HOW TO MAKE AN EASY DIY POLYMER CLAY KEYCHAIN

 

Here, I share with you a very simple polymer clay tutorial. If you are a beginner at working with polymer clay, this DIY keychain tutorial is a perfect place to start with. In this DIY craft, you need to do cut and bake the polymer clay. Polymer clay is easy to work with if you want to start as a hobby or a business, so I think you will love these polymer clay keychain tutorials.

 

Why Polymer Clay?

Polymer clay is such a great idea to start work with. polymer clay is a moldable plastic made out of polymer polyvinyl chloride the best part of working with polymer clay is you can remold it if not satisfied with your work until it is baked and it doesn’t easily harden on its own, it needs to be baked to fully harden. you can easily create some really beautiful things like buttons, earrings, pendants, charms, and many more. Once the polymer clay artwork is baked, you can easily personalize your craft by painting, drilling, buffing, or sanding it. you can use mica powder, glitter, or leaf foil to make it more attractive. If you haven’t tried crafting with clay, what are you waiting for?

If you haven’t seen my polymer clay beads tutorial, I’ll link that here for you.

 I share simple 7 types of beads designs in that video and you don’t want to miss it.

 

Supplies for Polymer Clay Keychain

•  polymer clay color: purple and white
•   acrylic roller
•  keychain holder
• craft knife
• a toothpick, skewer, or needle
•  parchment paper

 

Step By Step Polymer Clay Keychain Tutorial

 

1. Break Up The Clay

Take 10 grams of purple color and  20 grams of white polymer clay and condition them properly. For conditioning the clay, you can do it by rolling it and knitting with your hands or can be with the rolling machine. Conditioning makes the clay smooth and easy to use for the modeling parts. Conditioning the clay avoid the bubble or blister that form while baking as improper conditioning makes air space in the polymer clay craft piece.  The polymer clay is well-conditioned when you can easily roll out a long coil and bend the clay without any cracks or rough edges.

If you do happen to make air bubbles, simply pop them with a needle or craft knife.

 

2. Rolling the Clay

Make a small ball of both colors of clay separately. let’s start with the white clay ball. Roll the white conditioned polymer clay ball with the help of a roller on a ceramic or glass tile piece of at least 0.8cm thickness. Make sure that no air bubble traps inside the clay while rolling. If you do happen to make air bubbles, simply pop them with a needle or craft knife.

 

3. Cutting Shape Out of It.

After rolling a thick white sheet with the help of the craft knife, cut a rectangular shape out of the rolled white polymer clay sheet. For reference, you can choose the size 2.5x5 cm or 5x5cm if you are a square book shape lover.

4. Pooping Out the Piece.

Use a sharp craft knife or any plane sheet to pop the piece. Never use your hand as it may defer the polymer clay piece.

 

5. Making Cover Part.

Before working with different colors, clean the surface with a napkin or tape. Now roll the purple polymer clay ball into a sheet of thickness 0.3cm. and cut the sheet of size 2.8x5.3cm or 5.3x5.3cm.

6. Placing The Pages

Leaving 0.3cm space place the white sheet on the purple one and fold the purple sheet like the cover of the book. For more detail, you can watch my youtube video tutorial

7. Making Hole

It's totally up to you. you can drill the hole after baking the polymer clay craft or before baking it. I made a hole between the pages and the cover with the help of a toothpick before baking it. make sure to make a bigger hole as it shrinks after baking.

8. Baking The Polymer Clay Mould.

now place the clay book on parchment paper and bake it in the oven at 110-degree Celsius for 15- 20 minutes. It’s better to bake the clay at a low temperature.

9. Finishing the Baked Polymer Clay Book.

Don’t touch the baked clay book immediately. Leave the baked polymer clay book for a few minutes to cool down. Polymer clay shows a plastic effect when hot, so touching the hot clay make disturbs the shape.

10. Assemble Jump Rings

Using the precision pliers, open a jump ring and insert it through the hole of the clay book. Add two more jump rings to create a chain or place the Eyelets Screw Threaded in the hole like this

 

11. Add the Keyring

Loop the book pendant through the keyring with the jump ring and it really is that easy!

 

12. Sealing the Clay Craft

Since polymer clay book art piece forms a nice, durable finish when it cures, sealing your work isn’t necessary.

However, if you choose to seal your clay book, use a clean brush to apply a thin layer of polyurethane varnish or UV resin to the clay book craft. Allow them to dry before making your own DIY polymer clay book keychain.

Whether it be an accessory for a purse or backpack or a handmade gift, this polymer clay book keychain can be used. you can now try making other keychains and explore different limitless possible creative ideas.

 

 here is the link for youtube tutorial 

 

What else can you use besides polymer clay to make keychains?

You can make keychains out of resin, cotton thread, air dry clay, beads, string, and paper. We have a tutorial for making an easy resin keychain of your own.

 

What is the best size to make a polymer clay keychain?

The size of keychain charms totally depends on your preference. Most people like smaller keychains, around an inch from top to bottom, some really like jumbo size ones.

 

Can you bake polymer clay in your kitchen oven?

Yes, we baked this in the oven at 140 degrees for 10 to 20 minutes. or you can follow the instruction printed on the packet of polymer clay.  it is better to work with low temperatures while baking. high temperature may burn your clay artwork.

 

 

 

 

 

Here are a few polymer clay tutorial safety tips:

1.   Polymer Clay is synthetic and considered non-toxic. it is advisable to keep polymer clay away from toddlers and pets reach that may harm them while taking a tasty chunk out of your polymer clay.

2.    Never eat and work with the clay at the same time. polymer Clay is a little sticky while working so it may find its way into your mouth and food will find its way onto the clay.

3.   Keep Polymer clay tools separate from other tools. use clay tools for clay work only.

4.    Take care while working with sharp objects and blades. like the blade, we use for clay is sharp, it may cut you. cover it properly after use.

5.    Always use a glass or plastic cutting board or a ceramic tile to cut the polymer clay sculpture with a knife or cutter.

6.    Wrap and store the clay in a cool and dry place while you are not working with it as it can be stored for a long time enough to sculpt until it is baked.

7.   When sanding or buffing or drilling the baked clay, don’t forget to use a mask and goggles. tiny dust particle makes its way to your mouth, eyes, and nose.

8.   Supervise young children when working with sharp tools and hot ovens while with polymer clay work

9.   Use a dust-free area while with polymer clay.

10.  Clean your hand properly or sanitize it so that clay doesn’t stick the dirt of your hand and the last color of clay doesn’t stick to the next working polymer clay.

11.  The baked clay becomes like rubber when it comes out of the oven but will harden as it cools down. Handle with care, don’t try to touch it, the clay will be hot as it comes out of the oven.

12. It is a good idea to make holes in polymer clay pieces a bit wider if you want to escape the drilling part later as they tend to close as the clay bakes in the oven.

13. Take care not to trap air bubbles in your clay while you are kneading and folding it. If air bubbles get their way in your clay, simply pop them with the help of a needle or craft knife.