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How to Make Silver Charms from Metal Clay
A dainty pair of ballet shoes complete with silver ribbons makes the perfect gift for a ballet enthusiast. Sculpting the shoes is not difficult, but the ribbon is more challenging. Make sure that the ribbon clay is well hydrated. If you find the ribbon difficult in silver clay, make it in pale pink or white polymer clay, which is easier to handle.

Colored ribbons
Make the ballet shoes in silver clay but do not make the ribbons. Pierce with a peg and loop finding in the heel, then fire and polish. Make the ribbon streamers using pastel-colored polymer clay. Press onto the shoes and arrange the ribbons, then bake the whole piece as recommended on the package of polymer clay. Use epoxy or superglue to attach the polymer clay bow to the silver shoes when cool.

Posted by Aurum Press • Published 25th December 2013 • See Aurum Press's 78 projects » © 2024 Sue Heaser / Apple Press · Reproduced with permission. · How To Make Silver Charms from Metal Clay by Sue Heaser, published by Apple Press, £12.99 paperback

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Step 1
Form a 3⁄16 in (5 mm) thick log of silver clay and cut two ⁄8 in (10 mm) lengths for the shoes. Roll each length into a ball, and then roll each ball into a log with rounded ends.
Step 2
Press the end of a paintbrush handle into the center of one of the logs and continue pressing toward the heel of the shoe to hollow it out. With the handle still in the shoe, press a finger against the heel to shape it. Repeat for the other shoe.
Step 3
Brush water onto one of the shoes and press the other shoe on top at an angle.
Step 4
To make the ribbon, roll out a sheet of clay, 1 p.c. (0.25 mm) thick. Smear the clay with oil to prevent the blade from sticking and use a straight blade to cut two strips, 1⁄16 in (1.5 mm) wide and 3⁄4 in (20 mm) long.
Step 5
Cut one end of each ribbon strip at an angle. Apply paste to the top of the heel of the upper shoe and press the straight ends of the two ribbons on top, angling the ribbons out over the shoes and curling them slightly into a graceful curve for the bow streamers.
Step 6
Cut another strip of clay, 1 3⁄8 in
(35 mm) long, and curve the two ends inward to make two loops for the bow.
Apply water to the center of the strip and press the ends down. Wrap a small strip of clay around the center of the bow to hide the ends and suggest a knot.
Step 7
Apply paste to the top of the ribbon streamers and press on the bow, arranging it to drape attractively.
Step 8
Push a peg and loop finding into the heel of the top shoe, just behind the bow. Dry the shoes, fill any cracks with paste, and smooth carefully. The ribbons will be fragile until fired. Fire, brush, and polish. File any sharp points on the ribbon ends.