Make Elegant Abalone Clay Earrings

Can you believe a simple jellyroll cane can look just like an abalone shell? Inspired by the late Marie Segal’s iconic shell cane, I’ve developed a unique way to capture those mesmerizing iridescent hues. In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to make beautiful faux abalone shell earrings using polymer clay and a few techniques that add texture, dimension, and vibrant colors. I’ll walk you through creating a Skinner Blend, shaping a jellyroll cane, and crafting your own beaded ear wires to complete the look. Whether you're looking for a stunning gift or want a festive accessory for holiday parties, this project is ideal!

Materials You’ll Need:

• Polymer clay (I'm using a few specific brands and colors:)
• 40 grams - Sculpey Premo Pearl
• 10 grams - Sculpey Premo Purple
• 10 grams - Sculpey Premo Ultramarine Blue
• 10 grams - Sculpey Premo Peacock Pearl
• 10 grams - Sculpey Premo Bright Green Pearl
• 40 grams - Sculpey Premo Copper
• 30 grams - Sculpey Premo Black
• Rockrose Clay Cutters
• Starlight Finial Ornament Clay Cutter - Size 1.25 inch
• Starlight Finial Ornament Clay Cutter - Size 1.00 inch
• Basic clay tools (pasta machine, tissue blade, ripple blade, acrylic roller, etc.)
• Dremel Drill Press Workstation (optional)
• Drill Bit #57
• Flat nose jewelry pliers
• Multi-step bail making pliers
• Beadalon deburring tool with wire rounder insert
• Steel Block
• Hammer
• 20 gauge round wire
• 6mm jump rings
• 6mm crystal beads
• Ultra Dome UV Resin – Used to add a high-gloss, durable finish to your polymer clay pieces. This resin creates a beautiful, glass-like effect that enhances the colors and patterns in your faux abalone shell earrings.
• Popsicle sticks, plastic wrap, and cardstock
• Ceramic tile
• Oven for curing the polymer clay

Video Tutorial

Instructions

Step 1: The Skinner Blend

The Skinner Blend is a classic polymer clay technique that’s perfect for achieving smooth, gradient transitions between colors. Here’s a step-by-step breakdown:

Prepare Your Clay Colors: Condition your pearl, purple, ultramarine blue, peacock pearl, and bright green pearl clays until soft and pliable. Roll each color through your pasta machine on setting #3 to ensure an even thickness for creating your Skinner Blend.

Custom Stencil Guide: For a clean, professional finish, use my stencil guide to help with precise cut lines. I've included an image of the stencil below for you to reference.

Cut and Lay Strips: Using a tissue blade, carefully cut along the stencil layout. Next, separate the pieces to create open spaces between the triangles. Cut a 3/8-inch strip from each color of clay, then gently press each colored strip along the edges of the pearl clay triangles, ensuring a smooth bond. The color order matters here: place them in the sequence of purple, ultramarine blue, peacock pearl, and bright green pearl. Take your time and apply light pressure to keep the edges neat and clean.

Step 2: Rolling and Blending

After arranging your clay, let’s blend it:

Fold and Roll: Fold your clay lengthwise and feed it through the pasta machine with the folded side first, starting at the widest setting (#0). Gradually work your way through the settings until you reach setting #3.

Gradual Blending: Continue rolling the clay through the pasta machine until you have a smooth, blended sheet. If the sheet is too wide for the machine, gently scrunch it down to fit the rollers without distorting the blend. Once the colors are beautifully blended, fold the sheet lengthwise and run it through the pasta machine with the narrow side of the folded strip facing the rollers. This will create a long strip. Roll this strip to setting #3.

Step 3: Creating the Jellyroll Cane

Now that we have a beautiful gradient blend, it’s time to create the jellyroll cane:

Layer and Roll: Place a strip of copper clay, rolled to setting #5, on top of a strip of black clay rolled to setting #7. Next, layer the striped blend strip on top of the copper clay. The final stack should follow this order: black clay, copper clay, and then the colored striped blend. Run the stacked strips through the pasta machine on its thickest setting (#0). To begin the jellyroll, cut a beveled edge at the end of the strip

Rolling Technique: Carefully begin rolling the strip, using your fingers to gently guide the beveled edge into the roll. Apply even pressure as you go. As you roll, you can gently squeeze the sides to keep the shape consistent and aligned. Take your time to maintain a tight, well-aligned roll throughout the process.

Step 4: Creating the Basketweave Cane

Once you’ve rolled the cane, reduce its size to begin transforming it into a Basketweave cane.

Reduce and Reshape: Using both hands, gently start pressing the cane from the center outward. You can use your palms or fingers to evenly compress the cane. Once the cane has been slightly compressed, gently roll it between your hands or on a flat surface. This will help elongate and evenly reduce the size of the cane. If the cane is large, break it into smaller sections and reduce each section one at a time. This will give you more control over the process and help you achieve a more uniform result. Once you’ve reached the desired size, gently roll the cane one final time to smooth out any imperfections.

Cut and Stack: Cut the cane in half, then sing your thumb and index finger, gently press each half of the cane into an oblong shape. Apply even pressure to flatten the round cane while maintaining the design's integrity. Place the two flattened halves on top of each other, aligning them carefully so they are stacked evenly. Gently reduce the stacked halves to form a rectangular shape. Apply light, even pressure to avoid distorting the pattern. Keep the cane aligned as you reduce it, checking periodically for evenness.

Create the Basketweave Effect: Once your rectangle-shaped cane is prepared, cut it in half lengthwise. You should now have two equal parts. Take one of the halves and rotate it 90 degrees. This will change the orientation of the clay strips, creating a more dynamic effect when stacked. After rotating the one half, stack the two halves together. The pieces should now align in a way that creates an over-and-under pattern, which will give you the characteristic interwoven look of a basketweave. Gently press the stacked cane to ensure the pieces bond together. Be careful not to distort the pattern during this process.

Step 5: Crafting our Jewelry Shapes

Now for the fun part—cutting out your earring shapes! I’ll be using my Rockrose Starlight Finial cutters (from our Christmas collection) to create these unique dangles.

Slice the Cane: Using a ripple blade, slice the cane into approximately 5mm thick slices along the longer edge of the rectangle. Make sure to cut along the side of the cane with the black surface, not the side that displays the basketweave pattern. After slicing, gently roll the pieces with an acrylic rod to smooth them out. Then, run the slices through your pasta machine to your desired thickness. For this tutorial, I rolled mine to setting #3 since I plan to resin both sides of my clay pieces. Feel free to experiment with the direction in which you feed your slices through the pasta machine. Changing the orientation—by inserting the widest part of the clay slice or the narrow section—can yield dramatically different and interesting results. Don’t hesitate to try both methods to see how the pattern shifts and evolves!

Domed Shapes: Place a sheet of plastic wrap over the clay to achieve a smooth, domed finish. Then, carefully select the most visually interesting sections of the clay to cut your desired shapes. This will ensure that the patterns and textures are showcased beautifully in your finished pieces.

Cure Your Polymer Clay Pieces: Preheat your oven to the temperature recommended on your clay packaging, typically 265°F to 275°F (130°C), but always double-check the specific instructions for your clay. Place your clay pieces on a baking tray lined with parchment paper or a ceramic tile to ensure even heat distribution, and gently tent them with aluminum foil, avoiding direct contact with the clay to prevent marks. Bake according to the recommended time—generally 30 minutes per 1/4 inch (6mm) thickness—though I typically bake my pieces for 60 minutes.