Weed Pots, a Polymer Clay Project, Inspired by Alice Stroppel's Weed Pots, Adapted by Lilian Nichols

Butterfly Man

I posted this creation on Facebook.  Some of the readers wanted to know how I made it so I directed them to this blog.  As I planned this blog I realized I have learned a lot about polymer clay since I started taking classes from Lilian Nichols.  

I am doing this as a step by step. If you are interested in polymer clay there are many posts on the Internet from accomplished polymer clay artists. There are also many how-to books.  As with any craft or art, there is much to be learned in a class from a teacher in your area.

Here are the creations of the other group members.

Karen's and Lilian's pots

DeeDee's and Linda's pots

Barbara  did something entirely different with her pot.

Alice Stroppel used small glass bottles as the base form.  Lilian Nichols discovered that the empty amber medicine containers us old folks have can be used also.  The amber containers must be covered with clay before baking.  If the containers are put in the oven uncovered they will lose their shape.  They can't take the heat.

Throw away the lid. This is a small short container.

Use three quarters of a block of Premo polymer clay.  All brands are not created equal. Premo is easy for beginners to work with..

Roll the clay until it conditioned and thin enough to pass through the pasta maker at a thick setting.

Cut the clay to size and fit around the container.  Smooth the point at which the edges join with your fingers.

Fold a a length of clay to cover the threaded section of the container, the part where the lid was screwed on.

Fit to container.  

Work the clay collar into the rest of the clay covering.

Cut a circle to cover the bottom.

Attach bottom. The two gadgets at lower left can be used to release bubbles of air that may be trapped under the clay.  Both were made by members of our class.  Blend the clay with your fingers until the covering is smooth.  This step becomes easier as you become more proficient working with the clay.

Finished except for the fun part.

Finishing is easiest if you have been working with polymer clay for a while.  You will have an accumulation of left over canes from other projects.  (canes are described in some of my other blog posts and on the Internet and in polymer clay how-to books.)

I made the nose from a cone of the same clay I used to cover the container.

Bake at 275 degrees for 30 minutes.

I'm planning to use this covered container to make a companion for Butterfly Man. I will post her when I have finished her.