Quickie Ribbon Cane Tutorial (Simplified, no Pics)
 

Ribbon Cane:



Basically, you take a rod of a pale transparent (clear or whatever):

1. Melt a blob and mash it into a paddle.
2. Square off the sides.
3. Paint a color (thinly) on 1 side of your paddle.
4. Paint another color on top of that (if you want 2 tone)
5. Cover that side with a big blob of the base transparent.
6. Flip the paddle over and put another big blob of clear on that side and all around the edges. (your color should be right in the middle of the blob, now.)
7. Attach another rod of the base transparent to the other side so that you now have a handle on each side.
8. melt the blob evenly, keeping it from getting distorted.
9. When it gets soft enough (melty but not quite drippy), flip it vertical and start to pull and twist at the same time.

Don't twist or pull too fast or the ribbon will get distorted.

Oooo, thank you Shawnette. I saw that gorgeous pink cane on your blog and wished I could do those. Lovin' that red, white, and blue one too. I still need practice with the pulling/twisting rate, but now I can try this one also :) Thanks again.

Thank you Shawnette! I've been wondering for a long time how those cane are made....and yours are the most beautiful! I do have a question...when the cane is applied to a bead, how do you keep it from distorting? Thanks again for the very well explained tut! Enjoy your week....Kathleen

Thanks Shawnette!!! Such talent & so sweet/thoughtful to share this "how to". I bought some of this several years ago from a vendor....but the cane is too big to use on a bead....OHHHH, if I only had those early spent $$$ back! GREAT TUTORIAL!!

Awesome tutorial shawnette!!! Your canes are beautiful!!!!
sue

Thanks, y'all!! (Gawd I love that word!)

Kathleen, it all depends on what you want the final look to be, but basically it's all about heat control. Just get the cane hot enough to bend and adhere to the bead, but not melt. Then melt it in very slowly and carefully. Another method is once the cane is on, heat the bead, not the cane, and the cane will sink into the bead intact. I'm still working on mastering the use of the cane, but those are the 2 methods that were shown to me by Jeff Barber. He's so awesome!!

Thank you! K-

cool! thanks shawnette!

thanks for the advice about melting cane into the bead using indirect heat! I'll try that.

S - Used your tutorial to make the top and bottom twisties in this picture. Not the best picture.

I have been practicing twisty's but mine seem to be thick... 4/5 mm I am getting about 5 inches or so in the pull which is good.... is their a way to get them thinner without distorting?

pull and twist faster. It's just like when you pull stringer. The faster you pull, the thinner it will be.

Is the vertical pulling the "seceret" I always pull horizontally but I am not totally happy with my results. I guess I will give this a try. Thanks for the tut!

"flip it vertical " she says slapping her forehead #-o maybe this would make it more even...

thanks shawnette!
~Becky

I actually pull at more like a 70-80 degree angle. Not horizontal, but not totally vertical, either.

Nice!!

Gorgeous twisties Shawnette!
Have you made any beads with the red-white-blue twistie? Any pictures? :-)

Thanks for sharing! I need to PPP at this. I heat it up too much (I think) and when I pull it I end up with a very pretty, very short toothpick lookin kind of thing! I'll keep working on it though. Thanks for the tips. :)

Thanks for that Shawnette.. I particularly like your tip about flipping the blob vertically and twisting.. don't know what I hadn't thought of that before!

Cheers,
Sue :)

Thanks Shawnette! The part about the vertical, that makes so much sense!

My first ribbon cane attempt - what fun!!! It's not exactly right but I'm happy with it.



Thank you for the great tutorial!

ok I found this after I looked for encased twisty
I need help on keeping colors from bleeding anyone have those issues..

I want to be a "goddess" of twisties like Nette... :) Those are so awesome..

Thanks!

To keep colors from bleeding, encase them in clear before using (like Karin said in your other thread).

well well I got an answer in both spots immediately ( I asked both places incase people were looking for the same info, with the incorrect names) LOL I can't wait to try again on our next day..


Thanks bunchs

Whoo Hoo!!!! I did it! I thought I couldn't, but I kept saying "I think I can. I think I can." And I did it! Thanks soooooo much Shawnette!!!!

YIPPEEEEEEEE Coyote !!!!! I just tried this cane Shawnette.... and I did it on the first try! This is the most exciting thing that has happened to me today!

Suzanne