Openwork metal clay panel necklace

Like many Arts and Crafts designs, this necklace relies on stylized architectural and organic motifs and repetition to provide visual interest. To make this necklace, you’ll create 26 metal clay panels from four templates, then pair the panels back to back. Three of them have patterns, and one of them is blank, which you can use to sketch your own patterns. You’ll learn how to insert fine-silver findings into the panels so you can assemble the necklace with jump rings.

SUPPLIES

• Metal clay: low-shrink formula, 75 g
• Metal clay slip
• 26 fine-silver embeddable jump ring findings
• 14 sterling silver jump rings: 20-gauge (0.8 mm), 4 mm outside diameter
• Sterling silver clasp
• toolbox: Metal clay
• Cardstock
• Cutting mat
• Chainnose pliers: 2 pairs
• Fine pick or dental tool
• Cosmetic wedge
• Tweezers
• Waxed paper (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

Cut out templates. You can find them on the downloadable PDF; only print page 3 to save printer ink!

NOTE: You can use template D as a blank to create your own pattern. Or, choose a different shape for your templates. For tips on how to create a metal clay openwork design that is also structurally sound, scroll down to the bottom to the "Tip!" box on “Metal Clay Openwork.”

Support the cardstock on a cutting mat and use a craft knife to cut out the negative areas of each template and its outside edge [STEP 1].

Prepare the embeddable fine-silver jump ring findings. With your nondominant hand, hold the loop end of a fine-silver jump ring finding. Use chainnose pliers to grasp the other end of the finding about 2 mm from its tip, and make a 45° bend in the tail of the finding [STEP 2]. Repeat to bend the tips of the remaining findings.

TIP: Bending the tip of an embeddable finding creates a clawlike grabber will anchor securely in the clay.

Prepare your tools. Lightly apply olive oil or natural hand balm to a flexible Teflon sheet, an acrylic roller, the back of each template, and your hands.

Make panels from templates A and C. Roll out approximately 10–15 g of metal clay to 3 playing cards thick.

Place template A and template C oiled-side down on the clay. Use a needle tool to trace around the templates and along the interior cutouts [STEP 3]. Use your needle tool to carefully remove the clay from the cutouts. 

Repeat until you’ve made a total of seven A panels and six C panels. Allow all the panels to dry completely. See our “Metal Clay Dryness” chart.

Refine the cutouts in the A and C panels. Using a fine pick or dental tool, remove excess clay from the cutouts of each panel. Smooth these interior edges with needle files [STEP 4]. 

Smooth the surfaces of the A and C panels. Place a panel flat on a rubber block. Moisten a cosmetic wedge with water, and wipe it gently over the panel’s surface until the surface is smooth [STEP 5]. Turn the panel over and repeat. 

Smooth each side of the remaining panels in the same way. Allow all the panels to dry completely.

Refine the edges of the C panels. Usean emery board to lightly file the outside edges of all the C panels until they are smooth [STEP 6]. Do not file the outside edges of the A panels.