Create Ellen Kharade's unique periodic table-inspired jewellery
What you need...
- LEATHER CORD BRACELET Polymer clay, white, peppermint, Indian red, tangerine, pacific blue, plum, Paper, purple, green, aqua, white, Lazertran transfer paper for polymer clay, Fine black leather cord, Caribiner clasp, 11mm, Jump rings, 5mm, 8mm, Necklet ends
TOOLS Pliers, round-nosed, flat-nosed, Wire cutters, Clay roller, Tissue blade, Burnishing tool, Shallow tray, Dremel hobby drill and fine drill bit, Bead piercing needles, Laser photocopier, Clear nail varnish (optional)
instructions
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Leather Cord Bracelet - 1. Download the name template provided here and, using it as a guide, type out your chosen text using Times New Roman font, size 20 for the initials and size 12 for the number and name. Print onto regular purple, green and aqua paper. Cut the initials out and mount onto white A4 paper, then print onto the shiny side of transfer paper, using the mirror image setting as you do so. Make several copies of the same initials so that you can choose the best one.
2. Condition white polymer clay and roll out into a flat sheet, approximately 1cm deep. Trim the image roughly to size and place face down onto the polymer clay. Use a burnishing tool or the back of a teaspoon to rub gently over the back of the image and leave the transfer to set for 30 minutes.
3. Place the clay in a shallow tray of water and agitate for a minute or two until the backing paper slides off, then place onto a piece of kitchen paper and leave the transfer to dry out for an hour. Make up the other two initials in this way. Using a tissue blade, accurately crop the images to 2cm square, and bake for 20 minutes at 110°C. Once cool, use a hobby drill to make three parallel holes through each bead horizontally. Make the holes big enough to thread leather cord through.
4. Roll out two peppermint, two Indian red, one tangerine, two pacific blue and one plum 8mm polymer clay balls and make a pilot hole through each of them using a fine beading needle. Bake for 20 minutes at 110°C. When cool, increase the size of the holes using a hobby drill and give the beads a coat of clear varnish.
5. Cut fine leather cord into three 30cm lengths. Thread the beads onto the leather cords as shown in our example. Tie the cords at each end in a knot, and plait them. When the length each side is roughly 7cm long (or the right length to fit your wrist), then stitch the cord to secure using a needle and thread. Trim away the excess and glue necklet ends onto each side of the bracelet. Add jump rings and a carabiner clasp to finish. -
Make it yours - Use the keyring design to make a gift tag for a decorated card pillow box.