What do you all do...

[Cleirigh]

about specks when you roll your clay out? I work a lot with very light colored clay and every tiny fiber or speck shows up on it. I end up resculpting up to ten times just to get it perfectly spotless! I wouldn't leave hairs (blech) or fibers even, but do you all leave tiny, almost microscopic specks? I'm guessing no one else would notice but if I continue this way I might just go bonkers! Thanks :)

[Former_Member]

It's really really annoying isn't it?

I have a blob of light clay that i roll in my hands for a while before i start, but still end up with the odd speck here and there.

It depends how noticeable it is and if it will sand out or not (depending on what i'm making)

I haven't made any little babies for a while because it is so hard to keep skin coloured clay totally speck free, but have just bought a big chunk of prosculpt to make them again, so will be pulling my hair out soon. (hopefully not getting any in the clay though)

If you find the answer please let me know

Pixie :0

[Former_Member]

btw i favourited your shop your nativity sets are beautiful

[Former_Member]

I roll a piece of scrap clay in my hands, wear an old tshirt of my husbands over my clothes to avoid lint in the air, keep a VERY clean studio (this seriously helped) and sand items as needed.

[Former_Member]

Lint, fuzz, hair, or random specks of dust all drive me absolutely craaaazy! One thing I've discovered that helps are non-scented baby wipes. I wipe my hands with them, and if the clay is still fuzzy, I rub the clay with the wipe too. It's not perfect, but it's the best thing I've tried so far.

[Cleirigh]

Thanks nicola!

Thanks everyone for all the good ideas, and it's good to know that I'm not the only one driven crazy by this! It's definitely the skin-color clay that gets to me. I'm glad I have some new ideas to try out now :D

[Former_Member]

It was a beautiful day. 11/11/11. Took new polymer clay work to the gallery in the mountains. I posted my loaded desktop, full of polymer clay.
http://billi-rs-rothove.blogspot.com/2011/11/november-11-2011-gallery-ready.html

[Former_Member]

that annoys me so much too!

Also, I just looked at your shop... and your work is gorgeous!! I think your nativity sets are absolutely amazing! I shared a link on my fb page to your shop (it's only brand new and I only have 13 people following at the moment.. so i know its not much but i just couldn't help but share). Haha.
Keep being incredible!

[Cleirigh]

I really appreciate it Kate! Thanks so much! Your cake necklace is great- now I'm hungry :)

[playsculptlive]

Cleaning your work surface with rubbing alcohol in a spray bottle helps pick up the tiny bits everywhere. I wear gloves when I work with helps keeping the clay and my hands clean. I also use a blade to scrape off the bits as i go and use scrap clay. I roll the scrap clay over the work surface and it picks up the bits well. But I agree those bits can drive you crazy.

[Former_Member]

Im going through a glitter phase at the moment which is nightmare when you think youve cleared it all up and then get a speck on something you just made, thats really annoying, but i do like a bit of sparkle, lol

[Former_Member]

I have to clean the entire house and turn the heating off before I start! I use a damp microfiber cloth to clean, and roll scrap clay over the surface before starting.

[Cleirigh]

Part of me knows that cleaning like crazy is the only real solution and I'm avoiding it like the plague! I like to work wherever I am and I know if I had a dedicated work station it would really help- and then I'd only have to super-clean one room :D

Lol glitter would be the last straw! I love glitter though!

[Former_Member]

I clean like Dexter after a kill. Every surface, me, my hands, my tools, everything. Clean clean clean. This still doesn't get everything every time, but it helps a lot. You could also try working on fresh clean wax paper combined with completely obsessive hand-washing.