![\"Cut](\"http:\/\/artinsilver.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/t-01.jpg\" "\\"Cut")
<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\nFrom this point on, you can change the shape of the donut just with a slight touch of your finger. You can elongate it:<\/p>\n Or you can dent it:<\/p>\n You can also cut the smaller circle off center:<\/p>\n With gentle manipulation of the shape the donut turns into a bean.<\/p>\n Here it’s done with a texturing mold. I used Mokume-Gane 9<\/a>. I took a big chunk of clay and pressed it into the mold. I did not mind having it very thick, since fired steel clay is so light-weight.<\/p>\n While the bean was still wet, I inserted eyelets on both sides. If you use Low Shrinkage Steel XT<\/em>, use nickel chromium wire (also called “high temp wire” or “nichrome”) to make the eyelets. This wire is available from PMC Connection<\/a> <\/p>\n Instructions for making the eyelets can be found in my book The Handbook of Metal Clay: Textures and Forms<\/a><\/em>, second edition, p. 45.<\/p>\n Firing<\/strong><\/p>\n Low-Shrinkage Steel XT<\/em> is best suited for structural purposes and the easiest clay to fire. Just cover with carbon and fire 2 hours at 1750\u00b0F\/955\u00b0C (brick kiln); 1830\u00b0F\/999\u00b0C (muffle kiln). If you happen to have the Mini 1800<\/a> just set it to the highest setting and come back after 2 hours. One phase firing.<\/p>\n A Clasp<\/strong><\/p>\n A toggle clasp is also a donut of sorts. Using the same texture, I started with a circular donut.<\/p>\n Then changed the shape with my fingers and dried.<\/p>\n The toggle bar needs to stick out of the donut about a quarter inch to each side. What if the texturing mold is not long enough?<\/p>\n Roll a fat snake, bend it into a half circle, and press it into the mold.<\/p>\n Remove the snake from the mold.<\/p>\n Gently straighten it out.<\/p>\n Then cut to size.<\/p>\n Lay the bar on top of the donut to dry. Let the middle part slump inside the donut.<\/p>\n Now make another donut, 6 cards thick, with very small circles (for example, use two straws of different sizes). Let’s call it a washer.<\/p>\n Cut the washer in half and dry.<\/p>\n Attach one half washer to the top left of the donut, and the other to the center back of the bar.<\/p>\n Fire as described above.<\/p>\n Have the patience for one more? This is going to be a long weekend.<\/p>\n I wanted to use the same shape as the toggle’s, but as a frame, not flat. For this I had to make a template and use 6 mm thick foam sheet, preferably white, which you can get at Michael’s and JoAnn Fabrics (Foamies).<\/p>\n A variety of lovely shapes can be found on the first four templates at PMC Connection<\/a>.<\/p>\n Cut the template on top of the foam and trace it with a pencil.<\/p>\n If you want to make earrings, turn the template over and trace it again to make the mirror image. If you choose to use a plastic template, turn it over and trace the inside contour line.<\/p>\n Cut the shapes out of the foam with scissors. To make it into a clean shape, I like to cut a 6 mm strip out of a postcard, wrap it around the foam, and tape.<\/p>\n Cut a strip of clay 6 cards thick, 6 mm wide, and wrap it around the foam shape. This is the frame.<\/p>\n Once dry, seal the joint if necessary, and dry again.<\/p>\n Place the frame on top of the texturing mold. Wet the inside of the frame, and press a chunk of clay into it, filling about half of the space inside the frame.<\/p>\n Remove from the mold.<\/p>\n With a knife, cut the top part on the inlaid chunk to a shape that pleases your eye.<\/p>\n After drying, turn the piece over and add more clay until the back is flush and the joints disappear. Dry and fire as described above.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n