How to Make Swirled Beads from Polymer Clay

You can make many different kinds of beads from polymer clay, but the ones with colorful swirled designs can be really eye-catching as well as unique. Here are basic instructions for making these beads, as well as a few tips for making them even more special.

The Clay
You can use just about any kind of polymer clay, but in order for the swirl effect to show you'll need at least two colors that aren't too close in hue or tone. For example, black and white swirls will really stand out, while rose pink and red swirls may be so subtle that no one will notice them except you. The swirl technique isn't that hard, but it does take a little time, which would be wasted if no one can see the effect.

Supplies needed
You won't need a lot of supplies, but it's essential that you have two flat surfaces that the clay will stick to. One could be opaque, like a ceramic tile, but the other must be clear (so you can see through it while you're making the swirl). One piece (the opaque one, if that's what you have) will go on your work surface, and should be attached so that it won't slide around. The other (clear) piece will be used on the top of the clay to make the swirl design. Both pieces should be significantly bigger than your intended bead size.

I've found that the cheapest and easiest solution is to get two picture frames from a thrift store that still have the glass in them. The condition of the frames doesn't matter; you'll be using only the glass parts. Just make sure the glass isn't cracked or broken.

The glass pieces don't have to be huge; generally speaking, for a bead about an inch in diameter you'll need a piece of glass that's at least six inches square. You can use a bigger one, but don't try to use one that's really large (like 11 x 14) unless you're making a really large bead; it will be too hard to control otherwise.

After you get the glass pieces home wash and dry them, then put a couple of layers of masking tape around the edges. The edges shouldn't be sharp, but they could still bother your hands. The tape will not only protect your hands, but it will also help you hold onto the glass more firmly.

Preparing the Clay
Once the clay is conditioned, all you need to do is gently mix some colors together. Don't work too hard at this; if your colors are too well mixed the swirl pattern won't show. You can use as many colors as you like, as long as you have at least two. But it's probably best, at least in the beginning, to use no more than three or four colors until you see how they combine when they're swirled.

Roll the clay around in your hands until it's roughly ball-shaped. The shape doesn't have to be perfect; the swirl process will change it, anyway.

Basic Procedure
Attach one piece of glass (or the opaque surface, if that's what you're using) to the table and make sure it doesn't move. (I use small pieces of uncured clay in each corner to "tack" it down.)

Place the ball of clay in the center of the bottom surface. The put the clear piece on top of the clay, aligning it so that the ball is also in the middle of this piece.

Hold the top piece in your hands and start to slowly move it in a circle while keeping it flat (parallel to the work surface). Press down just enough to make sure the top piece sticks to the clay ball but doesn't squash it. Make tiny circles at first to give the clay a chance to "catch" onto the glass and start swirling.

The circular rotation of the glass will do two things. It will make the edge of the clay ball circular. It will also cause the pattern in the clay to swirl from the center point outward. You'll be able to see it do this through the clear surface of the top piece, and you can remove that piece when the swirl pattern is the way you want it.

Once you've removed the top glass piece the bead is basically finished. It will have a thin circular edge with a slight cone in the middle of each side (where the center of the swirl is), which is why this type of bead is called a "bicone." You can now "drill" a hole in it, embellish the surface with mica powder or glitter, or just cure it the way it is.

Extra tips
1. The harder you press when you're rotating the top glass piece, the flatter your bead will be. If you'd like a taller bead press very lightly - but keep in mind that the swirl pattern may not be that noticeable.

2. If you don't want a sharp point at the end of the cone just flatten it gently with the glass piece before you take the piece off the clay. Then your bead will be considered a "lentil" bead rather than a bicone.

3. Different beginning patterns will create different swirl effects. Try experimenting with clay balls that have one color on each half or are striped. Or try using some translucent clay along with a solid color or two; the surface swirl might not be that visible, but there should be interesting patterns throughout your bead.

The original swirl beads were made with random patterns of clay, but there's no reason you can't use preset patterns. You do have some control over the swirl by how hard you press, how big (or small) you make your circles, and when you stop rotating. There's a lot of room for experimentation here. But no matter what you do, you'll definitely create something unique.

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This page on Desiree's Desired Creations has photos of the swirl process and the finished beads, diagrams of bead shapes, and even a video.