How to Make a Polymer Clay Trinket Dish with a Cane Veneer
Ever had a polymer clay trinket dish or other project that looked perfect before baking, only to end up with rough edges, visible seams, or a distorted pattern? Yep, we’ve all been there! But here’s the thing: those small details make all the difference. A few extra finishing steps can take your work from “pretty good” to “did you really make that?!”
When I first started working with polymer clay, I focused so much on the design that I often rushed through the finishing steps. The result? Beautiful pieces that looked a little… unfinished. Over time, I realized that burnishing seams, baking properly, and sanding with care were just as important as the design itself. Now, I can’t unsee rough edges! If you’ve ever felt the same way, this tutorial will help you level up your polymer clay game without a ton of extra effort.
In this tutorial, we’re making a square polymer clay trinket dish with a cane veneer and a decorative border. But more importantly? I’m sharing all the little details that take your project from homemade to high-end. Whether you’re a polymer clay newbie or an experienced maker, these finishing tricks will help you create a polished, professional-looking piece.
Tools & Materials
- Non-porous work surface – I work on either glazed tile or glass.
- Pasta machine (dedicated to polymer clay) – I use an Atlas 180 and will reference its settings here. No pasta machine? No problem! An acrylic roller and some playing cards will do the trick (though your arm might get a workout).
- Polymer clay cane – I’ve used my kaleidoscope cane from the previous post.
- Extra polymer clay – Matching colors from your cane for the decorative border and underside. Find the color recipes I used here.
- Scrap polymer clay
- Polymer clay blade – Use the sharpest blade you have for the cleanest cuts.
- Parchment paper
- Burnishing tool(s) – I use both a stainless steel soap and an espresso tamper. Your roller will work if you don’t have a dedicated tool for burnishing.
- Ruler
- Oven-safe bowl – Used for shaping the trinket dish.
- Wet/dry sandpaper – I’ve used 400, 600, 800, 1000, 1200, and 1500 grits.
Directions | Polymer Clay Trinket Dish with a Cane Veneer
Step 1: Creating a Seamless Cane Veneer
Start by slicing your cane. You’ll need a veneer slightly smaller than your final dish size. For my 6” square trinket dish with a 1” border, I need a 4” veneer, plus a 3” square for the back. Since my cane slices are 1” square, I need 25 in total.
Most canes have a little imperfection (mine always do!). Take a close look and find something distinctive then align your slices to create the most seamless veneer possible. If you’re using a kaleidoscope cane, flip every second slice to mirror the pattern. A different style cane may look better if the “imperfection” is facing all the same direction.
Once your veneer is puzzled together, straighten up the edges with your blade. Run your hand over the surface and check for uneven slices—shave off any raised areas before burnishing to prevent distorting the pattern. Place parchment over the veneer and burnish the seams thoroughly.
Step 2: Constructing the Dish with Crisp Borders
Condition enough scrap clay to make a square sheet slightly wider than you want your finished dish to be. My pasta machine is wide enough to make a 6 3/4” sheet. If your pasta machine is narrower you may need to build your base in two pieces and burnish the seam before proceeding.
Sheet the scrap clay on a no. 3 or no. 4 setting and trim it square. Place the sheet of clay on a piece of parchment paper for easier handling.
Lightly score an “X” from corner to corner using a needle tool or craft knife and a ruler. (You can just make the “X” out in the above photo.) Place the veneer in the center, lining up the corners with the guidelines. Straighten the edges with the side of your blade.
Now for the borders! Condition a piece of background-colored clay and roll it to match the thickness of your veneer. Trim narrow strips to frame the veneer—pressing gently so you can peel away excess as you go.
Condition the next color for the border and sheet it on the same thickness. For this one it’s easiest to cut 1/4” wide strips rather than trimming as you go.
Frame the veneer with the 1/4” strips. Keep the border straight by butting the edges with the side of your blade.
Condition a third color for the border. This time cut the strips about 1/8” and trim the veneer again.
Lastly, make a 1/2” strip border with the cane background color.
Place a sheet of parchment paper over the top of the clay and burnish the seams. Take your time to burnish everything well and seal up all the seams. Making sure everything is neatly sealed up now will mean a nicer finish in the end.
Use a ball tool to mark the four corners of the veneer, pressing the tool all the way through the clay to mark the back.
Step 3: Building the Trinket Dish Back
Keep the parchment in place on the front, then flip the clay over and remove the parchment from the back. Find the four ball tool marks and draw another ‘X’ to guide your placement.
Center a 3” x 3” veneer on the back and trim with a border slightly wider than 1½”. Burnish the seams, flip the clay right side up, and trim the excess clay into a perfect square.
Roll a long, narrow strip of clay (No. 3 setting) to trim the outside edges. Cut it down the center so you have two straight edges. Use this strip to seal the dish’s sides, placing the straight edge toward the bottom. Trim excess clay by running a sharp blade parallel to the surface of the dish.
Once the dish is fully trimmed, burnish the seams on both sides.
Step 4: Shaping the Polymer Clay Trinket Dish Without Warping
Double check your veneer before placing the trinket dish on the bowl mold. Make sure all the seams are closed and everything is smooth. Check for any stray bits of clay, lint, and pet hair that mar the design. Remove them with a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol. A neat and tidy prep at this point means less sanding later.
Depending on your bowl, you may be forming you trinket dish either inside or outside. My preference is to bake on the outside of a bowl, but it’s not always easy to find one with a flat outer bottom.
No matter inside or outside, center the clay as best you can before pressing it onto the bowl. Use a ruler to measure from the corners of the trinket dish to the edge of the bowl. They should all measure the same. If not, carefully peel the clay off the bowl and try again.
Once you’re happy the dish is centered on the bowl start pressing it into place. Work from the center out, taking care not to trap air between the clay and the bowl. Press the corners of the trinket dish into place and then ease the rest of the trinket dish to fit. If your clay is on the outside of the bowl, place a small scrap of parchment paper on the bottom of the trinket dish, turn the bowl over and press the trinket dish bottom onto your work surface to create a nice, flat bottom.
Make one final check for lint and split seams and fix them before baking.
Step 5: Baking for Strength and Durability
Place the bowl on a baking sheet and tent with foil. Bake in a preheated oven at the recommended temperature for your brand of clay for at least one hour. It’s okay to go longer as long as your temperature is set correctly.
Resist the urge to unmold too soon—hot clay is fragile! Let it cool completely to avoid heartbreak.
Step 6: Sanding & Finishing Like a Pro
Set up your sanding area with a bowl of water (a few drops of dish soap added), an old towel, and your wet/dry sandpaper.
Start with 400 grit. Dip both the trinket dish and sandpaper in water, then, working over the towel, use small circular motions to smooth the inside and outside. Pay attention to the edges, but don’t apply too much pressure as deep scratches are tough to remove.
When ready to move on, rinse and dry your dish. If you see any shiny spots, go back over them. Change your water before continuing to finer grits.
Finish with 1500 grit, then buff with a cotton kitchen towel for a satiny-smooth finish. If you prefer a high shine, apply Renaissance Wax, let it dry for 30 minutes, then buff using a cotton or wool polishing mop.
Troubleshooting Common Sanding Issues
Problem: Poorly prepped piece before curing meaning lots of sanding to do.
Solution: Start with 240 grit sandpaper. This solution, however, can lead to difficult to remove scratches…
Problem: Deep scratches from coarse sandpaper?
Solution: Bake again for 10-15 min before re-sanding. This can help seal up the scratches. You can then carry on to the finer grits for finishing.
Problem: White residue or haze after sanding?
Solution: Buff with a clean cotton cloth or piece of denim to restore color vibrancy.
Conclusion:
And there you have it! A gorgeous, perfectly sanded and buffed polymer clay trinket dish that looks professionally made. Taking time to burnish, bake properly, and finish with care makes all the difference.
If you try this polymer clay trinket dish tutorial, I’d love to see your results! Tag me on Instagram @bysandracallander in your projects or drop a comment below sharing your experience.
Want even more inspiration and a place to share your work? Join my Facebook group The Polymer Clay Collective and connect with a fabulous community of fellow makers. Let’s clay it up together!
I love how you emphasize the importance of those finishing steps! I’ve definitely learned that lesson the hard way—those little details can make or break a piece.
Thank you! Those finishing details are so important and, yes, I learned that the hard way too 😆