapes, use a craft blade held straight up.
- Add texture or detail while the clay is soft. Press in a texture stamp, add slices of a contrasting color, or apply a water transfer. Smooth fingerprints with a fingertip dusted in a little cornstarch or a dab of baby oil. Polymer clay is oil-based, so water doesn't smooth it the way it does with pottery clay.
- Pierce holes before baking. Punch any jump ring holes now, at least 2 to 3mm in from the edge so the clay doesn't tear later. Trying to drill a hole after baking is fiddly and can crack the piece.
- Bake by the package directions. Most brands bake between 230 and 275°F (110 to 135°C). A common rule is 15 to 30 minutes per 1/4 inch of thickness, depending on the brand. Baking a bit longer at the correct temperature makes pieces stronger. Baking hotter scorches them. Tent the tray with a folded piece of card or foil to stop light colors browning, and keep the room ventilated.
- Let pieces cool fully. Polymer clay is slightly flexible when hot and reaches its full strength as it cools, so leave everything on the tray until it's at room temperature.
- Sand and finish. Wet-sand rough edges, working up through the grits under a trickle of water. Polymer clay doesn't need sealing, but a water-based varnish made for polymer clay adds gloss and protects surface paint or transfers. Avoid nail polish, which can stay tacky on polymer clay.
- Add findings. Open jump rings by twisting the ends sideways (front-to-back) with two pairs of pliers, never by pulling them apart. Thread on your piece and earring hook, then twist closed. For studs, glue posts to the back with a strong jewelry glue or two-part epoxy and let it cure fully.
3 beginner-friendly project ideas
Simple stud earrings
Cut two small matching shapes, such as circles, arches or hearts, about 3mm thick. Bake, sand the edges, then glue a flat-pad earring post to the back of each. A geometric earring cutter makes it easy to get perfectly matching pairs on your first try.
Marbled pendant or drop earrings
Twist two or three colors into a rope, fold and twist again a couple of times, then roll flat. Stop before the colors blend into one. Cut your shapes, then punch a neat hole with a stainless steel clay hole cutter for the jump ring. Every piece comes out slightly different, which makes marbling very forgiving.
Textured statement earrings
Roll a sheet, press in a pattern with clay embossing stamps, and cut large arches or rectangles. After baking, you can brush a little acrylic paint into the recesses and wipe the surface for an antiqued look. Large flat pieces are where polymer clay shines, because they stay light enough to wear comfortably.
Want to try rings? Polymer clay bands are possible, but thin rings snap easily. Make them chunky (at least 3mm thick) and expect them to be more fragile than metal.
Common beginner mistakes to avoid
- Skipping conditioning. Unconditioned clay looks fine until it's baked, then cracks or snaps. Always knead until soft and pliable.
- Rolling too thin. Under about 2mm, earrings get brittle. Stick to 3mm until you know how your clay behaves.
- Trusting the oven dial. A temperature that's too low leaves pieces weak and crumbly; too high scorches them. An oven thermometer solves both.
- Holes too close to the edge. Leave a few millimeters of clay around every hole so the jump ring can't tear through.
- Handling pieces while hot. Warm clay bends and dents easily. Let it cool on the tray.
- Pulling jump rings open. Always twist them sideways. Pulling distorts the ring so it never closes neatly.
Your next step
Start with a pair of studs and a pair of drop earrings from the same sheet of clay: you'll practice cutting, baking and both types of findings in one session. When you're ready to stock up, our jewelry making supplies collection has clay, cutters and finishing tools.
To build on what you've learned, see our guide to clay sculpting tool techniques, try mixing materials with natural wood beads, or move on to glossy charms with our resin jewelry and charms guide. For a bit of background on what polymer clay actually is, the Wikipedia article on polymer clay is a good starting point.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a kiln to make polymer clay jewelry?
No. Polymer clay cures in an ordinary home oven or a dedicated toaster oven at low temperatures, usually between 230 and 275°F. Only ceramic clay needs a kiln.
How thick should polymer clay earrings be?
About 3mm (1/8 inch) is a good thickness for beginners. Thinner pieces are lighter but get brittle, especially if they are underbaked.
Why did my polymer clay crack after baking?
The most common causes are clay that wasn't fully conditioned, pieces rolled too thin, or an oven that ran too hot or too cool. An oven thermometer and thorough kneading prevent most cracks.
Do you need to seal polymer clay jewelry?
No, baked polymer clay is already waterproof and durable. A water-based varnish made for polymer clay is only needed for gloss or to protect paint and transfers.
Can you mix different brands of polymer clay?
Yes, as long as they are both oven-bake polymer clays. Bake the mixed piece at a temperature that falls within both brands' recommended ranges, and test a scrap first.
How do you attach earring hooks to polymer clay?
Pierce a hole before baking, then link the piece to the hook with a jump ring opened sideways with pliers. For studs, glue a flat-pad post to the back with a strong jewelry glue or epoxy.
