How Do I....

[moonspinners]

...make those very pretty hook handles with polymer clay? I'm talking about the hooks I've seen with tiny flowers and vivid colors. I know I can buy them, but I want to know how to do it myself. I've checked YouTube and have Googled the subject, but I can't find what I want. I know next to nothing about polymer clay, but I have a feeling canes (whatever they are) are part of the solution. Can anyone help?

[deanna6812]

Funny...somebody just posted this link (http://hooksandyarns.blogspot.com/2010/08/my-crochet-hooks.html) in another thread!

[moonspinners]

Thank you for responding, Deanna.

She gives excellent instructions. So now I know how to make clay handles, but I want to know how to make the pretty tiny flowers instead of stripes or a marbled look.

[DebraKay]

Here's a youtube tutorial too:

 

Here's directions if you want to make flowers as an embellishment after covering the crochet hook with clay: http://www.pcpolyzine.com/2001january/disc.html and roses: http://www.jaedworks.com/clayspot/techniques/roses.html

 

You can also buy polymer clay in canes or sticks with the flower design inside. Here are directions to make your own flower cane: http://www.polymerclaycentral.com/cyclopedia/simpleflowercane_mia.html Then you would cut and roll to make your pen cover, sort of like what is shown in this video: http://www.claysquared.com/index.php/layls-silly-milly-art/videos

 

As an aside: My favorite polymer clay artist is Josh Burkhardt. http://www.joshclay.com/about_joshua.html He started polymer clay sculpting as a child and was giving classes at 11 and wrote his own book at the age of 12. He lives near us and I met him and his mother several times at craft shows. They are wonderful Christian people who manage to put a little ministering into their art. Josh gave a demonstration to our church youth group and gave me a tiny little polymer clay Nativity set. I treasure it and display it all year! I'm not sure what he is doing now -- I'm guessing he's in his 20s now.

[moonspinners]

Thank you, Debra Kay, for all the links. With your help I got closer to what I was looking for....millefiori crochet handles:

[moonfest]

now I am curious is those milli crochet handles done by some sort of paper ink transfers on to the clay? sure are pretty

[namffoc]

Thank you, Debra Kay, for all the links. With your help I got closer to what I was looking for....millefiori crochet handles:

 

Oh wow, those are amazingly gorgeous!

[Nilliem]

now I am curious is those milli crochet handles done by some sort of paper ink transfers on to the clay? sure are pretty

 

No, those are made by rolling the colors in tubes and then the tubes are put together and rolled with the outside color wrapped around them. Then they slice them to make the flowers. It is *very* detailed work. I think I saw an episode of 'How its Made' and they were showing it.

 

If you go looking for 'how to make millifiore polymer clay' you will probably find videos showing you how.

[crocheting_Kelly]

Thank you, Debra Kay, for all the links. With your help I got closer to what I was looking for....millefiori crochet handles:

 

 

I've been researching how to do these hooks too. I found this website that shows how to use the clay cane: http://themagpieknitter.com/?p=477. I made myself a crochet hook, with 4 colors together, like zebra stripes. I love crocheting with it. After the holidays I plan on ordering some clay cane from Etsy to make the beautiful flower handles. I've watch youtube videos on making the cane, but I'm not interested in spending THAT much time on making the hooks! I'd rather buy the cane.