Polymer Clay Alphabet Cane Tutorial: Letter B

Step-by-step tutorial on how to create a polymer clay letter “B” alphabet cane

This article is part of a series of making alphabet canes with polymer clay. (Click here for the letter “A” tutorial)

 

One day I’ll develop full tutorials with proper instructions, but in the meantime, here is a basic tutorial for creating a polymer clay cane with a letter “B” design:

Step-by-step instructions: Letter “B” polymer clay alphabet cane

You will need:

• Approx. 30g white polymer clay (i.e. half a standard-sized block of clay)
• Approx. 8g black clay (about one eighth of a standard block)
• Pasta machine or clay roller (examples from Amazon)
• Tissue blade (aka clay slicer) (examples from Amazon)

Step 0: Condition the clay

Step 1: Roll the white clay into a cylinder approx. 2cm in diameter:

Step 2: Using the thinnest setting of the pasta machine, roll the black clay into a thin sheet:

Step 3: Cut off a third of the cane to use:

Step 4: Wrap one layer of the black sheet of clay around the small cane, and then roll the cane to make it slightly longer and thinner. Trim off any excess black clay:

Step 5: Squeeze the sides of the cane to slightly flatten it:

Step 6: Cut the cane down the middle:

Step 7: Stack one cane-half on top of the other, with both flat sides on the left:

Step 8: Cover the straight side with black clay (and trim off any excess black):

Step 9: Wrap the outside of the shape with another single layer of black clay and trim off any excess:

Step 10: Cut off a third of the remaining piece of white, to leave a large and small block:

Step 11: Roll the larger white block into a cylinder (the same height as the letter cane):

Step 12: Cut off approx. one quarter of the cylinder to create large and small white pieces:

Step 13: Arrange the larger piece of the cylinder so that it fits the straight side of the “B” shape (you may need to stretch or reduce the white clay to make it fit well):

Step 14: Squeeze the smaller white piece into a triangle, and then squash two of its points flat:

Step 15: Make a thin sheet from any of the leftover white clay by rolling it through the pasta machine’s thinnest setting. Wrap two layers of white around the letter ‘B’ cane:

Finished cane:

 

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Finally, if you don’t have time to make your own canes at the moment, there are some sites selling canes that are pre-made and ready to use (e.g. here (although sometimes canes for sale may be pre-cooked, so check first…))

 

Update: Here is a one-page reminder graphic showing how to create the letter B:

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