Explore the creative possibilities of polymer millefiori, in this detailed 19 page A4 tutorial with 60 hand-drawn illustrations and 23 photographs.
No experience necessary! This tutorial will take you from absolute polymer clay beginner, through to making your own amazing and beautiful kaleidoscopic patterns in polymer clay, using the ancient millefiori technique.
You will learn
- how to choose colours that "go",
- how to condition the clay,
- what tools are essential and what are "nice to have".
I'll also share loads of tips and tricks and advice for getting the best results from your millefiori work.
The bulk of this tutorial is made up of highly detailed, illustrated, step-by-step instructions for TWO different millefiori techniques.
Make both, or choose the one that you like the look of best and save the other for later.
Table of contents:
- About polymer and millefiori
- Basic tools required
- 'Nice to have' tools
- What brand of clay?
- Choosing colours for millefiori
- Some colour combination ideas
- How much clay should I use?
- Conditioning clay
- Cane 1: basic €˜wave€™ cane (steps A to S)
- Cane 2: Basic €˜cut and recombine€™ cane (steps A- T)
- Going hexagonal!
- Slicing your cane and making a veneered sheet
- Burnishing
- Get the most out of your veneered sheet
- Try this: curved edges
- Removing your sheet from your worksurface
- Curing instructions
- Sanding and buffing
- Some suppliers and sources of further information
NB 1: Please note this is a tutorial for making the patterns themselves, rather than an item of jewellery - although there are some ideas for what you can make with your pattern included at the end, as well as some tips for getting the most out of your design.
NB 2: Part of the beauty of millefiori is that no pattern is the same. Two people following identical instructions will produce completely different patterns - don't expect your canes to look like mine, or like anyone else's! They'll be completely unique to you.
About me: I'm a millefiori artist based just outside London, England. I'm a member of The Surrey Guild of Craftsmen, a steering group member of the London Polymer Clay Group, and I make a living selling my handmade polymer pieces and millefiori art internationally.
I've been teaching for four years and have taken hundreds of people through their first experience of polymer clay - and watched them make the most amazing and individual patterns using this technique.
Essential tools required to get the most out of this tutorial:
- a pasta machine
- a long sharp blade (sometimes called a tissue blade) - look up "Sculpey Super Slicer"
- an acrylic roller
- a smooth glass or tile worksurface.
- a sheet or two of greaseproof paper or silicon baking parchment
- a normal domestic oven
Some countries do charge import duty and / or tax on shipments from the UK.
The shipment value at which duty starts to be applied, and the charge, varies enormously. It also changes regularly, and (in my experience) is inconsistently applied.
In other words, some large, expensive parcels get through without any additions, and some small, inexpensive shipments don't.
I ship to more than 180 different states, countries and territories and, to be honest, I can't keep up with the import arrangments for them all.
So all shipments are sent 'duty unpaid'.
This means if a shipment ends up with fees to pay on import, it's down to the recipient to pay them.
If you choose not to pay the duty, the parcel may be destroyed, or it may be returned to me (sometimes with hefty charges added).
For this reason, parcels that are not delivered, returned to me, or destroyed because of unpaid duties or taxes, are non refundable.
If this worries you, please investigate your local tax and import duty arrangments BEFORE placing your order.
Shipping delays
Most parcels arrive quickly and safely, within expected timeframes. But a few turn into a bit of a saga.
If you have checked the tracking (you can find this on your shipping notification) and there seems to be a delay or a problem, by all means get in touch and we'll see if we can work out what's happening.
However, please bear in mind that most couriers won't even discuss a parcel until it is many days past its expected delivery date, and/ or the tracking has not updated for a week.
I want you to be 100% delighted with your purchase. So if for any reason you are not, please let me know!
Below you'll find my general Returns, Refunds and Exchanges policy.
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FAULTY or DAMAGED ITEMS:
If you find there's a problem with your order, please contact me within 7 days of delivery.
Let me know what's happened and what you'd like me to do.
On faulty items, I offer prompt replacement or a refund as standard.
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NON-FAULTY ITEMS
Most of my pieces (including tiles, mugs, chopping boards, coasters etc) are made to order.
As a courtesy, I do accept returns on most made-to-order pieces (exceptions are listed below).
BUT I reserve the right to charge a 50% restocking fee, and to impose a maximum refund limit of £250.
In other words, you'll get a refund of 50% of the purchase price once I’ve received the undamaged item/s back, up to a maximum of £250.
This is because all returned items have to be checked, photographed, and re-listed - at a big discount - as 'ready-made' sale sets (like these).
I also have to find somewhere to store them until they are resold, which might be years.
(Click here to see where most returns end up)
I operate a different policy with single tile samples. On individual tile samples, I will refund 100% of the purchase price of the tiles once they're back with me.
Shipping is non-refundable in either direction.
Glass Splashbacks: As they are made to order in bespoke sizes, all glass splashbacks are non-returnable and non-refundable. Please check your dimensions carefully before ordering!
Wallpaper: As wallpaper is printed to order, it is non-refundable and non-returnable. Please check you're ordering exactly the right paper type and quantity for your project.
If you find a fault, or the wrong item has been delivered, please contact me and I'll arrange for a replacement to be dispatched as soon as possible.
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DUTY & TAX
Some countries do charge import duty and / or tax on shipments from the UK.
The shipment value at which duty starts to be applied, and the charge, varies enormously. It also changes regularly, and (in my experience) is inconsistently applied.
In other words, some large, expensive parcels get through without any additions, and some small, inexpensive shipments don't.
I ship to more than 180 different states, countries and territories and, to be honest, I can't keep up with the import arrangments for them all.
So all shipments are sent 'duty unpaid'.
This means if a shipment ends up with fees to pay on import, it's down to the recipient to pay them.
If you choose not to pay the duty, the parcel may be destroyed, or it may be returned to me (sometimes with hefty charges added).
For this reason, parcels that are not delivered, are returned to me, or are destroyed because of unpaid duties or taxes, are non refundable.
If this worries you, please investigate your local tax and import duty arrangments BEFORE placing your order.
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USE CONTRARY TO GUIDELINES
The intended use and limitations of all our pieces are clearly stated in the listing.
All of our pieces are closely inspected before shipping; we never knowingly send out anything imperfect.
Many of our pieces are also shipped with important installation instructions.
Inappropriate handling / failure to follow these instructions may cause permanent (non-refundable) damage to your item.
For instance, dragging tiles across each other or stacking them incorrectly during installation will chip corners, or leave permanent white 'scars' on the patterned surface.
Contact with intense heat or flame, use of heavy abrasives and chemical cleaners, or installation in inappropriate locations may harm decorative finishes.
Please take note of the care instructions / useage guidelines before using or installing your item/s.
If you're using a professional installer, please draw their attention to these guidelines before letting them loose on your project!
We can't refund items that have been used, or installed, contrary to their intended use or stated limitations.
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HOW TO RETURN ITEMS
If you have items to return, please...
- Contact me to let me know what's gone wrong and to work out how to proceed. This is because, in a busy studio, an 'unnanounced' parcel may sit unopened for weeks. It may even get unpacked and put away without me knowing.
- Send pictures if your items are faulty or damaged. I need these to claim on my postal insurance; refunds can't be issued without them.
- Package items to be returned in the the same manner as they were shipped, using the same appropriately protective layers.
- Get proof of postage. I would strongly recommend a tracked service, as I can't refund items that go missing, or arrive damaged.
I will issue a refund as soon as the piece arrives back safely on my desk, but depending on your payment method, it may take several days for the refund to be processed.
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Please Click Here for information on Shipping Delays and Losses
