Getting Started WIth Polymer Clay: How to Condition Your Polymer Clay

[@louisebernard5780]

I am really rooting for you. You have a fantastic outlook on life. Keep up the great work! 💜

[@RameyRocks]

I take my hard clays and put what I need if it in a jewelry zip loc bag and put it in a bowl of really warm water for about 5-15 minutes. It really softens it and saves my hands from the pain and strain of trying to condition hard clay.

[@JessamaTutorials]

Yes. I have tried that technique, but find that I'm too impatient to use it.

[@RameyRocks]

Jessama Tutorials ahhh lol it takes me much longer to try and squeeze it and smack it around but I have severe carpal tunnel. But I know it works well with younger hands. No matter how you condition your clay, your work is beautiful and I enjoy all your videos. Keep up the great work!

[@francescatabor-miolla1439]

many thanks. How do you store your clay after it's conditioned? Needless to say... I'm totally new at this.

[@louisebernard5780]

Thanks for that tip!! My hands too suffer 😂

[@alysonjones1193]

Thank you! So helpful! You answered all my questions.

[@pattallant2398]

I’m so glad I found your channel, I did some clay decades ago and wanna get back into it. I found ClayBoutique videos very enjoyable and she mentioned you. Now I can view your tutorials to get me back started again. Thank you so much!😊👍

[@violetnewby]

I've known for a long time that I need a pasta machine. This video certainly helps me see why more fully.

[@GrannysWanderingSpirit]

I am going to have to go to Kato in the summer for sure. Premo is too soft in my climate in summer. Thanks so much for a very informative video.

[@donnahoward760]

Excellent tutorial here! Thank you. You always have such good hints and examples.

[@naiylanakhid6291]

I'm a beginner and this was so helpful. Thank you

[@francescatabor-miolla1439]

So very pleased to have found your youtube demo. Am a complete newbie and have never used the polymer clay before and didn't have any idea about conditioning. So! All clay must be conditioned, correct? Once conditioned how is it stored till time to use it? If it is too hard, is there any kind of liquid that helps to soften it? Your demo is superb, thank you so very much, you have opened many doors for those of us new to the world of polymer clay.

[@JessamaTutorials]

I condition my clay when I use it as it needs to be conditioned every two days or so. Any liquid clay will work to soften it up.

[@karenjames5063]

Super exclamations ... I learned so much. Thank you.

[@dianafiorini1041]

Hi Jess, I have just watched your video could you tell how can I spot warm colours and hot colours because the difference between them is not always clear. Thank you for your tips & suggestions and for your videos too :) you are really great!

[@severinamarsh]

Thank you. I'd wonder if you could do a tutorial on avoiding air bubbles in polymer clay. Something like ;how to identify them and how to handle them if they develop. Have fun claying.

[@JessamaTutorials]

Sure. 😊

[@MissArtieCraftie]

would using a hair dryer work?

[@JessamaTutorials]

Yes.

[@catherinehunter1078]

Very helpful! Thank you!

[@pamkriner5945]

Can I use old clay?

[@55woo88]

hi there new to polymer clay. what if mine is a bit sticky and after i tear the clay down from the roller the surface of the clay is a bit cracked? how to solve this? thx!

[@JessamaTutorials]

What brand of polymer clay are you using?

[@55woo88]

@@JessamaTutorials just some random domestic brand. it always stick to the surface(ceramic tile) while i conditioned it with the roller. leeched overnight and used corn starch on the surface, doesn't seem to help much. is it maybe i conditioned it too much or...?

[@JessamaTutorials]

It's probably the brand of clay then. I'd try using a brand such a premo, souffle or cernit. That should clear up the problem.

[@jccdeleon560]

How I'll know if I condition the clay correctly? What would be the clay's condition? (smooth, soft, sticky, etc)

[@sandrastreifel6452]

It should be smooth and soft (but not sticky) and not crumbly, not even cracking at the edges when rolled.

[@lifeonearth4139]

Hello, Is there any liquid to moisten the clay?

[@JessamaTutorials]

Try out liquid clay. You can get it in most brands of polymer clay.

[@durindagraver2593]

What is the best website to buy fresh Polyclay? Seems like everyplace around has very old crumbly clay🙁

[@durindagraver2593]

I meant everyplace around my local area sells old clay.. before I watched videos on how to tell the dates on the blocks, I bought several, and one was 8 years old 2were 4 years old. Love your tutorials very easy to follow. Thank you!

[@JessamaTutorials]

Here's a list of sellers I buy from. I don't like to buy offline as I find the clay selection to be limiting and often the clay is hard. www.jessamatutorials.com/polymer-clay-supplier.html

[@ArieAw-jl3bu]

Oh Im So glad...I see u sell on Etsy!!!!!😂🌹🙌❤❤❤❤❤

[@shanahobbs1046]

Hi, question.... I can only get Fimo here in Ireland (amazon says Premo doesn't deliver to Ireland). Is Fimo ok for a newby? Also, because I'll be ordering off amazon, there's no telling if it's old or new clay. Does it matter if the clay is old?

[@JessamaTutorials]

Fimo is a little firm for a beginner and can be irritating to use. Have you tried buying clay from here. www.happythings.eu/us/ They have premo. Also if the clay is old it's really hard to work with so try to avoid old clay.

[@shanahobbs1046]

Also, I can get a Sculpey set with 30 pieces..... and I see it says Sculpey under the Primo name on the package. Is it the same clay?

[@JessamaTutorials]

It should be there's sculpey Premo and Sculpey 3. It's the later one you want to avoid.

[@sonrojas2282]

Do you have a tutorial on how to fix crumbly clay ?

[@JessamaTutorials]

I have a tutorial right here. kzbin.info/www/bejne/f4i7k5ijd8hnobc

[@Seeba1967]

Can you tell us what kind of pasta/clay machine you are using in this Video? I'm new to polymer clay and looking for a clay conditioning machine that's not expensive

[@JessamaTutorials]

I use a Jamie Oliver pasta machine. I got it off of eBay for around $40 to $30 dollars.

[@Seeba1967]

Jessama Tutorials thank you for answering :)

[@angelac6377]

Do u need to condition it before each time you use it? If u conditioned the clay then put it away for a week, do u need to condition it all over again?

[@JessamaTutorials]

Yes. It's best if you condition each time you use the clay. It will be much easier to use. You could leave it for a few days, but by then it will firm up and won't have a nice consistency to work with.

[@daricezdrazil7399]

I have some very old clay. But being on a tiny budget I don't want to throw it out. It is very crumbly. Hard to work clay. How can I turn it around so it is useable?

[@JessamaTutorials]

Chop it up in to 2cm to 3cm pieces and throw baby oil on it. Rub the baby oil all over the clay and allow the clay to sit in a container for about two to three weeks to let the clay soak in the oil. If it's still not soft, put in more baby oil and repeat the process until it's easy enough to roll through a pasta machine. Condition it and it should be ready for you to use. Don't worry if the clay is a little too soft after this. If it is, just lay it on a piece of paper to soak up a little of the oil.

[@lavenderrainbow5041]

silly question...when I am ready to put the clay through my pasta machine, could I use 2 pieces of non-grease baking papers, on each side of the clay, to keep my pasta machine cleaner? I ask this bc I am not sure if the paper would ruin the machine (which I doubt but....) or if the clay would have issues with sticking to the paper after a few rolls in the pasta machine.

[@JessamaTutorials]

Sure you could do that.

[@alexism7294]

Just a question, why did my polymer clay creation crack before I even baked it? I was still working on it, left it on my desk for several days, and then I noticed it began to crack. Am I supposed to keep the clay moist during the time I am not working on it?

[@JessamaTutorials]

After a few days clay will start to crack. This can happen because it becomes dry or cold. I personally don't leave projects for more than three days as they will start to crack after that.

[@jenniferdellinger6574]

I bought kato at the store. Brought it home and it is crumbly.

[@JessamaTutorials]

Did you get a fresh block. You should be able to squish the block.

[@hannahjustin7583]

You're doing good! The Bible says, "whatever you do, do it as unto the Lord." It's good to work with our hands, and it helps with mental illness! Working with hands with art really HEALS the mind ✝️ YESHUA Jesus Christ rules!