African Trade Beads- Part 11

Remember this cane
http://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2011/04/african-trade-beads-part-8.html

I am going to share with you how to make this center piece above.
I also use this technique to do these earrings below.

So get some of the cane from African trade beads part 8, I like the canes with stripes on the outside for this technique.

Roll the cane down to 1/4" in diameter and cut 1/4" sections.

Separate the sections and place them about 1/8" apart.

 One in the middle and 6 around the outside.

Take your time and place them all the same distance apart. If you are doing the ring of canes that you see in the earrings above. I set the canes right next to each other in a circle.

Look closely there is a piece of Plexiglas over the canes that were set out. Press down evenly and flatten to about 1/8" thick.

I also have the canes sitting on a work surface or a marble top when I do this.

Peel off of the surface that the canes stick to or run your clay slicing blade under it to remove from the surface.

It is thin, see!

Using a knitting needle poke the hole where you would like it to be!
You can move the point in little circles to widen it.

Part 12
http://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2011/05/african-trade-beads-part-12-shinning.html