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Fimo Fun: How to Make Fimo Beads

Here's a fun and easy crafting project you can enjoy with your kids. 

With an infinite range of design options available, the art of making your own Fimo beads is getting lots of buzz in the crafting world. 

Suitable for both adults and children (ages 8 and up), working with Fimo beads is one of those rare activities that can unite generations. And it can give you whole new way of having fun with your kids. 

What are Fimo beads? 
Fimo beads are beads that you make out of Fimo polymer clay. Fimo, which is actually an Eberhard Faber brand name for this type of crafting material, can be molded into a variety of different creations. 

Then you simply bake the clay in your home oven to create a hard, durable material that you can drill, slice, sand, and paint to achieve even more creative effects. 

Because Fimo is so easy to work with, the modeling compound has become a popular way to make your own beads for jewelry- making. 

Make Your Own Fimo Beads
The process of making Fimo beads is simple. Just pinch off a bit of the clay, knead it in your hands and then shape it into the form you like. 

You can make Fimo beads in a variety of different shapes, using a variety of techniques and tools. There's no real limit except your imagination, and you can work with the clay over and over again (until it has been baked.)

Molding Fimo clay requires firm pressure, but it keeps its shape well once fixed. It is easiest to work with when it's slightly warm, so if you are having trouble getting it to cooperate, you may need to move to a warmer work area or warm up your hands a bit. 

Shapes. Rounded beads are simplest for the beginner but you can soon learn how to make beads that are square, star shaped, heart shaped or designed to look like tiny animals. Flower shaped Fimo beads are also very popular. 

Colors. To make Fimo beads in different colors, start by choosing from the numerous colors of Fimo clay that are  commercially available. You can achieve a marbled effect by working with multiple colors at once. 

Once your Fimo creations have been baked, you can paint them with acrylics or even fingernail polish to give them extra gloss and sparkle. 

Making Holes in Fimo Beads
It's simple to make holes in Fimo beads, so you can thread them together into bracelets or necklaces or sew them onto clothes. You can drill holes in the hard beads, once they have been baked. Or you can make holes in the soft clay before you bake your beads.

A toothpick is perfect for piercing holes through Fimo clay, once the beads have been shaped. Wiggle the toothpick around to make sure that the sides of the holes are smooth and bits won't fall down to clog them during baking. 

You can also use a wooden skewer to make holes in your beads. Carefully push a skewer through the center of your finished bead, being careful not to change its shape. Fill the skewer with beads (making sure that they don't touch each other). Then support the skewer on a baking rack or other oven proof container so the beads don't change shape during baking. You can bake the beads directly on the skewer. 

Baking Your Fimo Creations
You'll need to bake all your Fimo creations to make them hard and shiny and to ensure that they keep their shape. You can do this in an ordinary oven on an aluminum or glass sheet, but, again, follow the instructions on each packet of Fimo to make sure you get the temperature just right. (If the polymer clay is baked at too high of a temperature, it can emit dangerous gases.) Your Fimo beads will be hard and ready to string together into jewelry once the clay is baked and cooled.
Note:  The manufacturer recommends this type of polymer modeling compound for ages 8 and up, with adult supervision, because the use of an oven is required, and the product should not be ingested.

Once you have the basics down, experiment with different varieties and brands of polymer clay, each of which has a different level of malleability. You can also get Fimo clay in a variety of effects, such as translucent, iridescent, and glow-in-the-dark, to create beads and jewelry that are truly one-of-a-kind. 

Shop: 

Fimo Classic: 

FIMO POLYMER CLAY, BLUE 2OZ Original Fimo divided into 8 segments for easier cutting and blending. Brilliant colors, fade-proof and odorless. Baked Fimo can be mended and rebaked, carved, sawed, filed, and painted. Colors may be kneaded together or combined with Fimo Soft.

Fimo Soft: 

FIMO SOFT, METALLIC BLUE 2OZ Polymer modeling clay in a softer, easier-to-knead form. Easier for children, though still firmer than other brands. Hardens when baked. Can mix with original Fimo. 43 bright colors, plus Night Glow (for 1 hour).

Fimo Assortment: 

10-Color FIMO Soft Polymer Clay Assortment Set of 10 1 oz. blocks of FIMO Soft contains White, Mandarin, Brilliant Blue, Peppermint, Black, Indian Red, Tropical Green, Caramel, Lemon, Violet, and instructions.

Fimo Bead Baking Rack

AMCO PROF PLYMR CLAY, BEAD BAKING RACK The Fimo Professional Bead Baking Rack makes baking polymer clay beads easier than ever. It can also be used as a cane slicer.

Fimo Bead Making Tools 

FIMO ACCESSORIES, BEAD MAKING TOOLS This set includes the following beadmaking tools: Mandrel, 1.6 mm diameter Mandrel, 3.2 mm diameter Dimple Tool Straight Cutting Blade Roller Bead Template Wet/Dry Sandpaper Sponge

Helpful Links: 
This is a great Beads Fimo Tutorial
(with how to videos)