Polymer Clay Tutorial | How To Make Mobius Beads From Cane Slices

Vid #94: A Complicated Bead Shape that's Surprisingly Easy to Make:

When your handmade jewelry making projects call for something a bit more intricate or fancy, then a fun polymer clay bead to make is the Mobius Bead.

Unlike the simple cube beads I showed you the other day, this mobius bead is anything but simple in design! However, they really aren't that difficult to make if you know the right tips and tricks.

Made using a slice from almost any round, square or diamond shaped polymer clay cane, the mobius bead twists and turns and amazes all those who do not know the secrets of making them.

For this reason they are great for necklaces, earring sets and any beading projects where you need a focal piece to really pop!

When I first saw and read about how to make the Mobius bead, I was amazed by how simple the technique appeared to be. But after trying my hand at it, I fairly quickly discovered several things that did not work.

It's actually fairly common for instructional materials to leave out these "what-not-to-do" details. And that's unfortunate, especially for beginners, because it can lead to frustration when things don't work out exactly as described.

For example, with Mobius beads if the cane you start out with is not soft enough, the sides crack and split as you try to fold them. And if your cane slice is too thin, the fold collapses and doesn't look right. Or if it is too thick, the stretching and folding of your mobius shape becomes near impossible.

Fingerprints can also be a problem when making the mobius bead… since the deep cavities in the finished bead are very difficult to get at for sanding.

All these problems are easily solved though. And once you know the tricks, a mobius bead is quick to make with all the pizzaz and flair you could ever want in a polymer clay bead.

Seeing the mobius bead instructions on video is probably the most effective way to learn how to make it. That is why I have created a video tutorial (Vid-009-2) that will be added to the members library later this week. In the meantime, you can watch the sneak peak preview video posted below.

Here's That "Link Below" Referred To at End of the Video
>> Polymer Clay Tutorials <<

The full version of the "Mobius Bead" preview video shown above, is available for purchase at my Polymer Clay Bead Making Videos Library in the Volume-009 Back Issue Package.

In the "Mobius Bead" video I walk you step by step through the process of using slices from a polymer clay cane to make your Mobius Beads. Specific topics covered in the video include:

• Using round as well as square polymer clay canes.
• Why symmetry of the cane slice is important.
• Tips for deciding what cane slice thickness to use.
• How to avoid leaving fingerprints on your clay.
• What to do if your cane is too old and brittle.
• Warming up your cane slices to soften them up.
• Incorporating a bugle bead "spindle" into your mobius bead design.
• Cane designs used in this video tutorial include mod cane, rose brain cane and rainbow cane