How to Make Air Dry Clay Beads: Round, Disc and Tube Shapes

Small clay beads use up offcuts and practise three basic hand movements: rolling, flattening and piercing. This tutorial makes beads roughly 1/2 to 3/4 inch (1.3 to 2 cm) across in three shapes, round, disc and tube, and then strings them into a short decorative strand, a charm or a bookmark tassel.

Set expectations first. These are decorative beads. Dry air dry clay is brittle and softens with moisture, so the beads are not suited to jewelry worn every day, and they need to stay dry.

What You Need

• Air dry clay, a lump about the size of a golf ball for 15 to 20 small beads
• A craft knife and a ruler for portioning (an adult should handle the blade)
• Wooden toothpicks and two or three wooden skewers
• An open box or deep tray to rest the skewers across
• Plastic wrap to cover waiting pieces
• Fine sandpaper
• Acrylic craft paint, a small brush and a clear water-based varnish
• Thin cotton cord or twine, and the cord you plan to use for testing hole size

Portion Equal Pieces

Beads that match in size start as pieces that match in size. Judging lumps by eye rarely works, so measure instead.

1. Knead the clay for a minute until it is smooth and has no folds.
2. Roll it into an even log about 1/2 inch (1.3 cm) thick.
3. Mark the log with the ruler and slice it into equal segments. A segment as long as the log is thick rolls into a ball slightly wider than the log; a longer segment gives a larger bead.
4. Cover the segments with plastic wrap and take out one at a time, because pieces this small dry out quickly in open air.

Form the Three Shapes

Press any crease closed and roll again before moving on. A fold left in the surface is a weak line that can open as the clay dries.

For large round decor beads meant for a shelf or tray, the method is in the clay bead garland tutorial.

Pierce from Both Sides

1. Hold the bead lightly between finger and thumb. Set the toothpick tip on the center and twist it in slowly, letting the point do the work.
2. Stop when the tip just starts to show on the far side. Pull the toothpick out.
3. Turn the bead around and twist in from the mark on the other side until the two holes meet. Piercing from both sides avoids a ragged lump where the point would break through.
4. Smooth both openings with a fingertip and gently reshape the bead if it has flattened.

For tubes, an easier route is to pierce the segment first and then roll it back and forth on the table with the toothpick still inside, which keeps the hole centered while the tube evens out.

Hole Size, Cord and Shrinkage

Air dry clay shrinks a little as it dries, and the hole shrinks with it. Make the hole slightly wider than the cord needs, and check it against the actual cord while the clay is still soft. A toothpick hole suits thin thread. For cotton cord or twine, widen the hole with a skewer, to roughly 1/8 inch (3 mm).

Do not go wider than the bead can carry. On a 1/2 inch (1.3 cm) bead, leave a wall of clay at least as thick as the hole is wide all the way around, or the bead becomes fragile.

Dry the Beads on Skewers

A bead left on a table dries with a flat spot. Thread the beads onto skewers with a small gap between them and rest the skewers across an open box so the beads hang in the air. Give each bead a quarter turn a few times during the first day, which stops the clay from gripping the wood as it shrinks.

Leave the box at room temperature, away from direct sun, and do not use heat to hurry things along. Beads this small often dry in about one to two days, depending on thickness and humidity, but follow the instructions on your clay’s package. A bead that feels cool or looks darker around the hole needs longer; the checks are explained in how long air dry clay takes to dry.

Sand, Paint and Seal

1. Sand. Rub away the ridge around each hole and any fingerprints with a folded piece of fine sandpaper. Sanding makes fine dust, so work outdoors or in a ventilated spot and wipe the beads and the table with a damp cloth afterward.
2. Paint. Put the beads back on skewers and brush on thin coats of acrylic craft paint, letting each coat dry. White, terracotta, ochre and sage sit well together, and leaving some beads bare keeps the strand calm. Coat and brush advice is in how to paint air dry clay.
3. Seal. Add one or two thin coats of clear water-based varnish, keeping it out of the holes. A sealed bead is water-resistant at best, not waterproof; how to seal air dry clay explains the limits.

Three Ways to String Them

• Keychain-style charm: fold a short cord in half, knot it to make a loop, thread five or six beads onto both strands and finish with a firm knot. Hang it from a drawer knob or a basket handle, where it will not be knocked about.
• Short strand: thread 12 to 15 beads on a single cord, alternating shapes, with a knot at each end. Drape it over a stack of books or around a jar of brushes.
• Bookmark tassel: thread three beads above a small cord tassel and leave a long tail to lie between the pages.

Care and Limits

Keep the beads dry and handle them gently. Dust them with a soft, dry cloth, and never soak or rinse them, because moisture softens air dry clay even under a sealer.