How to Create a Polymer Clay Letter Charm Necklace in 10 Easy Steps

Step by Step Instructions

I kept seeing these letter charms all over Pinterest and thought they were adorable! It was apparent that the ones I saw were made out of metal and enamel, but I wanted to come up with a way to make them a little more approachable for my beginner students, as well as for you!

Here are the steps to create your own Polymer Clay Letter Charm Necklace:

STEP 1: CHOOSE CLAY

I purchased this Sculpey clay from Hobby Lobby. Be sure to put any extra clay you don't use in a ziploc to keep it from drying out.

STEP 2: ROLL OUT CLAY

Roll out the clay using a clay roller, or any skinny cylinder shaped object will work. I actually used a ring mandrel since I had that nearby.

STEP 3: CUT CIRCLES

Use a circle clay or cookie cutter to cut the clay to the size you want. I cut an extra of each color in case I messed up one.

STEP 4: STAMP LETTERS

Use rubber stamps or letter punches to stamp the letters you choose into the clay. Be sure not to press too hard or you may leave an extra indention you don't want in the clay. I used rubber stamps purchased from Hobby Lobby.

STEP 5: PUNCH HOLE

Use a toothpick, the tip of your round nose pliers, or any other small round item to punch a hole in the center top of your letter charm.

STEP 6: BAKE CLAY

Place your charms on the clay oven tray and bake at 275 degrees for 15 minutes. The specialty clays, such as the glitter and metallics, may require a longer bake time, so be sure to read the package. If you don't have a clay oven, a regular oven works just the same! Be sure to let the clay cool down before moving on to the next step.

STEP 7: PAINT CLEAR COAT

Use clear nail polish to paint the top of the letter charms. Be sure the polish does not pool in the stamped area.

STEP 8: PAINT LETTERS

Once the nail polish has dried, paint in the grooves of the letters with the paint color of your choice. I chose Anita's Metallic Craft Paint in antique gold, also purchased from Hobby Lobby. Be sure to use a very skinny brush.

STEP 9: ATTACH JUMP RINGS

Once the paint has dried, use your pliers to attach a jump ring to each charm. Check out our video on using jump rings HERE. Not sure what pliers to use? We have a video on that as well! View the jewelry making pliers video HERE.

STEP 10: STRING CHARMS ON CHAIN

Pick a chain and string on the charms through the jump rings. I used gold ball chain for this necklace, which I purchase in bulk for my class from Panda Hall.

And that's it! You can see, this project is a lot more doable to the beginning jewelry making versus using more intimating materials such as metal and enamel.

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial! I'd love to hear your thoughts on how the project goes for you! Don't forget to follow Urban Rhino on social media and subscribe to our website for more upcoming jewelry making tips and tutorials!