Comments on: Baking Flat Polymer Clay Sheets – Avoiding Common Problems

By: Ashley

Ashley — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 14:49:13 +0000

thanks so much for the clarification! :) i am really excited to peruse this website more and get started creating! :)

By: Phaedrakat

Phaedrakat — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 07:57:29 +0000

@Ashley: Welcome, Ashley! There are no silly questions -- everyone has to start out somewhere. Asking questions is how you get better. Cindy has lots of articles on baking, conditioning clay, sanding and varnishing your pieces, etc. here at her website. All kinds of stuff for beginners as well as people who have worked with clay for some time. You can find the articles by using the "Topic Categories" or the search box at the top left-hand side of the page. Just click on a topic or type a keyword or two into the search box, and you'll get a list of relevant articles. Here's one about "Baking in a Tile Sandwich," which gives a little bit more info about baking on tiles. Cindy also has a Polymer Clay Fundamentals/Beginners Video Package, which has something like 39 videos. It's perfect for people just starting out in polymer clay, and is a fantastic deal. As for your tile question -- the answer is Yes! However, I usually wash a new tile first (with dish soap or something like it.) I just want to make sure I remove any dust or warehouse ick that could end up in my clay. Then it's safe to pop it in the oven. It's a good idea to buy an extra tile to KEEP in your oven -- it holds the heat, making your oven bake a bit more evenly and helping to prevent temperature spikes. Good luck with your new claying experiences, and Have Fun!

By: Ashley

Ashley — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 19:59:04 +0000

hi cindy :) first of all, i L-O-V-E your site! i am brand new to polymer clay and i am trying to learn as much as i can- and your site is THE most helpful one i’ve found! thanks!

i also have a question- i am definiely going to try out the ceramic tile thing- but my question is: do you just put the tile directly into the oven? sorry it is a silly question- i have just never done anything like this before and i dont want to do it wrong! thanks! :)

By: Cindy Lietz@Bead Making Basics

Cindy Lietz@Bead Making Basics — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 00:22:12 +0000

@Andrea: That sounds so cute... are your beads really doing flips?! I'm glad this info will help. Don't throw out your mistakes though... you can always cover them up with new clay and bake again. For more info on that read this article: What to do with Scrap Polymer Clay

@Kimberlee: I like parchment because it is non-stick. It also is made for the oven so it takes the heat and it doesn't transfer wax onto the clay like wax paper can. Plus you can get a huge roll of it at Costco for about $7 so it's cheap. File cards will work well too so you can keep using those if you want to.

By: Kimberlee

Kimberlee — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 18:42:13 +0000

Finally, a baking surface I can count on to heat evenly! I can see how the even weight distribution, even heating, and also the even heating from above (as Kody pointed out) would help the pieces bake flatter and ultimately increase the level of professional appearance. But I was wondering why parchment? I am in the habit of using index cards (cheaper than my nice cardstock) and wax paper with my clay. Is there anything in particular about parchment which makes it a better choice than these?

This tip has already helped me figure out how I’m going to improve my metal leaf pendants! (I’ve been obsessing over the back sometimes having a slight dip after I’ve sanded. They were totally smooth but not entirely flat always!)

By: Andrea Dimmick

Andrea Dimmick — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 08:59:40 +0000

As i am new to polymer clay this is a very helpful tip,saves me having to waste baked pieces that have done a flip.

By: Cindy Lietz@Polymer Clay Bead Making Basics Course

Cindy Lietz@Polymer Clay Bead Making Basics Course — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 23:33:01 +0000

Daisy what an excellent idea! Makes me happy to hear you found your own solution! Thanks for your kind words. Having problems myself is exactly why I set up this website and blog. If I can save someone the hassles I went through, I feel like I've done a good job. If you have any more tricks you've learned over the years, it would be cool if you shared them here... the more we can share with each other the better! Cindy Lietz's last blog post..Cool Polymer Clay Tutorial - A Fimo and Sculpey Cane Making Tip

By: daisy

daisy — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 18:21:38 +0000

I had not thought about using tiles to keep my clay flat but I did find another way simular to this I use 2 flat ovensafe plates in place of the tiles and have found that it works great. I had tons of “bubbly” pieces before I tried something other than metal to bake on. I wish I would have had this website 7 years ago. lol

By: Cindy Lietz@Polymer Clay Bead Primer

Cindy Lietz@Polymer Clay Bead Primer — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 02:43:30 +0000

Can't believe that it is almost time for us crafters to start thinking about what we're going to make for Christmas presents! These would be an excellent choice! Cindy Lietz's last blog post..Memorial Jewelry - How To Make Rose Petal Beads with Polymer Clay

By: Freda

Freda — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 15:32:04 +0000

Now I’ll know how to bake those flat Christmas cookie tree decorations. They will look so good on our Christmas tree.