8. Pastel Checkerboard Hair Claws and Barrettes
Introduction & Aesthetic Concept
Functional fashion accessories made of polymer clay bring tactile artistry into daily wear. Custom hair barrettes and claw clips featuring pastel checkerboards, daisies, or checkerboard-swirl hybrids add handmade luxury to simple hairstyles.
How to Make It
- Create Patterned Sheets: Roll out pastel pink and ivory clay, assemble a miniature checkerboard cane, and slice wafer-thin tiles. Roll them together on a 1.5mm flat backing sheet.
- Cut Barrette Shapes: Cut sleek rectangles, curved ovals, or teardrop shapes sized to match your metal alligator clips or snap barrette blanks.
- Bake with Proper Curve: If covering a curved barrette, drape the raw clay over a metal tube or rolled aluminum foil of matching curvature during baking.
- Sand to a Silky Touch: Wet-sand the edges and top surface to ensure no sharp clay corners catch on hair strands.
- Affix to Hardware: Clean the metal clip surface with rubbing alcohol. Secure the cured clay piece to the metal using two-part epoxy or industrial-strength jewelry adhesive (such as E6000), clamping gently until fully set.
Pro Tips & Variations
- Hair Claw Overlay: Cover the outer flat prongs of plain acrylic claw clips with thin, patterned clay strips, curing them directly on the clips if heat-safe, or gluing them post-cure.
- Inlaid Daisies: Press tiny pastel-centered floral stamps into the checkerboard squares before curing.