Peppermint Cane Tutorial

Just in time for the holidays, our December tutorial features the classic peppermint candy in a cane!

Whether you call them peppermints or candy canes, these classic red and white holiday candies lend themselves perfectly to beautiful clay creations!

What you'll need:

• Clay machine 
• Circle cutter (we used one that's 1.5" in diameter)
• 1/4 pack of red clay
• 1/4 pack of white clay (you can use pearl or frost white glitter, too)
• Tissue blade (the rigid one)

Directions: 

1. Condition both colors of clay with your clay machine on the thickest setting. Note: red clay likes to bleed, so work with your white clay first and be sure to clean your hands and tools often. 

2. Cut 4 circles out of each color of clay. 

3. Stack your 4 circles on top of one another—all 4 red and then all 4 white—you'll have two stacks of clay.

4. Without distorting the circle shape, gently press all the white stacked circles together to make sure they are bonded. Do the same with the red stack of circles. 

5. Next, using your rigid tissue blade, cut your stacked clay into 8 equal pieces (like a pie). Do that for both the red stack as well as the white stack. Note: for thinner wedges, cut your circles into 16 pieces or mix and match to create thicker and thinner patterns.

6. Now you'll begin to assemble the pieces. Take one red piece and place a white piece right next to it—keep this alternating patter to recreate the circle. Note: be sure to gently press the pieces together so they stick and try to avoid creating any gaps in the center.

7. Once you have placed all 8 pieces, gently begin to reduce your cane. Try not to twist the cane as you reduce.

8.  There is no set diameter or size for this cane—just whatever works for your the piece you're intending to make. 

9.  At this point, you could let the cane rest so that the clay cools and you increase your chances of a clean cut when you begin to slice. Note: this process takes somewhere in the 5-10 minute range.

10.  Using a sharp tissue blade, cut your cane to reveal the peppermint pattern! 

You can use these pieces for earrings, pendants, thin slices to decorate glass pieces, and so much more!

11.  After you've decided how you'll use your peppermint slices, bake them according to the manufacturer's recommendations or for 30 minutes at 275°F.

Once cooled, you can sand and add any findings to complete your holiday peppermint project!