June 6, 2008
Polymer Clay Techniques - The Skinner Blend Plug
Tip #54: A beginner cane with many uses, the Skinner Blend Plug is a 'must learn' polymer clay technique:
For those of you not familiar with the polymer clay technique called the Skinner Blend, it is a sheet of clay that has been blended in such a way to gradually shift from one color to another. A Skinner Blend can be used in a variety of ways. One way is to make it into a Skinner Blend Plug, which can be used to make more complicated canes such as flower canes, leaf canes and many others.
The Skinner Blend Plug is made by rolling your Skinner Blend sheet as long and as thin as you can, with your pasta machine. This long flat 'snake' of clay is then fan folded back and forth on itself to create a block of clay that shifts from one color to the other.
This block of clay can then be manipulated into whatever shaped cane you like… square, round, triangle, etc. Having a block of clay that is shaded in this manner is very useful when making other types polymer clay canes. It can provide the shading in a leaf cane, the sunset in a landscape cane and dimension in a flower cane.
Much like a few other beginner polymer clay canes, making the Skinner Blend plug is definitely one of those 'must learn' polymer clay techniques!
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"Skinner Cane Plug" Video Description: The full version of this tutorial is currently posted in the VIP backstage members area. In it I discuss how to create a Skinner Blend Plug using a blended sheet of clay and a pasta machine.
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Filed under 02: Tools, 05: Techniques, 07: Cane Work by Cindy Lietz
Comments on Polymer Clay Techniques - The Skinner Blend Plug »
A Skinner Blend Plug doesn't only have to be created using a two color blend. Multi-colored blends work equally well for this polymer clay technique.
Cindy Lietz's last blog post..Color Mixing Polymer Clay - Leaf Green Recipe Ideas
Cindy, these videos are great and I appreciate your making them available to us novices! Certainly shortens our road to correcting our mistakes. Thank you a million times. Cheers Katy
You're a million times welcome Katy!
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I am really looking forward to learning more about cane's and their multiple uses. The topography of this art form is fascinating. -Lani
I'm looking forward to have the cane courses ready to teach you Lani. They really are very cool to make! Topography is a great word to describe the the way the cane designs are laid out… I really like it!
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Dear Cindy,
Thank you again for another great video. I find your videos fascinating each week as you demonstrate yet another way to do magical things with polymer clay! Thank you so much for sharing your time, effort, knowledge, and sweet spirit with all of us…you are very much appreciated :)
I am looking forward to the treasure hunt. You have my curiosity!
Sincerely,
Cindy
…and YES! Cindy IS a great name! :)
Another very interesting way to use polymer clay! Thanks for another great vid Cindy!!
Keri Lee Keri Lee Sereika's last blog post..Christmas In July
That is so cool Cindy! I can't wait to get home and try it! I am really excited about trying that in rainbow colors! Thanks so much for all these awesome videos! I am learning a great deal from them!
Stephanie
Thanks again, Cindy for a very enlightening way to use Polymer Clay. I enjoy your videos very much.
Thanks,
Pat Olive
Thank you again Cindy for a wonderful video. This clarified some questions I had.
@Cindy Erickson: You're sweet! *me blushing* Keep your eyes on your email box next week for the details on the treasure hunt.
@Keri Lee: I'm really glad you liked it!
@SC Steph: Does the SC stand for Super Cool?… Cause the rainbow blend sounds awesome!
@Pat Olive: Happy to light your polymer clay path!
@Maria: I'm glad it cleared things up! If you ever have questions about any polymer clay technique make sure to ask… I may know the answer and could give it to you.
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Great video Cindy! Can't wait to see what you do with the plug. Have a good one! Zoe
Thank You Zoe! There are really a lot of cool complex canes that involve using a Skinner Blend Plug, so practice getting good at making them. That will help you when the new cane courses are finally available.
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Hi Cindy,
How do you get the skinner blend to come out so even at the thinnest setting. Mine never come out of the pasta machine that straight.
Kim C.'s last blog post..If you like lime green and gold jewelry….
Kim C. If you butt your clay up to one side it helps. Also start at the largest setting and go thinner only one setting at a time. If you try to skip some settings, the block tends to distort.
Another trick is to hold your finger in the rollers at the width you want the clay to be. (Don't worry your fingers are too big to get caught in the rollers.) This can be a little awkward because you have the crank the handle while doing this, but it can work if you go slow.
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Hi Cindy,
This is an idea that I had when I started to make long narrow skinner blends for plugs. I was having trouble controling the long thin sheet of clay as it came out of my pasta machaine. First I cut a dowel about 3 inches longer than my machine rollers. Second I cut a piece of freezer wrap 4 feet long and 1/2 inch narrower than the length of the rollers (this was 48" X 9 1/2). Third I taped one of the narrow ends of the freezer wrap to the dowel and rolled it up on the dowel. Now when I'm going to need better control I place the free end of the wrap through the machine, between the legs, and pull the wrap about 3" to the front. I start the clay through the pasta machine just like normal but when the clay touches the paper I pull the paper forward with the clay. All this lets me have more control of how the clay leaves the machine and because the clay is on the paper, my claying area has as so much stuff on it, I can just lay it on top of everything.
Love the vids can always use help with new things.
Ed that is a cool idea! I had to think about it for a few minutes to get what you meant, but now I get it. Sounds like it works really well!
That would make a great video cause some people might not be able to visulaize what you are saying about how it works. When I give it a try, I'll have to film the process and definitely give you a big shout out for taking the time to share this valuable tip.
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