Rolled PolyShrink Beads |
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| Rolled PolyShrink beads are lots of fun (and surprisingly easy) to make. By decorating a full sized PolyShrink sheet, then cutting into angled strips, you can quickly make enough beads to use for a bracelet or other project. Follow the step-by-step instructions below. | |
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Leaf Pattern Beads- Supplies: Clear PolyShrink
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Start with a full sized sheet of Clear PolyShrink that has been sanded on one side. Place the sanded side up. Here, we're decorating the sheet using the Mediterranean selection of Crafter's ink, along with a Stylus Tip that has been molded with a Mini Molding Mat. (Visit Clearsnap.com for details on these products) |
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Begin by inking the stylus tip with "Sunflower" and make random impressions.
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There will be a total of 3 colors used, so leave space between impressions. |
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Clean the stylus using a damp sponge, then dry on a paper towel. Ink the stylus with "Olive" and make another random pass of impressions. |
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Clean the stylus tip again, dry, then ink with "Stucco". Make your last pass of impressions. |
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Holding the sheet carefully along the opposite edge, trim an angled strip off one of the short sides of the sheet. The strip should taper from approximately 3/4 inch to a point at the top. The measurement does not have to be exact, it is just to establish an angle to cut the rest of the sheet. |
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Cut alternating angled strips from the sheet, approximately 1&1/2 inch to 1&3/4 inches at the wider end. If the angle changes as you cut more strips, trim to reestablish the angle you want. |
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Cut up the entire sheet this way. You should have 7-9 strips. |
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Carefully pickup each strip and round all the corners using scissors. Lay the strips out for baking. It is often easier to bake long PolyShrink strips like these in an oven, rather than using a heat gun, as it can be difficult to keep a long strip evenly heated. However you choose to bake them, be sure to flatten the strips if necessary. |
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After baking, apply a "direct off the pad" layer of Crafter's ink to sanded side of the PolyShrink strip. Here we're using "Turquoise". This added color serves to "backup" the colors you applied earlier. |
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Put a glove on your non-dominant hand. Place the strip on a piece of wood (to prevent sticking), and begin heating with a heat tool. Use a small wooden dowel or bamboo skewer if needed, to keep the strip in place. Keep the heat gun moving back and forth, from one end of the strip to the other. Do not rush this step! The strip must be completely heated through, so keep the gun close and moving so no cool spots have a chance to develop. |
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When the strip is quite hot and very flexible, quickly put down the heat gun and pick up the dowel. Use your thumb to push the end of the strip up over the dowel. There is no need to press hard or wind too tightly. The dowel should serve as a guide only. |
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Continue to push the strip into a curve using your thumb. If the pointed end of the strip has gotten too cool to bend, you can reheat just that portion and continue. You may need to hold the bead for a few seconds at the end of the process to press down the little "tab" at the narrow end of the bead. |
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Allow the bead to cool for a minute or two and it should come off the dowel easily. If it doesn't, roll your next ones more loosely, using less downward pressure. |
| Click here for variations using Brilliance ink, chalks, colored pencils and more. |
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