{"id":20247,"date":"2016-03-07T05:00:26","date_gmt":"2016-03-07T13:00:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.beadsandbeading.com\/blog\/?p=20247"},"modified":"2016-03-03T22:40:15","modified_gmt":"2016-03-04T06:40:15","slug":"easy-polymer-clay-zipper-cane-tutorial","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beadsandbeading.com\/blog\/easy-polymer-clay-zipper-cane-tutorial\/20247\/","title":{"rendered":"Easy Polymer Clay Zipper Cane Tutorial"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Zipper<\/a>Video #723:<\/span> Starting with a Skinner or Teardrop Blend that has good color contrast, is key to making Zipper Canes that work.<\/span><\/strong> <\/p>\n

In the previous video, I showed how to get more color contrast in your polymer clay color blends. This can be very important when making certain polymer clay canes… especially a Zipper Cane.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you don’t have enough contrast between the darkest to the lightest colors in your blend, your Zipper cane design will lose its impact, visually. Colors that are too close to the same value, will blur together and the pattern will be difficult to see. This is especially the case if you reduce your cane to a smaller size.<\/span><\/p>\n

So… before attempting this Zipper Cane Tutorial, make sure to first watch the “More Contrast In Your Polymer Clay Skinner Blends<\/a>” video, so that you end up with a pleasing result for your zipper cane.<\/span><\/p>\n

As you will see in the video, once you have a good Teardrop Blend with nice contrast, you can easily transform it into a Zipper Cane in just a few steps.<\/span><\/p>\n

The first step is to manipulate your cane into a long strip between 1″ to 2″ in width. The blend should go from side to side down the entire strip, rather than from end to end. In the video you will see what I mean.<\/span><\/p>\n

This strip is then cut in half, leaving you with two long strips that you will flip one side to side and stack on top of the other. Making sure that light edge of Piece Two is now on top of the dark edge of Piece One… and that the dark edge of Piece Two is on top of the light edge of Piece One. Again, this makes the most sense when you can see it done in the video.<\/span><\/p>\n

Then, to make this double layered alternating stack into a cane, you simply cut in half and stack… repeating until you have a rectangular cane that suits your needs.<\/span><\/p>\n

This Zipper Cane can then be reduced to a smaller size as needed, and sliced to be used for whatever you want. Zipper Cane slices make great earrings, beads, buttons, pendants, polymer clay background sheets, slices to add to bangle bracelets, frames, candle holders, etc., etc.<\/span><\/p>\n

Try this cane out in lots of different color ways. Have fun!<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n