About this episode
This episode is brought to you by Sculpey. Are you curious to try out polymer clay? Are you a polymer clay artist or enthusiast? We have a special offer for you from Sculpey, the original polymer clay company. Use code HANDMADE25 to get 25% off your entire purchase on Sculpey.com . If you aren't sure where to begin, Sculpey III clay is the perfect polymer clay for beginners. It comes in almost fifty colors and is easy to mold and shape into fun creations. You can also buy a multipack of Sculpey III clay, including sets of the Classic colors, Brights, Pastels, and Naturals. These sets are an easy way to get all the colors you need to get started. If you are an experienced polymer clay maker, then you know the variety of products Sculpey has to offer, from Liquid Sculpey to Sculpey Souffle, to all the tools you need to make beads, jewelry, sculptures, frames, dishes, and more. Visit Sculpey.com use code HANDMADE25 for 25% off your entire order. Sculpey – Where creativity takes shape. Thank you, Sculpey! If you were a child of the nineties (like one of us was!), you probably came across polymer clay. This brightly colored clay that bakes in the oven can be made into beads, miniatures, and so much more. In this episode, we share the story of the invention of polymer clay from an oil-production by-product (in Germany) and a failed attempt to make a material for electrical transformers (in the US). We tell the story of Sophie Rehbinder-Kruse, who eventually made the first successful polymer clay in the 1940s called FIMOIK. We also tell the story of how Sculpey started in the US in the 60s with white clay and demonstrations at art shops and craft fairs. We share some of the wide range of techniques that people use to create with polymer clay, from caning to conditioning with a pasta machine (thank you, Marie Segal!). And we finish by profiling two very different but very cool polymer clay artists, Ford/Forlano and Yuka Morii. Join us and relive your time at the kitchen table making beads, buttons, and miniature versions of food for your dolls! Show notes and sources here: https://tinyurl.com/373kwc5u Have a question, comment, or idea for a future episode? Email us at handmadehistoryhosts@gmail.com . Sign up for our free posts on our Patreon page at patreon.com/handmadehistorypodcast. Visit our website at handmadehistorypodcast.com for more information.