How to Make Polymer Clay Christmas Ornaments

Ready to deck the halls with handmade flair? In this post, I’m showing you how to whip up some vintage-inspired polymer clay Christmas ornaments using the magic of border canes!

If you’ve been following along, you might remember my previous post on how to make easy polymer clay border canes using an extruder. Border canes are perfect for adding that extra “wow” to your designs—like in my polymer clay bowl tutorial—but this time, they’re stepping into the spotlight to dazzle on your polymer clay Christmas ornaments.

For the first of the ornaments, we’re keeping things chic and simple. I’ll show you how to use thin slices of border canes on a solid clay base, then burnish those slices right into the base until the seams disappear like magic. These are a touch more minimal—plus, it stretches your cane stash!

Next up, if you’re all about bold patterns, the second ornament is for you. We’re layering border canes to create a gorgeous veneer packed with style. No need to stress over slicing super thin here—a veneer is more forgiving and can be made with thicker slices.

And as a bonus, I’m throwing in a third design that doesn’t even need border canes! Using leftover bullseye cane from our border cane adventure, I created a festive checkerboard ornament with some red clay. Why waste perfectly good scraps, right?

To make things even easier, I’ve included a downloadable template with three ornament sizes, but don’t let that limit you! If you’ve got an ornament-shaped cutter, use it. If not, grab a round cutter or, better yet, sketch your own custom shapes for a personal touch!

Pro tip: You can use these techniques to create gift tags, too. Just leave the back of the clay smooth and stamp the recipient’s name for a keepsake they’ll treasure.

So, grab those border canes and let’s dive into making some festive polymer clay Christmas ornaments that’ll have everyone saying, “Wow, you made that?!” Let’s get crafty!

Tools & Materials

• Non-porous work surface — I work on either glazed tile or glass
• Pasta machine dedicated to polymer clay use — I use an Atlas 180 and will refer to the settings I use on my machine. If you don’t have a pasta machine an acrylic roller and some playing cards will do in a pinch, it’ll just take a little more work.
• Polymer clay border canes
• Polymer clay — I’m using the same red and green as in the border canes, plus a little silver
• Christmas ornament template — or shape cutter of choice
• Craft knife
• Sharp polymer clay blade
• Wavy polymer clay blade
• Parchment paper
• Liquid clay
• Jump rings
• Texture sheet, roller, or sponge
• Oven safe glazed tile

Directions for Polymer Clay Christmas Ornaments

Ornament #1

Before starting visit this tutorial to make your border canes. Print a copy of the ornament template and cut it out. Regular printer paper works fine but card stock will last longer. Alternatively, you could use a shape cutter if you have something suitable.

Condition a piece of polymer clay in the color of your choice for the base. Finish by sheeting on a medium-thick setting (no.3 on my Atlas). Place the sheet of clay on a glazed tile and burnish lightly, making sure there is no trapped air.

Place the paper template on the clay and lightly trace a rough outline of the shape. Mark a straight line through the widest part of the ornament. This is where you will lay the first strip of border cane.

Cut thin slices of your border canes and place them on the ornament outline starting on the line through the widest point.

Lay a piece of parchment paper over the clay and burnish the cane slices to the sheet of clay. Keep burnishing until the join lines have disappeared (this is why you want as thin as possible slices!)

Line up the center line on the paper template with the middle cane strip and cut out the ornament with a craft knife. Leave the ornament in place on the tile and remove the excess clay.

Press a closed jump ring lightly into the top of the ornament. Make sure the join is pressed into the clay so it won’t be seen in the finished ornament.

Condition a small piece of silver clay (or use gold clay if you’re using gold tone jump rings) and sheet it on a no.3 setting. Cut one edge with a wavy blade.

Use a straight blade to cut the other three sides of the silver clay to make a top piece to cover the jump ring. Add a small dot of liquid clay over the jump ring and lightly press the silver clay in place (see pic below.)

Bake the ornament on the tile at the recommended temperature for your brand of clay for 45 minutes.

Ornament #2

This is a great option if you have trouble slicing really thin slices as needed in the above ornament.

Lay enough thicker cut slices of your border canes next to each other to make a veneer large enough for the whole ornament. My veneer is approximately the same thickness as a no.4 setting on my Atlas.

Cover the veneer with a sheet of parchment and burnish the seams well.

Place the burnished veneer on a baking tile and cut out the Christmas ornament using the paper template and a craft knife. Remember to line up the center line on the template with one of the cane strips.

Top the ornament as above with a jump ring and piece of silver clay. Bake at the recommended temperature for your brand of clay for 45 minutes.

Ornament #3

The pattern for this cane was made with the excess bullseye cane from the third border cane in the previous tutorial. Rather than using a round disk as I did for the border cane when extruding the clay, I used a square disk. I then extruded an equal amount of red clay and built a Christmas checkerboard cane.

Make a veneer with the checkerboard cane, burnish the seams, and place on a baking tile. Cut out ornament shapes, top with a jump ring and silver clay as above. Bake at the recommended temperature for your brand of clay for 45 minutes.

Finishing the Polymer Clay Christmas Ornaments

Once the ornament has cooled, carefully slide a blade under it to release from the tile.

Condition a piece of coordinating clay and sheet on a no.2 setting. Texture the clay with your texture of choice—make sure the surface area is large enough to cover the ornament.

Sponge or smear some liquid clay on the back of the ornament and cover with the textured sheet. Set aside for 5 minutes or so to let the clay begin to bond.

Neatly trim away the excess clay with a craft knife. Bake again for 45 minutes to an hour at the recommended temperature for your brand of clay.

Once the polymer clay Christmas ornaments have cooled sand the edges if necessary and you’re done!

If you’ve enjoyed learning how to make these polymer clay Christmas ornaments and give this tutorial a try please tag @bysandracallander on Instagram!

As always, if you have any questions or comments, I’m happy to hear from you.