Techniques by Jana Ewy & Friends

Part 1 Friendly Plastic Tools & Materials

Bead Making: With AMACO Bead Rollers

Technique courtesy of designer Myléne Hillman

Cut a strip of Friendly Plastic® to size. Heat and soften the plastic foil side down, on a non-stick surface, using a heat tool or hot water bath. Begin rolling from one end into a cylinder. Squash the ends between thumb and forefinger to create a cube. Roll into a ball in the palm of your hand. Place the ball into the base of a lightly oiled bead roller. Place the lid on top. Using gentle pressure, roll the top back and forth until the bead is formed. Using a bead pin or needle tool, pierce a hole through the bead. Cool the bead completely in cold water. See AMACO’s Craft Library for a variety of projects using this technique. • To help prevent any distortion of the bead, place it in a dish of ice-cold water for a second or two to harden the outer shell before piercing. The center is still soft and can be easily pierced using a needle tool. • If preferred, you can drill a hole using a very fine drill bit after the bead has hardened. Projects:

Blending

Technique courtesy of designer Jana Ewy Blending like marbling is simply the intermingling of softened colors. Select several different colors of Friendly Plastic®. Heat and soften the plastic, on a non-stick surface, using any heating method (dry heat or wet heat). Using a needle tool, begin pulling the colors one into the other, creating either a precise or random design. Once you have achieved your desired design, allow the plastic to cool completely. See AMACO’s Friendly Plastic Craft Library for a variety of projects using this technique. Projects:

Cylinders

Technique courtesy of designer Jana Ewy Heat and soften strips of Friendly Plastic® on a non-stick baking sheet, using a griddle or oven (dry heat). Once all the strips have softened and fused together, remove the pan from the heat and allow the plastic to cool completely. Place the cooled plastic back on the cutting mat and cut the plastic into a 1” wide strip. Place the 1” strip on a silicone sheet, foil side down, and re-soften, on the griddle or in the oven. As soon as the entire strip is shiny, remove the silicone sheet from the heat and lay it onto your counter or work surface. Carefully lay the rubber tubing along the top edge of the softened plastic strip. Moisten your fingers and hands with water, to prevent sticking to the plastic, and begin to roll it up and around the tubing. Continue until all of the plastic is wrapped around the tubing. Now you can use your fingers and palms of your hands to roll the cylinder back and forth on the silicone sheet, to secure and seal the overlap. Allow the plastic to cool completely. Remove the tubing from the plastic. Cut into desired size beads. See AMACO’s Friendly Plastic Craft Library for a variety of projects using this technique. Projects:

Fracture and Fusion

Technique courtesy of designer Jana Ewy