Mini-Tutorial: Polymer Clay Drawer and Cabinet Knobs

January 14, 2011 by acrawley63 | 14 Comments

When I shipped my final Wholesale order in 2010, I walked into my studio and removed all the remaining unfinished drawer and cabinet knobs. I had covered a few of them several years ago and then stopped. I’m not sure why it has taken me so long to cover the remaining knobs. However, doing it now gives me the opportunity to share with you my process in this mini-tutorial. Covering drawer and cabinet knobs is a great way to use your extra millefiori cane clay sheets.

 

Millefiori Cane Sheets & Drawer Knobs

Materials

• Wooden drawer/cabinet knobs
• White glue
• Polymer clay: millefiori cane clay sheet

Tools

• Pasta machine for conditioning clay
• Cutting blade
• Work surface
• 2″ round cookie cutter
• Small acrylic roller or bamboo skewer
• Clay dedicated toaster oven or convection oven

Directions

Because we are using wood drawer knobs, you need to prep them for the polymer clay. First, put the knobs in the oven for 15 minutes at 275 degrees to remove any moisture. When cool, cover the knobs with white glue.

Assorted Wooden Drawer Knobs

Choose a millefiori cane clay sheet. If necessary, pass the clay sheet through your pasta machine a few times to warm it up. Don’t fold the sheet or you’ll lose your design! Cut out a circle of clay from the sheet with the round cookie cutter.

Place the circle of clay on top of the drawer knob, smooth with your acrylic roller or bamboo skewer, and fit to the top of the drawer knob.

Top of Drawer Knob: Covered

Cut a 3″ long by 1/2″ wide strip of clay from your millefiori cane clay sheet.

Wrap the strip around the stem of the drawer knob, match the ends of the strip, and cut to fit the stem. Use the small acrylic roller or bamboo skewer to smooth the clay and blend with the top portion of the drawer knob. Use your cutting blade to remove any excess clay that extends beyond the base of the stem.

The drawer knob is covered and ready for the oven.

Cure the covered drawer knob in your clay dedicated toaster or convection oven for 20 minutes at 275 degrees (or as recommended by the clay manufacturer.) When the drawer knob has cooled, you can sand the drawer knob with wet/dry sandpaper and buff on a buffing wheel, if desired.

Below is a sample of the many other designs that can be created for drawer and cabinet knobs.

Assorted Polymer Clay Drawer and Cabinet Knobs

A few pictures of the drawer knobs on the cabinets and drawers in my studio.

Face & Turquoise Drawer Knobs

Cane Design & Extruded Clay Drawer Knobs

Assorted Cane Designs Drawer Knobs

I hope you enjoyed this mini-tutorial. If you cover some of your drawer knobs with polymer clay, please post them and send me a link to your blog, website or Flickr page.