{"id":15155,"date":"2012-03-01T03:19:42","date_gmt":"2012-03-01T11:19:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.beadsandbeading.com\/blog\/?p=15155"},"modified":"2015-07-28T19:21:14","modified_gmt":"2015-07-29T02:21:14","slug":"red-clover-flower-beads-polymer-clay-tutorial","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beadsandbeading.com\/blog\/red-clover-flower-beads-polymer-clay-tutorial\/15155\/","title":{"rendered":"Red Clover Flower Beads | Polymer Clay Tutorial"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"RedVideo #245:<\/span> “I am in the middle of a very important project and am stumped as to how to go about making clover flowers.” ~Karon-C<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Recently, a request came in from a fairly new member, desperately<\/em> needing some design advice for a very special project. She has been commissioned to come up with an authentic looking, polymer clay version of the Red Clover<\/a>, Vermont’s beautiful little State Flower.
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Cindy, I am in the middle of a very important project… well for me anyway, and am stumped as to how to go about this. I need to figure out how to make a clover flower… you know the pretty little round flowers???? Cannot figure this out and can think of no way around making this. Any ideas would surely be appreciated… not sure why I am undertaking this – must have been out of my mind when I said, “I think I can do that.”<\/em> So of course I thought of you and our group here to try to get this little flower done. For such a pretty little flower to cause so much consternation in my life! Oh yes, another minor detail… it must be a sculpted flower, round not flat. Thanks so much. <\/span> ~Karonkay-C<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Now I can’t always jump to every request, but I happen to just LOVE<\/em> clovers… all wild flowers actually… as you probably have already gathered from my many color recipes based on wild flowers… and from the different flower beads I have teaching lately.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ever since I was a child, I used to pull the tiny petals from the clover blossom, and suck on them to taste the sweet nectar inside. I really was a bit of a flower child.<\/span><\/p>\n

Any way, when Karon asked for a clover, my brain couldn’t help but start buzzing. What a cool challenge! All those tiny lily-like petals. The translucency of the blossoms and the colored tips. I knew this could be done, with a little thought and ingenuity.<\/span><\/p>\n

Karon’s Clover request also got Monique to put on her thinking cap. She even started trying out some different clover flower ideas on her own, which was incredibly supportive of her. That is what I love about this community, thank you Monique!<\/span><\/p>\n

Karonkay, I zoomed in on a high resolution pic at the USDA website and was amazed at how intricate this “humble” little flower really is. The numerous (hundreds?) of individual petals all radiating out from the center, each petal looking like a miniature lily (like Cindy showed in Vid-016-1 Calla Lily Beads<\/a>). I was wondering if you had tried using the extruder cane with the skinny “spaghetti” end. What about a felting needle? It has all those little needles, maybe you could use it to brush out your strands. You made me curious yesterday so I made a couple of attempts. I found the Premo too soft (or I don\u2019t have a light enough touch) but I found the Kato clay more suited to something that delicate. Really found mine looked more like a Chrysanthemum with denser blossoms. I don’t have the felting needle so I put a couple of twin needles together and poked all over a small ball of clay then turned the center inside out and put it on the end of a pen to reshape it. Anyway, you may have tried all these things already. In any case, thanks for making me take a closer look at one of nature\u2019s tiny works of art. They grow wild everywhere here in Eastern Canada and are considered weeds! Hope you will let us see how your project turns out. <\/span> ~Monique-U<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Well I promised Karon that I’d put a tutorial together, showing my polymer clay version of the Red Clover Flower… and here it is. Coming up tomorrow (Friday, March 2, 2012) <\/span>in the Vol-046-1 members video at the Polymer Clay Tutor Library<\/a>, I will be teaching all of you how to make some pretty little clover flower beads, which can be used for jewelry and many other creative projects.<\/span>
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Please Note:<\/strong><\/span> A general prerequisite for all of my weekly tutorials is that you have a good understanding of the polymer clay basics, including: conditioning clay, using a pasta machine, clay blade and other simple tools, making Skinner Blends or Teardrop Blends, baking clay, as well as sanding and finishing. If you need help in these areas, my Polymer Clay Beginners Course<\/a> will get you up to speed quickly. There is also plenty of free information on this blog. Use the search box at the top of the page to find articles on specific topics.<\/span><\/p>\n

Supplies & Tools: Video-046-1 Red Clover Flower Beads:
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