Follow our four steps to make a Bull’s Eye Cane.
STEP 1. Prepare clay. Cut a 3" x 4 1/2" template from an index card. Use template to cut out two rectangles—one green and one white—from clay rolled through thickest setting of pasta machine. Use clay blade to cut each rectangle diagonally. Stack white triangles to form one single triangle of double thickness. Repeat for green clay.
STEP 2: Make blend. Press stacked triangles back together to form a rectangle. Run clay square through pasta machine on thickest setting. Note: Be sure edge with two or more colors is parallel to rollers. Fold flattened rectangle in half so that outer edges of both halves match up with same color (white to white, green to green). Place folded edge against pasta machine rollers so that both colors are touching the rollers. Run clay through thickest setting of machine. Repeat 25-30 more times until a gradient blend appears. Note: It’s critical that after clay is folded, both colors always touch the rollers. Missing this step will blend clay into a solid, lighter shade of green. If clay comes out wider than when it went in, simply fold sheet as before and slightly scrunch it together to reduce width to fit in rollers.
STEP 3: Stretch gradient sheet. Since it is easier to work with a short-wide cane than a longer-narrower one, trim uneven sides of sheet. Cut sheet in half lengthwise and stack to create one double-thick sheet. Roll lengthwise through pasta machine at thickest setting. Repeat, reducing one roller setting with each pass until you have rolled sheet through fifth largest setting. Note: Some brands of clay are stickier than others, and may need to be fed out a little at a time while holding end of strip vertically over machine. Do not let clay sit against back roller guards when cranking as it will stick and tear.
STEP 4: Make roll. Trim straight edge at both green and white ends. Beginning at white end, roll clay jellyroll style across entire length. Note: To make starting roll easier, form thin snake of white clay and place at edge of strip. If space appears in center of roll, gently and evenly squeeze sides while rotating clay, starting at middle and working out toward ends until clay is compacted.