Anglo-Saxon Pendant

How to Make

1. Flatten ½ a block of Fimo with a rolling pin to 5mm in depth. If you don’t have a rolling pin, flatten it with the side of a jar, or use your fingers to evenly press down on the surface of the clay.
2. Cut out a circle from the rolled Fimo using a 6-7cm diameter cookie cutter or use a round lid. Smooth the edges with your fingers. This is the background for your jewellery piece.
3. Roll out some thin Fimo strands, about 10cm in length so they look like long, thin snakes. Roll the clay evenly with your fingers on the work surface, trying to keep the strands even along the whole length.
4. Make a mark in the middle of the circle with a modelling tool or a cocktail stick. Coil the strands onto the circle background and press them gently down to make a spiral design. Use a modelling tool or a cocktail stick to help position the coils.
5. To make a coiled border around the circle, roll 2 x 15cm Fimo strands 5mm in diameter. Place the strands together then carefully twist them together and press around the edge of the circle, trying not to stretch the strands.
6. Push a pen top or a drinking straw to make some extra patterns in the clay, or use the end of a modelling tool. For pendants or necklaces, make a small hole with a pointed modelling tool or cocktail stick near the edge of the circle.
7. Bake Fimo at 100C for 30 minutes in in a preheated oven, following instructions on the packet. Leave Fimo to cool before handling.
8. Lightly brush gold or silver paint over the design for a metallic effect. Wipe some of the paint off with a paper towel so some the black shows through.
9. Glue small gems to finish the designs. On pendants, thread a shoelace or a leather strip through the hole. You could glue a brooch pin on the back to make a cloak ornament or decorative brooch.

Top Tip

Make your Fimo jewellery designs on a glazed tile or on a piece of baking parchment. This way the pieces can easily be transferred onto a baking tray without lifting up the clay.