Step-by-step polymer clay tutorial: “Knitted Christmas ball”

Decorate your Christmas tree with handmade Christmas balls.

About the author

Petra Vilímková

Petra lives near Pilsen, Czech Republic. Ever since childhood, she has loved learning new craft techniques. By age fifteen, she began studying art at various art schools in Pilsen before receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in Industrial Design at the Ladislav Sutnar Faculty of Design and Art, University of West Bohemia. She has been working for LUCY CLAY since 2014.

www.instagram.com/mygeekymuse

Materials and tools:

Polymer clay (white or pearl)
LC Machine
Czextuder + LC Disk 1 (extension with small holes)
Liquid clay
Scalpel, blade
Spun cotton ball (60 mm)
Hanging loops for making Christmas balls

Step 1

Condition polymer clay and make a thin sheet. Cover the ball and cut off the excess clay. Smooth the surface – roll it in your hands to get a round shape. Use a small cookie cutter and make a hole on the top. Bake according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Step 2

Now extrude the clay. Use the extension with small holes from LC Disk 1. Take one extrusion and wind it around the ball. If you are at the end of the extrusion just connect another one.

Step 3

Bake again.

Step 4

Take 2 extrusions and twist them around each other. Then take another 2 extrusions and twist the strands around each other in the other direction. Press these two parts together. It should look like a braid.

Step 5

Use liquid clay to glue the braid to the ball.

Step 6

Decorate the whole ball and bake again. I used 8 braids to decorate the ball.

Step 7

Make a thick sheet of polymer clay and cut a round shape using a cookie cutter (the same size as in step 1).

Step 8

Wind the extrusion around the cut shape. Cut a small hole in the middle (use a straw). Then use liquid glue and glue it to the top of the ball. Bake again.

Step 9