Sunset Ombre Necklace Tutorial

This necklace project uses Kato PolyClay™ to create a pretty ombre effect that's easy to display on cable chain, or another jewelry chain of your choice.

Created by: Tiffany White

Designer Tips

• Using a craft blade, cut each of 3 colors of polymer clay into small pieces. Keep each color of cut up pieces in separate piles.
• Now, rearrange your pieces into 7 piles that include the following: all red, mostly red with some orange, mostly orange with some red, all orange, mostly orange with some yellow, mostly yellow with some orange, all yellow.
• Blend the first pile with your hands, until you get a smooth consistent color. Warm hands are a great asset for this step!
• A great way to hand blend colors is to roll the two colors between your hands until you form a "snake". Fold the snake in half and continue to roll the clay into another snake. Repeat this process until you have a smooth, blended color.
• Repeat this blending process with each separate pile of cut up clay until you have 7 distinct colors of clay.
• Roll each finished color into a 1 inch cylinder, then flatten it with a rolling pin or jumbo magic marker. Roll them about 1/4 inch thick.
• After you've flattened all the colors, stack them like a rainbow. Now you've got an ombre cane.
• Cut a thin slice of the cane and lay the bezel on top of the slice. Using your knife, trim the clay to the shape of the bezel.
• Bake the polymer clay pendant on a sheet pan for 10-15 minutes at 275 degrees F.
• Your baked focals are now finished! They will naturally have a matte finish. Optional: If you want to make them shiny, add a thin coat of spray sealer.
• Use wire cutters to cut the length of chain you want for your necklace (the length pictured is 16 inches).
• Add an oval jump ring to one end of the chain, and add the lobster clasp with a second oval jump ring to the other end of the chain.
• Attach the 10-inch jump ring to the finished pendant, and attach that ring to the chain with 2 more oval jump rings. Your necklace is done!
• To make matching earrings, use the same polymer clay cane you already made for this necklace! See our Sunset Ombre Earrings Tutorial for the full how-to.

Free Technique Sheets & How-Tos

• Jewelry Basics 101 (PDF)

Suggested Supplies

• 1 4oz combo pack [use 3 colors] #84-710-41 Kato Polyclay™ - 4 Color Set, Warm
• 1 dozen [use 1] #46-920-138-3 Silver Plated Bezel Cup, Rectangle, 38x27mm, 1 Loop
• 1 spool [use 16"] #40-011-001-3-SP Silver Color Oval Cable Chain by the SPOOL, 2.2mm
• 1 oz [use 4 jump rings] #37-147-3 Silver Plated Jump Ring, Oval, 5x7mm
• 1 oz [use 2 jump rings] #37-178-3 Silver Plated Jump Ring, Round, 10mm
• 1 dozen [use 1] #39-343-3 Silver Plated Lobster Clasp, 12mm

Tools

• #84-385-2 Craft Blades by Kemper (Pack of 2)
• #69-271-03 Chain-Nose Pliers
• Wire Cutters
• Optional: Plier and Cutter Sets
• Baking pan and oven. (Many people designate a good-quality toaster oven for baking polymer clay and other non-food items.)