Really Simple Canes with Simple Tools

If you have access to a pasta machine you can make a whole pile of pretty awesome simple canes. Bonus points if you have a clay extruder around.

If you want precise, nicely lined up canes use the square edged dies on your extruder first – parts fit together more neatly. Checkerboard squares line up beautifully but you could just as easily do this with right angle triangles. Simple block letters are another great cane. I make ER canes to use as a signature on my clay pieces. Make letters, reduce teeny tiny, and add a slice to your projects.

Burst patterns in white and translucent are great effects on layered cane work designs. Make the burst with a round log in the center and you have a great sun cane to use.

Maureen Carlson had a short craft book called Clay Techniques with a Pasta Machine which goes into much more detail about what sort of simple techniques you can do with just a pasta machine.

This week’s Book Review Wednesday pick is Air-Dry Clay Making Handbook by Jacalyn K. Myron, and this is another one of those crossover craft books that could easily live in more than one corner of CraftGossip.

It is not strictly a jewelry making book, but the cover does mention jewelry projects, and air-dry clay is a lovely material for making lightweight pendants, charms, ring dishes, earrings, beads, and little decorative pieces. So I’m letting it sneak into the Jewelry Making series because, honestly, half the fun of handmade jewelry is experimenting with materials that were not necessarily “jewelry supplies” to begin with.

Air-dry clay is especially appealing for beginners because you do not need an oven, kiln, torch, or specialist setup. You can shape it, texture it, let it dry, sand it, paint it, seal it, and turn it into something sweet and useful. It is very approachable, which makes it a nice option for crafters who want to try clay jewelry without jumping straight into polymer clay baking or resin mixing.

This book looks like a practical beginner guide covering air-dry clay techniques, tools, tips, and projects, including jewelry, home décor, animals, figurines, and small sculptures. I like that mix because it gives makers room to play. You might start with a simple ring dish or pendant and then wander off into little bowls, ornaments, charms, or handmade gifts.

For jewelry makers, I’d see this as a gentle introduction to clay-based accessories. Think handmade pendants, textured earrings, little clay charms, or small dishes for storing rings and earrings. It would also pair nicely with our Jewelry Making projects and the more clay-focused ideas here.

My Shellie-style take? Air-Dry Clay Making Handbook looks like a calm, beginner-friendly craft book for anyone who wants to try clay without too much fuss. It may lean more general craft than pure jewelry, but there is enough jewelry potential here to make it useful for makers who enjoy handmade accessories, gift projects, and pretty little things made by hand.

You can find the book here: Air-Dry Clay Making Handbook.

Have you read?