Pendants
General info
Loops & Holes for cording
...holes (made in flattish clay)
...top loops
......U's
......full loops (eyepins, making eyepins, eye screws)
.........loops + frame
...tubes
...bails & foldover clay bails
Framed pendants
Stacked pendants ...lesson +
Amulets & fetishes
Tiny glass bottles, etc.
Hinges & Lockets & Tins
Other pendant ideas
Websites (pendants)

Cording
Many types (waxed linen, braided nylon, leather, etc.)
Plastic cording
...clear plastic tubing, filament (dyeing)
Rubbery cording
...Buna, Viton, decoy cord
...using... closures
…sm. o-rings... websites
Woven,braided,knitted --by you
Misc.
...finishing, tying
...adjustable cording (sliding knots, snug fits)
......pins-into-pendants
More “architecture” for all

PENDANTS & CORDING

The subjects of pendants, cording, pendant “architecture,” jewelry, clasps, etc. all tend to overlap, so look around all those pages if you’re looking for something in particular.
...To try and separate the topics though, the following category page will concentrate on necklaces which feature one primary "bead" or piece --large or small, flat or dimensional.

MORE KINDS of pendants and NECKWARE, at GlassAttic:
--for "rock" amulets/vessels, small containers worn on cording which are made over a rock which is removed after baking, or for a tiny tin which isn't removed after baking, see Vessels-Rock
.....for inro (small containers worn on cording made over Advantix film cannisters or other materials, see Vessels-Rock > Forms)
--for covering a matchbox then removing it for a pendant with a "drawer", see Covering > Paper,Cardboard
--for pectorals, collars, larger "pendants," rods and torques, see Jewelry >Necklaces
--for tiny, bottle pendants (some bubble wand bottles, some empty), see BOH > Embellishing

CORDING
--for thinner cords, often strung with beads (Stretch Magic, SoftGlass, SoftFlex, Tigertail, etc.), see Jewelry > Cord for Beads

PENDANTS

General Information

 A pendant can be any shape, style, etc., that you want…it simply needs to be small enough to hang around your neck comfortably
...they can be flat or dimensional, or even be openable containers like “rock amulets” (see Vessels-Rock) or tiny covered bottles
...they can be created with almost any polymer technique or pattern.
...most pins could be also pendants if they were just hung on cording
...most "tile" type beads could be pendants (see also Jewelry > Bracelets > Tiles.... Transfers)  

You can re-form purchased metal cookie/canape cutters to use as clay shape cutters for pendants:
….I got a bell at Christmas. By cutting off the "clapper" part of the shape, I get a nice "abstract" form that makes a nice pendant (I like it upside down from the bell orientation).
 …or bend the cutter to another shape (see Cutters for more)

spoons make great molds for pendants.... soup spoons, tablespoons, measuring spoons, etc. Check out the thrift shops and garage sales for different shapes. My blue domed pendant is made from a spoon. TLC

to add weight ....if you only need to add a small bit of weight, you could imbed a BB or 2 in the piece. Joanie
...or get the tiny sinkers that fisherpersons use ... these come almost as small as BB shot, and I got a box of them assorted for under $4.00 (a hundred)
....since these are lead, they cut easily if they're too big or the wrong shape, and they weigh a lot for their size. This will make those light pieces hang right. Janey

thin clay pendants may not be as stiff as you want ...(this is normal for most clays since flexibility equals strength in thin clay... Sculpey is stiffer, but also breaks easily)
...you can make thin pendants a bit stronger by:
......making them thicker, covering a Sculpey core with a stronger clay, embedding something (wire mesh, cardstock, thin metal, etc.), backing with another layer or stack two unequal layers together with the larger one behind to create a "frame," etc.

use an unattached drawer knob for a gently curving surface (to form a pendant or pin on top of)
http://www.tinapple.com/cynthia/98retreat/98retreat7.html
...or use a smooth glass jar for a surface that curves in just one direction, etc.

flat pendants or slightly rounded pendants.... can be completely or partly covered with cane slices and other dimensional or flat materials like metallic powders, leaf, etc.) while flat .... then all slices & bits can be completely flattened into the surface (or some left dimensiona) ...pendant can then be reshaped a bit, have its edges rounded, onlays added, or left as is
..Christel's female face cane slice plus added hair rope + background leaf...onlaid, then flattened onto a long bead
http://home.online.no/~raje/Polymer/projects/womanpin/index.htm
(for lesson details, see Onlay > Flattened Onlays)

caneguru's pendant finding for interchanging pendants or focal beads (curved metal tube fits over cord and has perpendicular straight rod extending down from its middle, with a decorative screw end
http://www.puffinalia.com/focalpoint/focalpoint.html
….metal post with screw-off part for interchangeable long beads ..."Change A Bead" Pendants and "Quick Switch"
http://www.blessedbeads.com/findings.htm
(see also below Cording > Pins Into Pendants)

for FRAMES, bezels, cabochon settings, etc.
....please see Frames > Very Small Frames for Pendants & Pins

for making magnifying lenses (magnifying glasses) into pendants as a substitute for reading glasses, see Other Materials > Magnifying Lenses)

LOOPS & HOLES
for cording or findings

Holes in the clay

For making perfectly round holes in flat-ish pieces of raw clay, it’s better to remove clay (than it is to simply push it aside with a pointed tool)
....so press & rotate a drinking straw (or small cutter) where you want the hole... remove from clay, leaving hole
... if using a straw, blow out the clay... or cut that bit of straw off and use straw again

U-shaped (carving) gouges can also be used by pressing and rotating them in the clay (this works with clay raw, or even baked if the clay sheet is thin enough).

Top Loops ....(U's, eye pins, eye screws)

U- shapes

One of the simplest ways to create a connector at the top (or bottom) of a pendant or other clay piece, is to insert the two legs of a U shape of wire into the raw clay, leaving a U extending from the clay (..note: this is not openable like a jump ring etc.)
...regular wire can be used, or various colored wires including telephone wire... even the ends of paperclips (plain or colored) or old-fashioned rounded-end "hair pins"
...liquid clay or another glue can be added to any of the wire legs before insertion in raw clay (plastic-coated wires may not need glue since they often bond with the clay)
......or regular wire can be pulled out of the baked clay, and glued back in more securely with superglue
...be careful to put any wire in straight and not wiggle it around before baking, because the hole can become enlarged yielding poor contact

liquid clay works great if you're inserting a metal finding into a raw clay item (lesson):
..put some liquid clay on the metal... (make tiny hole first?) and push finding into the hole
..then dab more liquid clay around the entrance, stabbing with a needle tool to "pack" it in ...bake... holds great.

the plastic coating on telephone wire actually bonds with the clay during baking
....Pier Voulkos uses staple-shaped bits of telephone wire in her jewelry designs, to hang dangles from
...someone made their own telephone wire by coating regular wire with tinted liquid clay, twice (baking between the two coats)
(....see Wire > Telephone Wire for more details)

I made my U? connectors by twisting two strands of wire together and coating it with liquid clay (before inserting into raw clay?). It was very strong.

I use the round looped end of a small brass safety pin (for my top loop) --I find that the complexity of the shape really seems to catch onto the clay inside the piece and lock into posiition.
...I create a slit in the raw clay at the top of the piece, then push the pin in... then press from the front and rear of the pendant to snug the clay into surrounding everything but the loop.  Jeannine C.

I folded the wire in half ... ran the 2 loose ends up through the bottom hole in the bead
... I left a loop of wire at the bottom of the bead... then I "folded" that loop around and under, to the back of the pendant.
...at the top of the bead, the two wires were both coming out... I put another bead over both wires, and pushed it down to the top of my pendant
....then I pulled one wire right and one left, and began adding the rest of the beads onto each side of the main wire. Jai

full loops of wire

(openable)
eye pins
... the simplest way to create a full loop of wire as a connector is to insert a shortened wire eye pin into the raw clay (1/2" or more)
(an eye pin is a length of straight wire with an openable loop at one end... can be purchased at Michaels, etc, in pkgs)
...as above, the eyepin can have liquid clay or other glue on it
...or the bottom area can be bent slightly zigzag at the bottom, inserted, and then have the clay snugged around it before baking
...or the eyepin can be removed after baking, and glued back in with superglue

I make the bend very tight so it lines up parallel with the other part of the pin
... then carefully insert it keeping the "eye" part turned just the opposite from the way you want it to be when it's finished
.... snug the clay up around the pin, then give it a twist so that the "eye" is in the right position (this will help to embed the clay in the buried bent portion of the pin shank. I've done this for years and have never, to my knowledge, had an eye pin come out.) Dotty in CA

The zigzag method doesn't create distortion in the pendant since it only takes a little squiggle in the wire, and the clay can be snugged up and smoothed around the entrance hole fairly easily.

If you want, you can even slice a short, small slit (instead of a round hole) with the tip of a sharp blade across the area where you want to embed the squiggle... then insert the squiggle part of the wire in the same orientation as the slice. That will allow it to go in without much distortion, and even any pattern lines can be aligned again easily when snugging (...and there really won't be any distortion on the surface of the bead/pendant caused by the squiggle itself ... it's too small for that unless your clay is really flat and thin.) Then snug the clay around the slit. Diane B.

For already baked clay, a hole for the eyepin (or a pilot hole for an eyescrew) can be made with the red hot tip of a pin or needle of the desired diameter (use pliers to hold the pin during the whole operation, preferably bent-nose pliers)
...once the tip has turned red hot in the flame, quickly press it into the clay where you want ... there will be tiny puff of smoke (which you don't particularly want to inhale), and a tiny corkscrew of clay will come out of the top by the nail... remove pin and pick corkscrew off
...insert the wire with a little bit of superglue and hold briefly, or use a 2-pt epoxy glue, or use liquid clay but in that case bake again to cure. Diane B.

Or an "eye pin" can be created from regular straight wire, then used in the same ways as above.
http://www.jewelry-tools.com/WJU/techniques/loops/eye1.htm

(openable) Nanetta's lesson on sandwiching a straight length of wire (or a trimmed headpin) between a decorative shape of baked clay and a raw backing clay of the same shape
...a vertical trough is cut on the inside of the raw half with an Xacto knife to create an indention for the wire to lay in... liquid clay is added in the sandwich before baking together
...(this can leave a length of straight wire extending from the top and bottom of the pendant)
...she then curves both these extending wires into top and bottom loops to create loop connectors
http://www.sculpey.com/Projects/projects_EgyptianEarrings.htm

(openable) I make a sort of S shape of wire - large at the bottom and small at the top (the top loop sticks out of the clay).
...I put a small pancake of clay onto my worksurface and press the large loop into that. ...then I press on the clay that is going to be the pendant, making a sandwich and allowing the small loop to emerge at the top
... the big loop of wire curves inside most of the length of the pendant (I think an embedded small loop could pull out so I actually go for a big loop that is only a little smaller than the overall pendant size). Sue

(not openable) ... wrapped shank (wrapped eye loop)
... a loop can also be created in the middle of a length of wire
http://www.jewelry-tools.com/WJU/techniques/loops/wrap1.htm
...Heather R's lesson on making one wrapped wire loop ("hangman's noose) to insert into clay at the top (Tropical Goldfish Necklace)
http://www.sculpey.com/Projects/projects_tropfishjewelry.htm
.......wrapped straight end of wire is inserted into clay
http://www.ejrbeads.co.uk/holographicearringstwo.htm
...sunni's colored wire wrapped around a top loop, extending down onto pendant as well
http://sunnisan.com/crafts/02/dragon009r2.jpg
....Micki’s lesson on wrapping a flat stone, and also creating a somewhat fancy top loop... with one unit of 2 connected wires
http://www.geocities.com/mick62001/simplecabwrap.html
....or put the wrapped part of the shank into the clay to use like an eye screw
.......I make my own loop and leave the wrapped tail end a little over 1/4" in length. Then I (screw) this into the clay before baking (the wrapped tail end is like a tiny "screw", and because of the texture and thickness of the wrapped portion, it is much more secure than a simple pin would be.) Jai
.........instead of the wrapped part of the shank being outside the clay, it can be embedded in the clay then have the clay snugged back around (like the bent-shank eyepins, etc) for a very secure hold, or it can actually be "screwed" in --may even want to separate the wires of the wrap just a bit if doing this for more toothy threads
...Emma's lesson on making a long top loop connector unit, which has a small tube bead threaded onto it
...... the wire is wrapped around itself in the area just below and just above the small bead... (final loop at top) (...one 12 cm wire used)

Danqing’s many wonderful & creative (fancy) ways of using wire to act as top loops, bails, etc.
http://icoldwell.com/danqing/Jframes.html
Julia S's wire architecture for pendants
http://home.insightbb.com/~mgrasso01/julia/setslide.jpg

I also attached bead dangles (each dangle created on a straight head pin), to the connector loop on the bottom of my pendant
( a head pin is a length of straight wire with a flat head at one end --like a nail, or silk sewing pin-- can be purchased at Michaels, etc., in pkgs)
.....(I made a loop in the top end of the headpin after adding the beads, so it could hang from the pendant's loop)

(...much more info on creating loops --with or without wrapping the shank, connectors, eye pins & head pins, etc.in Jewelry > Connectors and also in Wire > General Info, etc.)

eye screws
I sometimes embed little brass eye screws into the clay before curing, for the top of my hearts .
....these are much stronger than twisted wire, though admittedly not as aesthetically pleasing. But, if the loop is going to be obscured by the cord anyway, it shouldn't make much difference. . . inserting the screw eye for a heart pendant is tricky (without distorting the raw clay). . ..
...I first make a pilot hole about 1/2 inch deep with a bead reamer needle, and with a tiny circular motion enlarge it slightly.....Then - here's the trick - I reinsert the needle into the hole about 1/4 inch deep, and press sideways with the needle point on each side of the pilot hole to create slits to accommodate the sides of the screw eye. There is no distortion this way. . .
. ...Then I very carefully insert the screw eye and pinch the open spaces closed around it. ....now this is VERY important - After inserting the screw eye, check very carefully to make sure that the screw eye is seated perfectly parallell with the plane of the heart. If it is at all crooked, the heart will not hang properly. It's easy to correct with some needle-nose pliers or tweezers before it's cured, but impossible after! Elissa P.
...Sometimes I've used a little liquid clay in the hole, then poked the eye screw or whatever else it is into the hole, then bake. So far so good... Jennifer
...see also few paragraphs above for making a "wrapped shank" loop which can act as an eye screw
......instead of the wrapped part of the shank being outside the clay, it can be embedded in the clay then have the clay snugged back around (like the bent-shank eyepins, etc) for a very secure hold, or it can actually be "screwed" in --may even want to separate the wires of the wrap just a bit if doing this for more toothy threads
...Look for small screw eyes in the miniature wood things section of Michael's, rather than in the jewelry findings aisle. Besidethebox
...also look at any hobby or craft shop that sells supplies for making miniatures (dollhouses, etc.)
... http://www.firemountaingems.com has a bunch of different screw eyes... I attach them with a bit of liquid clay, just drive them into the raw clay holds beautifully, I attach a bail after. adriaf
...I was looking for eye screws last Feb. when I was working on my GD's wedding favors because I needed a lot of them and could only get 5 or 6 in a package that ran $3.58. Karen at Clay Alley http://www.clayalley.com came to my rescue and found a supplier who had both gold and silver and they are much more polished and not as bulky as the hardware store variety. No, I don't work for Karen, just a happy customer. She went out of her way to provide an item that we as clay addicts use.... They come in lots of 12 per pkg. and were very inexpensive. Marilyn
......see other jewelry supply sources in Jewelry > Supply Sources

(one piece) loops + frame

Desiree's lesson on using a 4"length of brass wire to make a wire frame-outline around a clay pendant which also has 1 loop at bottom (for dangling other things, or just design), and 2 loops at top (soldered or wire-wrapped together to hold wire frame closed) ... sort of like a bezel
...first she creates the bottom loop at midpoint of wire length by holding there with round nose pliers while crossing each end to opposite side ... flattens both ends of the wire slightly... wraps the wire around a hard form of some kind to create frame's shape ...forms loop at each end of wire --flat side out (then solders or wire-wraps the necks together)
http://www.desiredcreations.com/howTo_PJBrassFramePendant.htm
...could do upside-down if wanted the single loop at top
(for more on how to make a clay bead by forcing the wire down into a sheet of decorative clay, and many more examples of Desiree's use of this technique, see below in Framed Pendants)

also see Linda Goff's (and others') outlining with wrapped wire around various clay shapes in Wire > More Uses
...she either carves a groove around side of the baked clay piece with a gouge to create a channel to hold the wire securely (often using wrapped wire, and/or various beads on the wire)... or just superglues the wire around the exterior for larger items
.....Linda used copper or brass 20 ga. for inside wire or main frame, and 28 ga wire for wrapping around that wire. Geo
...You could use metal craft wire or (more easily) PVC coated wire like telephone wire or a plain (white?) wire... this would work as both decorative trim and a way to get a loop for hanging. Linda Goff
http://www.lindagoff.com/wire4.html (also click on pages Wire one, Wire two, Wire three)
http://www.lindagoff.com/mokume.html
.....(red shell earrings also show a top loop which was twisted before surrounding the clay shape
...and orca earrings create a small space for hanging rather than a loop by extending just a bit of the frame away from the clay

Tubes

One or more tubes can be used to hold cording as well
...generally these small tubes are placed somewhere near the top, or on the sides of the pendant, but they can also be placed on the back so they don't show
...they can also be part of the visible decorative "architecture"... e.g., rock vessels or inro (small wearable container pendants) often use two long tubes on each side for the cording to run through
....tubes are also part of some hinges (see "Hinges" below).

....(the following lesson was for short tubes to hold the cording on the back of pendants...to make longer tubes, just don't cut the segment(s) short):
To make a tube is relatively easy as long as you know a few tricks:
--find something straight and stiff like a long doll needle (or crochet/knitting needle, esp. for larger holes)... the smoother it is, the easier raw tubes can be removed (shiny metal is good)
--turn the (piece) over, so its back is facing up
From here there are several ways to go...here are a couple:
--roll a log of clay a little bigger around than you want the tube to be, and a little shorter than your needle (though you can cut the log shorter if it's too long after rolling)
--slice your log along its length like a hot dog bun...not all the way through though
--press the needle into the cut and close the clay around it
--roll over the clay with your fingers, pulling your hands away from each other at the same time... this will both smooth and lengthen the log
--if you press to hard or take too long, the hole will get too big and sort of flop around... if that happens, twist the clay log on its needle from both ends till it's tight again... then roll again
--using a long blade (or a single-edge razor blade or wallpaper scraper blade...long Xacto might work too), place the blade on the log (perpendicular) at the spot where you want to cut the first tube... then roll the blade forward, letting the clay log-needle roll freely underneath for one revolution or so... this will create a cut all the way around the clay . .. then repeat for as many tubes as your log is long
--I pulled off my raw tubes at this point (holding the needle with my left hand, and gently *twisting* each little section off the end with my right) (....however, this segmented unit could also have been baked first, then removed as a whole and broken or cut apart ... if cutting, do it while they clay is warm; in fact you don't even need to make the initial cuts if you cut the clay while it's still warm)
(--for some of my raw tubes, I stood them and sliced a tiny bit off along one side to make them flatter, but it worked fine either way)
--then I put a tiny amount of liquid clay onto the back of the forehead of the ghost, and placed the tiny tube on top of it rubbing on the glue a bit for good contact (if you don't have liquid clay, just pressing them well should work, or you can use a bit of white glue or let them set together a few hours to make a better bond)
---if possible, bake upsidedown to keep very flat (on a piece of paper on a tile or baking sheet, etc.).. if the front is dimensional, you may still be able to bake with the front down, or bake on a cloud of polyester stuffing, or bake right side up on a riser so that the tube area can hang off while the rest stays flat.

another option for getting the clay onto the needle and avoiding the floppy hole problem is to use a sheet of clay about the thickness you want the tube sides to be; place the needle on the clay sheet and roll it one revolution (cut away the excess), then join the long edges.
...or a thinner sheet of clay can be rolled up on the needle until the desired thickness is achieved.

A fun thing to do is to make a "fancy" tube using a round cane slice, even a small one... roll the slice around the needle, then remove and bake; these make interesting spacer beads or even tiny dangles for earrings too, etc.
...or make tiny croissant beads by rolling up a long isosceles triangle of patterned clay, etc.

tubes can also have rubbery cording glued into one end rather than acting a a pass-through
... Beckah's use of tube beads with end caps to glue ends of cording into on both sides of pendants (plus one tube across top for cording to hang from)
http://www.bearingbeads.com/Images/_faux.jpg

Desiree's solid rod of clay (which looks something like a tube) has wire "headpins" inserted into each end, to which the cording is attached
http://www.desiredcreations.com/images/galleryTwoPics/langloEggNcklCU1.jpg
http://desiredcreations.com/howTo_PJNcklClosures.htm

Claudine's interesting tops, Japanese style (clay loop bails, sometimes around clay or metal tubes)
http://www.essi.fr/~claudine/Fimo/Gallerie/Textures/japo3.htm

MHPCG's wire coil strung on cording (both feet placed into a bead) ... tiny o ring at each end of coil
.... also 2 perpendicular top loops to hang each flat bead
http://www.mhpcg.org/clayDays/claydays02/jan2002/janClyDy02/pages/inspire12_jpg.htm

Puffinalia has a metal tube finding for allowing interchangable pendants or focal beads
(... it's a small curved metal tube, to hold the cording.... which is welded to a thin metal rod which extends downward and perpendicular to it, to hold the pendant/beads... with a decorative screw end, to hold the pendant on) ... could make your own??
http://www.puffinalia.com/focalpoint/focalpoint.html
..."brooch converters" can also be tubes to thread through the pin from a pin back, allowing pin to be used as a pendant (this shows a long thin metal tube, which hangs hoizontally, attached to a short loop or tube above it, for the cording to pass through
http://www.gwensjewelry.com/ rg/rg429.htm (see more on this in Jewelry > Pins)

Karen O's bails and interesting top connectors http://www.polychic.com/gallery_next.html

(.....see much more on tubes in Beads > Tubes)

Bails ...and clay bails

Regular metal bail "findings" can be purchased and used on top of clay pendants ...(or they can be made from clay--see below)
... bails come in various types... "prong" or "ice pick" bails (v shaped, which clamp on when the two legs are closed tighter)
.... also come as "snap on" (openable, closed clip-type loops, bit like a lanyard hook).... and "triangle" (wire triangles)
......the prong and snap on type can also have a hole of some kind attached to the top end of the bail for the cording to run through (rather than using the foldover area formed by the bail)
...the prong type is a metal strip, bent to form a V, with a "claw" on each end... when the sides of the V are closed tighter together around the front and back of a clay piece, the claws at the bottom will clamp on the clay but leave an open space above for cording to pass through
http://www.clayalley.com/misc.htm .... http://www.artbeads.com/thquteforusb.html
http://www.jewelrysupply.com/EJS/bails.htm .... http://www.rings-things.com/Catalog_Pages/023.htm

However, a shape of clay can also be used as a bail, when it's folded over or otherwise added to the top of a pendant (or could be sides or even back too)
..... for the folded clay bail, a space is left under the folded area for the cording to pass through ..space can be held open with a toothpick, dowel, or needle, or may not be nec
...a hole could also be created in the top of the foldover clay if no space were left (as long as the clay is thick enough in that area)
...or a strong U-loop or donut-shaped or other bit of clay (perhaps with an armature inside or under the clay) could be added to the top of a pendant

Tonja's various clay bails... mostly clay foldovers and tubes, but others as well
http://www.tonjastreasures.com/jewelry1/jewelry1.html
sunni's various ways of using spirals and curls of clay rope to make a loop or bail
http://sunnisan.com/crafts/dragnswap.html
Monica's faux gold clay bail on heart-shaped pendant
http://albums.photo.epson.com/j/ViewPhoto?u=4311023&a=31790690&p=72004758
Claudine's simple clay strip bails, sometimes around clay or metal tubes
http://www.essi.fr/~claudine/Fimo/Gallerie/Textures/japo3.htm
Gillian's clay strip (loop) and wire (loops parallel to pendant) at top of pendant
http://www.art-e-zine.co.uk/pcgill15_213x240.jpg

Or.. a whole clay piece (probaby thin) can be folded over or rolled toward the front (or back) to create a place for cording to pass though
...if the pendant is backed with a diff-colored clay sheet, when folded over the second color will be visible for that area

*Desiree's various pendants with disk and/or other pieces folded over top of pendant to look like large faux bail... embellishments may be added beside foldovers too
http://www.desiredcreations.com/gallery2necklacesPg2.htm (click on lentil pendants at bottom) ...look all around
Catherine’s folded-over strips and curved tube bead on top of pendants for hanging (gone)

Susan W. used a long isosceles triangle to fold over (point in front, widest area in back)... she also used a second slightly larger triangle underneath as a "frame" for the top one ... she further embellished the foldover area visible from the front by adding a (squiggled, then spiral rope of black)

Claudine's interesting tops, Japanese style (clay loop bails, sometimes around clay or metal tubes)
http://www.essi.fr/~claudine/Fimo/Gallerie/Textures/japo3.htm

Marie Segal's large pendant plaques (with onlays) sometimes folded over very thick woven? cording
http://www.clayfactory.net/marie/gallery4.htm

Desiree hid? a tube or loop behind a cane slice
http://www.desiredcreations.com/images/HowToPics/Langloisia/langloPendants1.jpg

Any other item (clay or not clay) could be used as well over the top of a pendant
... something oven safe which could be attached before baking, or something that could be glued on after baking

Of course, wire of any kind could be bent and attached in any way, or wrapped around the pendant to hold it on.
.....Danqing’s many wonderful & creative ways of using wire to act as top loops, bails, etc. (pendants with mixed media)
http://icoldwell.com/danqing/Jframes.html

(jewelry ideas from the Daily Planet gifts catalog)... they feature "ethnic" stuff, the real thing or that look, and a number of pendants had bails which were very unusual and reminded me of Celie Fago's work... like a pendant hanging from a horizontal silver bead which the cord passes through, for example.)  Sherry

Tallie created a baking surface for baking pins (or anything with an overlap of clay on the back of a flat piece) because if the piece is baked with the non-flat piece attached, it can cause it to be uneven after baking
... she make a shallow box top and cut a rectangular slot out of it, then lays the piece on it so the non-flat part sticks through while baking
http://www.talliesplace.com/html/tools.html

Claude's faux or "half-bail"? on front of flat pendant ... a length of wire in wavy + spiral shape, with spiral end glued? onto pendant front ... a loop formed at the other end for the cording
http://www.chez.com/creabijoux/interieur/GALLERIE/grandes%20photos/197.htm

fishing swivels (without an added hook) can be used as swiveling bails to create reversible (flip-overable) pendants... just embed the loop at one of the swivel into the pendant.... patsy turned me on to this idea. Laurel
...this also might be handy for pendants that end up facing the wrong direction because of how the connectors were attached (hook/clasp on right vs. left)... or as a substitute for a locket (picture or other focal thing revealed from the back side, rather than from the inside, etc.

Miscellaneous

Julie’s focal bead pendants have (both ends of) a Buna-type rubbery cording glued into the top (in the same place)
http://members.aol.com/wisecraftsweb/afterallpendants.htm
...in this particular case, she also has a faux o-ring (small black ) which acts as a finish "bead" on the cording ...created by placing a small flattened ball of clay on the pendant top, then poking a hole though it and into the pendant (to made hole for the cords)

Framed pendants

wire outlines of various kinds:

Wrapping wire, or twisted wire, or wrapped wire around the outer edge of a flattish or dimensional clay shape clay shape
..Linda Goff first showed this technique on her fabulous pins and pendants... she also interspersed beads, loops, etc.
.....(create the finished wire frame, then press it down on a sheet of decorative clay to cut it out, then) you can adhere the wire framing with with super glue.
........or if you are into time-consuming, you could carve a groove with a gouge which is what I'd do for jewelry
.....you could use metal craft wire or (more easily) PVC coated wire like phone wire, or a plain wire.
..... this would work as both decorative trim and a way to get a loop for hanging. Linda Goff
….Linda (Goff) used copper or brass 20 ga. for the inside wire or main frame, and 28 ga.wire for wrapping it. Geo
....she also further embellished the framed clay piece with more thin or tiny bits of clay
http://www.lindagoff.com (click also on Wire 2, Wire 3, and Wire 4 for many wonderful examples)
http://www.lindagoff.com/mokume.html
...Karen G's similar random clay squiggles and shapes onlaid on animal shapes outlined with wrapped wire (with occasional beads interspersed on wire)
http://www.mhpcg.org/images/members/Kg/Kgpins3.jpg

…James L’s twisted and non-twisted wire wrappings around pendants
http://www.akrobiz.com/polymer_clay/gallery-00-01.html  (gone?)

...Desiree's lesson on making a single-wire frame (any shape ..e.g, teardrop, rectangular, octangonal, etc.) to act as a kind of bezel or outline around a flat focal bead created inside it with thick sheets of clay
......she creates her wire frame, then lays it on her clay (2 layers of pasta machine #1 top color, and one layer of #3 middle color), and presses deeply into clay almost to bottom of stack with 2 pliers, which forces the clay "bead" up so it projects from frame... then cuts away excess clay around frame and removes clay
....places this cut out onto another sheet of clay (backing color, #1), and repeats removal of excess clay
....embellishes the top by pressing indentions and adding another wire shape, etc.... bakes.... antiques... sands/buffs
http://www.desiredcreations.com/howTo_PJBrassFramePendant.htm
Desiree's wire-frame outlines around pendants, beads
http://www.sdpcg.org/sc8album7.html ... http://desiredcreations.com/gallery2necklacesPg1.htm
http://desiredcreations.com/images/galleryTwoPics/brasswrapLeafNckl.jpg
http://desiredcreations.com/gallery5bracelets.htm

...Danielle's lesson on creating a domed cabochon in a bezel by forcing a ball of clay up through an empty bezel (from old jewelry?) (from the back side, with her thumb)... then cutting off the excess on the back... (she then onlays flowers/stems onto the tiny "cabochon" to embellish)
http://tutorials.theclaystore.com/beads-buttons-and-jewelry/pink-flower-applique-pendant

another type of "framing" can be created by "stacking" a smaller focal bit of clay on top of a larger/wider one
(...for those, see just below in Stacked Pendants)

see also "mini photo album" pendant below in Other Pendant Ideas

(for many more possibilities for small frames, see Frames & Mirrors > Very Small Frames for Pins/Pendants)

(for decorative clay sheet sandwiched between 2 microscope slides, see Covering > Glass)

"Stacked" pendants

my class notes (condensed lesson) using cutters, stamps, powders, and simple cording

1. Begin with leafed, powdered, textured-with-a-cutter, marbled, or plain clay.

2. Leave it a shape you’ve created
3. OR if the clay is in a sheet form:
--Cut a shape from clay with cookie cutter, canape cutter, etc (if using a small cutter, the clay may stick inside; to avoid this, powder the cutter, dip it in water, or use a quick rocking, side-to-side motion to cut & quickly remove).
--Cut a shape with the tip of an xacto or other kind of blade.
--Cut a shape by dragging the tip of a needle through the sheet, at a slant.
--Cut straight shapes with the sides of razor or other blades.
--Cut arcs with flexible, long blades (a tissue blade, or Kato blade –stiffer).
--Cut sides with pattern-cutting scissors for fancy edges.
-- use stencils & templates from Premo-Sculpey kits (or your own) to cut out these shapes–see Cutters-Blades > Stencils and Shapelets for details, for examples of this kind of stacked pendant, and website link)
 --(see some possible shapes to cut, on Ways to Hang page)

4. ADD info re POWDERS, STAMPS, MOLDS, etc. (or see Powders, Stamping, Texturing, Molds)

5. Stack pieces together, if desired (remembering to leave enough room for a hole not too close to the edge)
--(if you want, press small baked shapes into an unbaked piece (inlay) first,) then
--place one piece (for instance, a molded clay shape) on top of another piece (a flat piece)
….however, they won’t stick together if there is complete powder coverage on the bottom piece though—so don’t put powder there, or make scratches on the area)
(--you could also use a larger piece to act as a frame around (under) another piece)
(--Before baking your item you can leave it flat, curve it over a rounded index card, or curl the edges.)
....see Barbara McGuire's baking shapes on the curved side of an upturned glass bowl
...http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/crafting/article/0,1789,HGTV_3352_1399580,00.html

6. Make the finished item stringable:
--make a hole with any size of straw (largest at McDonalds, smallest are coffee stirrers) by pressing in, then twisting; remove straw and blow clay out, or cut off the tip with scissors.
--or use one of the other techniques shown on the Ways to Hang Pendants page. ADD

7. Bake
--lay your item flat on a piece of paper on a baking sheet
--bake in a preheated 250-275 degree oven for approx. 20 minutes (if the item is very light colored, Sculpey clay, or if it’s very thin, reduce temp. to 225-250.)
8. Seal if necessary
--Powders and leafing may require sealing to prevent rub-off, and also tarnishing in the case of leaf.  (However, some sealers seem to darken the powders; if using Future, for example, try applying a bit more leaf after the sealer has dried …and seal again?. Try other sealers listed in the original Basic Information sheets I handed out also.
....For powders or foil, most people use glossy sealers rather than matte.

9. Cords and stringing
--We used waxed linen cording because it’s cheap and available.  But there are many other things you can use for cording; one problem with other cording though, is that because it’s thicker, it won’t go through the holes in many (manufactured) beads.  Try things like rattail (fabric store), leather and vinyl thong or cording (craft stores & bead stores), elastic cord (black, white, metallic)—convenient because the cording can be shorter and still fit over the head, etc. 
--There are many ways of connecting the cord ends; we simply tied both tails as a single knot, then trimmed.  I will include a diagram for making a bead and loop closure, but if you’re interested in more closure methods, check out beading and jewelry books.

10. Pins
If you want to make your piece into a pin, use a purchased pinback and glue onto the back of the piece, near the top.  Some glues to try are gel superglues, Goop/E6000, or possibly Gem Tac glue. (also see Jewelry/Pinbacks for other methods)
11. Barrettes
--If you want to use these methods (or cane slices, etc.) to make barrettes, either glue the raw clay on the barrette with a superglue and bake upside down on a layer of stuffing or batting, or lay the clay over a rounded index card to bake then attach to the barrette with Goop/E6000, superglue, or possibly Gem Tac glue. 
--The bottom part of the purchased barrette forms (craft stores) can be removed for baking.
………To see this type of stacked pendant taken to a very high level! take a look at:
uniquebead’s (Barbara Sperling) many wonderful onlaid stacks and bits of other things http://www.beadunique.com/catalogue/catalogue%20mosaic.htm
http://www.beadunique.com/catalogue/catalogue%20mosaic%20brooch.htm
http://www.beadunique.com/catalogue/catalogue%20mosaic%20pendants.htm

Beckah's stacked pendants with a transfer on top layer
http://www.bearingbeads.com/Images/_iartpen.jpg

nenuphar's triple-layer of shapes..top one is stamped and powdered (see Powders > crevices for details)
http://isisesc.supelec.fr/gallery-nenuphar/album01/aah (g0ne?)

Karen Sexton's many beautiful pendants in layers
http://www.mhpcg.org/member.html
multiple layered items pendants
http://www.aloha.net/~coral-c/jewelprc.html
pendants from my class http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumIndex?u=107545&a=786539
Cheryl's pendants in layers, with powders (like my class) (website gone)

Cre*it!'s textured, white-Sculpey-in-the-box clay tiles, folded double thickness after one pass through pasta machine, which are mounted on ceramic tiles, notebooks, cards, vessels, even jewelry, giving them sufficient strength and retaining lightness; double deck effect, cameos, etc. (then finished with their special tinted glazes)
  http://www.dotcalmvillage.net/cre8it/polyglaze.html
  http://www.dotcalmvillage.net/cre8it/polyglazetech.html (lessons to come)

Amulets & fetishes

go to Sculpting--bodies > Abstract Figures > Amulets for most info about amulets and fetishes

Amulets and fetishes are small figures, animals or items which have traditionally been used as magical objects which confer protection, help or assocation to the wearer. They are often abstract and stylized figures --no legs, simplified bodies or torsos, for example, but can be other things.

often used as stand-alone pendants or pins .....or can also be attached or connected to something else
...can also be used as vessels, pouches, containers which are worn (...some original amulets were for holding a medicine, or recipe for it)
.........(for rigid, hollow, or somewhat hollow, amulets which are formed over small rocks, see Vessels-Rock > Websites, mostly)
...but they can also be used as embellishment on items such as vessels, jewelry, covers and mini books/journals, covered gourds, etc.

attached to them can be things like:
......all kinds of embellishments.... (even hair, bone, a belonging, etc. of one of the parties --intertwined with, attached to, or enclosed within, some real amulets)
......dangles comprised of beads, shells, or anything which can be hung or strung
.....framing or background piece ... or something to interact with, or to be associated with

Tiny Glass Bottles, etc

Tiny glass (or perhaps acrylic) containers can be purchased, then filled with various things or embellished with clay, and hung as pendants.
...if they are filled with a liquid, the stopper or lid will have to be very tight
...could fill with small items or mixed media, particulate or powdery substances, thick or thin liquids (water, glycerin for globes, paints, etc.) or paints/liquid clay/etc. could be drained from inside as sometimes done with clear xmas balls), or clay, or made into "bubble bottles with removable wands"... or fill with nothing at all

To make the containers into hangable pendants, see above in Loops and Holes
...or create clay or other tubes/flaps/etc, or use wire (wrap around neck or embed through clay)
...or use eyepins or eye screws, into the clay or stoppers, etc.
(see above in Bails for many more ways to create places for cording to be strung for hanging pendants, as well as below)

Tonja's tiny bottles covered with clay... small cork in top with inserted brass eye screw? for hanging
http://www.tonjastreasures.com/vessels/tn2.htm
...clay loops are added to the top of the black and gold bottle at center left so can hang http://www.art-e-zine.co.uk/bottles.html
Tonja's slender hanging pendant bottle, covered with clay, then flower slices onlaid
.....to hang, wire is wrapped twice around a "neck" depression created in the clay covering, then extended upward and outward before a connecting loop is made (wire spirals) http://home.centurytel.net/tkaylen/group3.html
many bottles (med and small) covered with mixed media and (often) polymer clay ..including transfers, beads, fibers, etc
...many have wire embedded into clay areas near neck or top for hanging
http://www.art-e-zine.co.uk/bottles.html
Parrish's various interesting pendant bottles, with parts which are faux stamped metal ...Medieval-style
...many are hung (separately on each side) by embedding an eye pin into the outside of a faux metal "bead" which is around the "neck area" of the bottle
...many interesting partial covers, etc.
http://www.parrishrelics.com/vessel.html
Linda H's pendant bottles, with gold liquid clay drizzles? http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/scadventurer2001/detail?.dir=e8ac&.dnm=8a8e.jpg (gone)
Tonja's sand?-inclusion bottle pendants (loop ring in cork stopper) http://www.tonjastreasures.com/jewelry3/tn1.htm (gone?)

(see more on using colored liquid clay, etc. inside or outside glass bottles, and other ways to embellish glass bottles, in BOH > Embellishing )

Making bubble wand bottles from tiny bottles are a heck of a lot of fun! My sister and I were brainstorming ideas and came up with some more (see BOH > Stoppers for making the tightest fit).
...cover a small bottle (make as a pendant if desired by wrapping neck with wire) then turn it into a bubble bottle with wand cap
...Connie's various bubble wand pendants http://users.adelphia.net/~cclaycreations/html/BubbleBottles.html (gone)
.......some are flat squares of clay placed on opposite sides of a tiny bottle with edges pressed together and embellished... some are large flowers over the front and extending past the bottle... some are goddess figures with cork stoppers for heads

That looked wonderful!!! ....like a mix between dichroic glass and raku!! Laura (website gone)
....I mixed Kato liquid clay along with the coloring agent inside the little vial....then I gently turned the vial and drained til the whole inside is covered with the color
..... both coloring + liquid clay on the inside stand up to water just fine...no sanding needed (and no puddling around the margins of canes applied to the surface)
.....Pinata alcohol inks plus Kato liquid clay was the best combination... (though I don't have any Fimo Gel to compare). Sarah
.....Kato liquid clay tinted with Pinata inks is beautifully transparent and vivid
......(this inclusion--alcohol ink-- seemed to bubble less? than when it was mixed with either oil paints or Pearlex.)
....the color won't bake true.

tiny glass bottles with rubber (or cork) stoppers that people usually use as pendants for perfume are cute... they hang from a top handle...Helen
(....see examples of these used with clay in BOH > Embellishing ....some are bubble wand bottles)

I cover small (glass) bottles that I get for free from eye drs....contact lenses come in them and they are just thrown away after the lenses are given to the patients (They will usually save you a pile of them and just give them to you. I've gotten tons this way. They feel better that they are recycling and not just chucking them away..)
....Little bottles: also vaccine bottles from vets’ offices ...... and those little insulin bottles from diabetics.
..... I then can carry my Tylenol with me on a necklace when I don't want to carry a purse.
.... I do this too to make little toothpick holders (holds around 20-25 toothpicks). Cute!
(for many, many of these, see BOH)

(for much more on covering glass in general, and on various ways glass items can be embellished outside and sometimes inside, see Covering > Glass)

suppliers of small pendant bottles
...various shapes of tiny bottles to buy... with metal triangle top loop embedded in tops (glass or rubber), or eye screw screwed into cork tops
http://www.creditcardcastle.com/cgi-bin/products.cgi? (click on "Glass Bottle Items")
....Necklace Perfume Vial Holder & Atomizer, metal on outside
http://www.artcraftworld.com/pclay.htm +lesson http://www.artcraftworld.com/pcinst.htm#neck
....mini bottles (pendants).... 3 shapes of 1" tall mini bottles, with brass loop in their cork stoppers ...Rebecca
...artclayworld . . .Necklace Perfume Vial Holder & Atomizer? + Twist Ballpoint Pen -Key Chain -Ceiling Fan Pulls -Letter Openers -cabochon Bookmarks & Purse Mirror,
http://www.artcraftworld.com/pclay.htm and http://www.artcraftworld.com/pcinst.htm (+ lessons for covering each item)
...Parrish Relics various sizes and shapes ... no tops: http://www.parrishrelics.com/glassvials.html
..........for many more suppliers of glass (or plastic or metal) bottles and other containers, see Supply Sources --esp.Bottles & Containers

Hinges & Lockets ...& tiny tins

dangle-joint "hinges" (connectors which separate)
...Mike B. used beads as hinges to separate his pendant shapes into several pieces so they would dangle
.......he put a small bead between segmented parts of a single pendant form (movable in one direction)... in this case, like separated puzzle pieces)
...Beckah's hinged dangle pendants (like Mike's) with molds, stamps, transfers .. using 2 short embedded eye pins in each piece, which are then directly connected (without a jump ring)
http://www.bearingbeads.com/inspiration5.ht

Julia S's dangle joint hinges between glass slides, using wrapped loop in one segment, eyepin with small bead in other segment, connected with a jump ring between
http://www.juliasober.com/polymergallery.html & http://home.insightbb.com/~mgrasso01/julia/setslide.jpg

Dotty's multiple-hinged pendant, made with muslin fabric & TLS backing
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/ViewPhoto?u=1580264&a=12021883&p=43406412&f=0

faux dangle (rigid "dangle")
...Claudine's 3 segments placed onto a vertical strip of clay slightly separated and slightly unaligned
...she cut apart a decorated pendant (one an impressed gold stamping on Skinner Blend pattern ...one a transfer)
http://www.essi.fr/~claudine/Fimo/Explications/transferts.htm (almost at the bottom of the page)

Dayle's several hinged pendant triptychs http://www.dayledoroshow.com/pics1.htm

swing sideways pivot hinge ... flat shape on flat area of pendant, which swings open sideways at one point
... wire or baked clay rod, etc., passed through a small hole in pendant and door (with something added on each end, outside and inside, to act as stops ...e.g a bead, or could have used a headpin or eye pin)
Ginny's swing-to-the-side pivot "hinge" (made with a bead? of clay) ..spade and heart
http://imagesinthewind.homestead.com/Lockets.html (gone?)
Celie's pivot created at the top of two long leaf shapes (which otherwise lie exactly on top of each other)
http://www.celiefago.com/gallery_2003.htm# (Pierced Pod)
....(see also mini photo album of discs sort of like a locket, worn as pendant, below in Other Pendant Ideas)

PURCHASED or MODIFIED metal hinges

Mike Buesseler's uses a metal pinback finding to create the hinge for the tiny door on his beautiful lockets
...I was just playing with design and made some holes in pendants...then I needed a lid...ledd to the hinge. Mike B.
http://www.polymerclaycentral.com/mikeb/LktHnge.html ... closeup of hinge , showing the body of a locket (thickish rectangle of clay) with hole cut out in lower half for adding image... the actual pin of the pinback is inserted all the way into the body of the clay at top of the image hole (hinge side upward), with the tiny hinges actually resting in a square area cutout area ...so the only part of the pinback now extending into the open hole is the flat part ("tang")... a lid is later glued onto that
http://thepolyparrot.com/mikeb.html
http://polymerclaycentral.com/mikeb/LgLkt2.html and http://polymerclaycentral.com/mikeb/Lockets.html
....Now that I've sort of got an idea of the mechanics, I'm thinking it would be  really neat to put a baby picture in the locket part for my daughter, or make one for my Mother with an old tintype transfer in it. 
... one has rose-leaf transfers inside. Zig
...*Ginny's MikeB-inspired hinged lockets
http://imagesinthewind.homestead.com/Lockets.html (gone)
...Since I've been making pendants this week with oval, round, and square transfers that are framed, and with a little door that opens and closes over them, I've found that the easiest way is to use oval, round or square cutter sets with graduated sizes of cutters in each set. 
.....lesson: I just plan my transfer picture to fit inside the cutter area and cut it out. 
I then cut an opening in the clay I'm using for the frame the same size as the picture, then I remove the cut piece of frame clay and pop in the picture which fits perfectly. 
Trim the frame nicely. 
Then I cut another piece the size of the picture and make that the little door that opens and closes, using Mike B's pin back hinge. 
Tip: I bake the transfer picture piece first before inserting it into the frame.  I can then snug the frame around it nicely without distorting it. . . . I then lay a sheet of clay underneath the frame and picture, and trim the excess.  Dotty in CA

What if you take one of those metal button covers, the one with the hinge, and surround it in clay.... make a locket out of it.
.... the button cover part is deep and can keep a photo or a lock of hair or..... I sealed some button covers with glue and am going to embed them into clay. Put a necklace bail on it and see what all I can do with it.. Karen

tiny, real hinges.... Lee Valley Hardware catalog http://www.leevalley.com/hardware/index.asp?category=3&SID=&ccurrency=2  (click on Box Hardware, at least)
Oh, my yes. Those hinges, etc., have great potential. Right off the bat, I'm thinking pendants. Desiree

CREATED hinges (from TUBES and "PIN" to run through them)

*Mike B’s hinged lockets ...using metal or clay tubes, with wire running through
http://thepolyparrot.com/mikeb.html

Gerri's amulet necklace mini-books (spine is at top, steno-style... clay tubes & wire)
...one type of hinge has a tube of clay with flap at end (portion of rectangle not rolled) which is attached to the back cover (sticks up/extends a bit higher than the back though); stiff wire is passed through the tube, bent, and pressed between the two layers of the top cover... a seed bead cording passes through the tube to suspend it
...the other type has the clay tube directly attached to the back cover? (doesn't have the extension and doesn't stick up); then other parts the same
http://www.newfry.com/Jewelry.htm

Darla’s several hinged plates... connected with eye pin in each piece, and a jump ring to connect
http://hobbystage.net/art/celticdolphin/jewelry/pins/1010839223-000313.html (not accessible)

Celie's fancy hinges ... all wire, various wire shapes used for tubes or loops, and pins
...one on traingle box pendant http://www.celiefago.com/gallery_2003.htm#

Irene Y's "hinged" pendant ...all wire ... hinge made from a long coil of wire
could be done two ways
...(with short bit of both ends left uncoiled, so that they can be glued into the dangle part of the pendant...another wire put through, bent, and glued into other part?)...see top hinge also (for cording)
http://thepolyparrot.com/right.html

Robin Beaty's many hinges ...some like mini-books and/or pendants
...transfers are sometimes "hidden" beneath a hinged cover ...
http://www.pcpolyzine.com/july2001/mafa.html

3 ways to make hinges in pendants (or for frames) ...video: Hinges in Polymer Clay, by Tory (Victoria) Hughes
1. hinge on the side
2. hinge two parts together
3. hinge within, creating a swinging part
...she mainly uses the "door hinge" type of hinge, in which a pin of some kind is run through tubes of clay which are attached to each side (usually two tubes on one side, one on the other side)
... she creates the hinge tubes in place for an exact fit; these can be bent or finished with a bead, etc. on each end;
... she also shows a method of running a pin/wire through one clay tube (attached to one piece of pendant), then bending the ends 90 degrees and supergluing into the non-tube piece.
http://www.polkadotcreations.com/books/gp17a.jpg

other objects could be separated-hinged, or could have a hinge added in some way

for more info on hinges and types,
see ... Books > Hinges .... Frames > Tri-Fold Panels ....Vessels > Hinges

Other Pendant Ideas

Karen O's lesson on making a large, thin walled, tube bead (pendant) by baking textured clay on a large wood dowel covered with aluminum foil, baking and removing. . . then making end cap units with 3 stacked, progressively smaller disks, which she then made a hole through and TLS'd onto each end before baking again. She strung these like vertical pendants with a tassel below.
http://www.polymerclaycentral.com/hollowbead1.html

Emi Fukushima's lesson on embedding a translucent-covered, baked, washi paper onto a larger shape of double-thickness black clay (textured with lace while a needle is retaining a hole in between the layers for cording), then rebaking (she also adds a Chinese coin to the black base clay for her final pendant)
http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/cr_clay_jewelry/article/0,1789,HGTV_3238_1383759,00.html

for sandwiching a decorative clay sheet between 2 glass microscope slides as a pendant, see Covering > Glass

Kathy W's large pectoral cross, featuring transfers, borders, chain twisting, etc.
http://hobbystage.net/art/kathyweinberg/

I think you're right, some of tattoo tile designs are so square or something and lend themselves better to more regular shaped objects like boxes. But some of those flowing floral patterns should make good pendants.   Desiree

I made some tic tac toe pendants last year. The "board" is the pendant..and X and O cane slices were strung on the cord until you wanted to play (they could easily be removed). It would work great for tins too..and I dont see that you'd have to have the pieces "stick". Just use the box to store them..and then take em out when you want to play...Jan R.
http://freeweb.pdq.net/janruh/clay/de2.jpg

sinilga's mini "photo album" hung on cord as pendant
... comprised of 4 large cardstock discs -- front and back "cover" discs are are fancy clay baked and glued onto the cardstock...the 2 interior discs have photos glued to them (no clay, but could be transfers, or decoupaged--- and disks cold be clay instead of cardstock)
...... she put a sheet of glass over the disc so could see shape and size for making the front and back clay discs, then baked on glass, and glued onto cardstock discs... discs held together by decorative cording through holes in top
http://www.craftster.org/pictures/showphoto.php?photo=103285&ppuser=126038
see also swing sideways pivot "hinge" above in Hinges for similar idea re multi-pieced pendants

The blank backs of dominoes can be used in various ways --take a look at these, e.g. (not polymer)
http://www.heartsintouch.com/items_embellish.htm

metal military dog tags can be covered on the front or all over with polymer clay, then hung through the hole that's already there
... one source for blank dog tags http://www.inlandproducts.com/dog_tag_blanks.htm
real pet tags for dogs, cats, or other animals could be suitable too

1st Kokeshi Doll ...Yes, the bottle is still underneath her.... Her head is the stopper and she could easily be a bubble bottle with the addition of a wand. I wonder if you'd want to use a mold? The forms are not difficult to make. I used scrap clay to fill in the neck of the bottle, make the sleeves and the bottom section. After baking, I covered her with #4 thickness decorative clay. The head is made over a ball of tin foil. I used to bake the stopper in place in the bottle, but I've found that the best way to get a good fit is to powder the bottle well, fit the stopper and take it out to bake on polyfill. Jody B.

iPod case (cover) --a thin box, open-topped... in this case also hung from neck with beaded necklace as a carrier... aluminum foil form used as a temporary armature, by beadizzygrl
...for photos and lesson, see Vessels-Rock > Other Small Vessels & Containers

WEBSITES (pendants)

many lessons using polymer clay to make jewelry
http://www.sculpey.com/projects_jewelry.htm
many types of connectors for cording on pendants
http://www.art-e-zine.co.uk/pc2.html
Marie Segal's many pendants
http://www.clayfactory.net/marie/gallery2.htm  (and the other Galleries too!)
http://www.clayfactory.net/marie/gallery4.htm
Tonja's many types of pendants
http://www.tonjastreasures.com/jewelry1/jewelry1.html
Shelley M’s many pendants of different types
http://www.shelleym.co.uk/jewellery/pendant1.htm
MHPCG's various pendants and cording attachments
http://www.mhpcg.org/clayDays/claydays02/jan2002/janClyDy02/pages/inspire13_jpg.htm
Helen Breil's many artistic pendants
http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?p=6&uid=447834
uniquebead’s (Barbara Sperling) many wonderful onlaid stacks and bits of other things for architecture (pendants and earrings)
http://www.beadunique.com/catalogue/catalogue%20mosaic.htm
http://www.beadunique.com/catalogue/catalogue%20mosaic%20brooch.htm
http://www.beadunique.com/catalogue/catalogue%20mosaic%20pendants.htm
various pendants by StokesGalleries, onlaid stacks, framing ideas, faux metal leaves from molds, etc.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stokesgalleries/sets/72157603734300483
Christel's long-shield shaped pendants or pins (click on women's pins too)
http://home.online.no/~raje/Polymer/pins/index.html
http://www.geocities.com/Wellesley/1644/ma-hmpge11pcg10.htm (gone)
Donna Kato's lesson on (open) swirl-shape & clasp-shaped pendants ...Buna cord glued into
http://www.jewelrycrafts.com/clayproj14.html (gone?)
Tawan's many "heavier" necklaces with large pendants and med.size beads along complete length of cording
http://pages.infinit.net/tawan/index.html (....click on all Galleries)
*Nora Jean’s fat U-shaped log pendants (tops scrolled to hold cording) (website gone) 
Crafty Michele's pendants (more in other galleries?) (gone?)
Simply Annie’s many pendants (mostly stamped and metallic), also interesting architecture
http://www.imagestation.com/album/?id=4291579709&p=4252890045&idx=3 (not available?)
Dorothy G's pendant shapes (made with flattened onlays, some translucent) (gone)
Susan’s abstract and some-powdered, some mokume, etc., pieces (website gone)
Alicia's mainly ethnic pendants and necklaces
http://creaplastic.free.fr/05gal_alicia.htm
Cindy’s “goddess” (mixed media, wild women) pendants (gone?)
http://www.geocities.com/claycrazy1/GoddessVes.html ... http://www.geocities.com/claycrazy1/goddess.html
*LadysMaidJewels Medieval, Renaissance, etc., pendants, earrings, etc., made with gold powder and jewels http://www.ladysmaidjewels.com/Polymer/polymer.html
Alicia's lesson on making a Renaissance pendant w/ red glass pebble & pearl cabochons (textured painted w/ gold acrylic paint, top layer wiped off)
http://www.pcpolyzine.com/0306june/ren.html
many Celtic-etc. pendants and necklaces
http://www.kalupe.com/Kalupe-PN.htm
Stephanie's faux metal pendants, some with glass pebbles
http://www.teawithstephanie.homestead.com/claystuff2.html
Emi Fukushima's pendants (oops, new digital camera…) DB--replace old photo
Danqing’s many pendants with mixed media...wonderful & creative ways of using wire to act as top loops, bails, etc.
http://icoldwell.com/danqing/Jframes.html
Tonja's thick pendant with 4 square holes inside which a bead (is strung?)... see similar items in Vessels > Closed Box Construction, Ai Ping
http://www.tonjastreasures.com/jewelry2/tn43.htm
Sara J's pendants with transfers and frames
http://www.sarajenkins.com/Galleries.htm
Tonja's tiny metal tin "pendant" made by covering the top of a small rectangular (Altoid?) tin
..... (cording runs through sides of tin) ...top has dimensional "frame" around transfer with cane slice corners over it
http://home.centurytel.net/tkaylen/tinpendants.jpg
*Robin Beaty’s many mini-book and transfers pendants
http://www.pcpolyzine.com/july2001/mafa.html
Troika's lesson on making pendant frames (from silicone molds)
http://www.pcpolyzine.com/july2001/molds.html 
PöRRö's lesson on framed pendants, using two sets of symmetrical slices from scrap clay logs to create one design
http://www.pcpolyzine.com/may2001/mirror.html 
Geo's unusual cording & photo encased transfer pendants--see below (& Transfers) (website gone
Tracie's framed watch pendants http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumIndex?u=1158358&a=8538929
Ronda’s rock amulet pendants:
http://members.home.net/rohowo/rock.htm
“Rock Purse” (containers) Swap!!
(see Vessels/Rock for those swaps)
Joanie's drawings of possible stringings for rock amulets
http://members.tripod.com/PolymerClay_Interest/amacord.htm
polymerclayhaven's tiny pendants formed on polished rocks (lesson) http://www.polymerclayhaven.com/lessons/rockvess.htm
Pax's pendants & rock amulets
http://www.ixpres.com/frodin/polymer/pendants.htm
students' various-shaped vessel pendants (from a Gwen Gibson class) & some of Gwen's
http://www.gwengibson.com/gallery/students-1999-soreze.htm
http://www.gwengibson.com/gallery/evolve-1999.htm
Japanese inro examples (inspiration for rock amulet pendants?)
http://www.japancollection.com/inro.html
Polymerclayexpress' lesson on making a box pendant with petit four (small) cutters (oval or other shapes)  
http://www.polymerclayexpress.com/nov2000.html
Marty W's matchbox covered pendants (website gone)
Tory Hughes (pendant bottles, & philosophy)
http://www.gameplanvideo.com/videos.htm
http://craftsreport.com/april00/onlineexclusive.html
Leigh’s many variations on connecting a pendant to hanger with wire, beads, etc. http://hobbystage.net/art/sincereleigh/ (not accessible)

Sandra gets inspiration for some of her pieces (not polymer) from photos she takes, using simulations of the images or just general patterns, colors, etc., in them
http://sandramiller.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=FGP1

CORDING

for cordings used for stringing beads like
Soft Touch, Soft Glass, Nymo, Stretch Magic, Tigertail, etc.,
see Jewelry > Cordings

There are all sorts of great ways to cord your work.

cording for pendants can be purchased at various places
....craft stores and bead stores ... fabric stores
... and also online at places like: ....Polymerclayexpress (which carries Bunka yarn, braided nylon, waxed linen, satin cord, elastic, Stretch Magic, dyed leather cord, Stringth, Buna, and plastic lacing)
http://www.polymerclayexpress.com/cord.html
......(see Jewelry > Suppliers for more mail order suppliers)

Tawan's many "heavier" necklaces --large pendants + med. beads along complete length of the cording
http://pages.infinit.net/tawan/index.html (click on all Galleries)

lessons on attaching thinner cording of various types to findings
http://www.rings-things.com/index.html

making a floppy-type cording into a "needle"
...use a little dab of superglue on the end of your cord ...this can be trimmed off afterward
... you can also use clear nail polish if you're going to trim the end after stringing anyway
....also, sewing stores sell a product called Fray-Check that works nicely.

Many types of cording

........rayon and nylon may be mislabeled below???.....

"Venetian blind" cording (a kind of braided nylon... or polyester?) ...Sears doesn't carry it any more...hard to find retail
.........I found found Venetian Blind Cord in several sizes and many colors at Blinds Across America..... I love this stuff
...the only caveat with this cording is that it does unravel so you need to glue the ends so the cording doesn't come apart. Margaret D.
http://www.blindsacrossamerica.com/liftcords.html

braided (rayon?) is similar to venetian blind cord . .it's actually fishing line (for really big ocean fish,etc.)...could probably find it at a fish/tackle/sporting goods store near where sport fishing for large fish is done, or on the internet. Kathy W.
...my very favorite cording is braided rayon over a nylon core ... not shiny.. drapes beautifully ..strong and cheap
...elegant.. perfect for stringing inro and box pendants.... .5, 1, & 1.5mm ... black, white
.....goes nicely with many different types of polymer pieces (layered, transfers, fauxs, Asian, Egyptian, artifact, industrial, modern, glossy, matte, it looks good with almost anything)
.......the black goes perfectly with the black Bunka tassels. Elizabeth

braided nylon (wider than Bunka)... silky nylon type of cording that drapes nicely ..(often used for cording on Inro Boxes and/or pendants). Kay

for making your own kumihimo braiding to make cording for pendants (or have beads added in it, over it, etc.), plus other knotting techniques like the "new macrame," see Mixed Media > Braiding, etc.
.......(for cordings that are woven, braided or knitted by you, see "Woven,Braided,Knitted" below ...)

wrapped polyester cord from Beaded Toucan has a nice hand and comes in a fairly wide range of colors... it's one of my favorites.... 1504 Lampard Road Friday Harbor, WA 98250 360- 378-5180 (wholesale only, color card available).  Lindly

One of my all-time favorites from the fabric store is "soutache" braid.  It has real character of its own and comes in a wide range of colors and at least 3 widths. 

Bunka ...slender, shiny, silky nylon (or braided rayon??) type of cording that drapes nicely (often used for graduation and other tassels)
.....Bunka yarn (solid or variegated)
....can also be used for doll hair http://www.sculpey.com/Projects/projects_littleangel.htm .

One source for silk thread and silk cord is Lacis at http://www.lacis.com (go to the catalog, look at Materials, then to threads and scroll down to where you will see silk cord mentioned that can be used for jewelry).
....crinkled silk cord ... no dye allergenstakes and holds knots well... colorfast.

"satin" cord (not true silk cord) ...rattail, etc... woven from manmade fibers ...colorfast
...its sizing is kind of wierd... turns out that rattail is 2mm, mousetail is 1.5mm, & bug's tail is 1mm. Tim
....In my experience, satin cord works for lighter-weight pendants, but not heavy ones - it just doesn't hang nicely. Irene
...polymerclayexpress has some larger 3.5 mm satin cord http://polymerclayexpress.com/cord.html

waxed cotton cord ......looks like leather, but is stronger ...(braided) ... like Su-Preme
....it is waxed for ease of beading, but don't let the descriptive fool you - it's not waxy feeling, but fairly smooth.
....tightly woven cotton cord ....takes and holds knots well... colorfast.
....I've used it with success, and it comes in mostly earthy colors ...colors will not crack off
... it's a braided cotton cord with a nylon filiment inside, so it is *really* strong.
...don't know if that's what it's called everywhere.... I got it here: Irene
http://earthguild.com/products/cords/waxcoton.htm

waxed linen ... inexpensive... stiff (must run through hands a few times)... may still a bit waxy feeling... many colors
http://polymerclayexpress.com/images/waxlin.jpg

"macrame" cords ...various kinds of cords for variations of macrame, in various sizes
http://shop.vendio.com/MacrameBoutique/store.html (Chinese knotting cord)
....I used cord that I ordered from Whiteswan ... think it's conso
http://miva.comsvr.com/cgi-bin/mivavm?/merchant.mvc+Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=TLS&Category_Code=T2
(Nylon Hand Sewing Thread ....used to sew buttons onto thick cushions by upholsterers..... smooth, shiny, holds the knots well but also is fairly easy to untie ...stiff, yet fine enough to fit through most 11/0 seed beads...ends can be melted... at least 20 shades (2 oz spools, approx.130 yds)
...macramé beading cord ...variety of colors...resists fraying ...not colorfast (all macrame cords though???)

hemp (not the same material as jute) ...like Hippie Hemp
... hemp is much stronger and less prone to breakage than jute (and doesn't itch nearly as much, although it still does get itchy if you wear it too long - a problem which can be minimized by applying beeswax to the cord
....Fire Mountain has hemp spools. 750 feet long for $9.95, less if you order more.
...hemp beading cord (same?) ...variety of weights sizes.... uniform, fray resistant, knots easily...our hemp beading cord is colorfast.

"leather cord" at PCE, in many colors: http://polymerclayexpress.com/cord.html

suede lace leather cord is made from genuine leather and permanently dyed so it is colorfast.

leather cord has a smooth, round cross-section....made from genuine leather and permanently dyed so it is colorfast.

leather boot laces work great for bolo ties --you can add clay beads or other embellishment to the ends. Jeannine
....look for bolo tie cording at Firemountain Gems online…
....best place is Tandy Leather, and it's online. http://www.tandyleather.com ...I've also seen them listed as bola. Kim2

imitation leather lacing with crimp ends to go with it is made by Beadalon... a lot of bead shops carry it. Laurie

Pleather ... imitation leather cord ..soft round cord, made from some kind of plastic
http://www.macramesuperstore.com
....(same??) imitation leather cord is a woven round cord, stronger and more uniform than animal leather....made of biodegradable cotton....takes and holds knots well. (not colorfast).

....since your leather cord bled onto your clothing (you didn't say whether it was smooth and shiny or closer to suede), I suggest you try sealing the leather cord you bought with acrylic matte medium if you don't want a shine, or gloss medium if you want a shine. You could also use acrylic paint. .....Depending on what it is already coated with, you may have to clean it with alcohol or similar first.
.... I have had the same "bleeding" problem with certain black fabric cords.... my body chemistry also causes leather and some vinyl cording to harden after a summer season. Karen in NC

I've stopped using leather cording in the jewelry or zipper pulls... over time, the color comes off the 2mm stuff, and the 1mm stuff breaks. Laurie

imitation sinew is spun from a continuous filament of polypropylene fiber for 60-lb. breaking strength...it is waxed and easy to split.

ribbon... another nice way to make a pendant into a necklace  is to hang it from a grosgrain,  velvet or satin ribbon
-- for children, try using a ribbon just wide enough to prevent the pendant from slipping along the cord.

You can even make your own cording from polymer clay
....use the Bake and Bend clay (which used to be called Sculpey Super Flex clay) and mix it 1 to 1 with Premo to get the best cording... ends can be glued together for longer uses like weaving
.........while baking, the extrusions must not touch each other or touch he tray though (use paper, etc. to separate) ... see more info in Characteristics > Flexible Clays and in Clay Guns > Weaving)
..(lesson): syndee and Marie say that plain Premo can be used for cording too... they extrude a thick rope with a clay gun, roll in Pearl Ex, insert ends into premade holes in pendant with liquid clay, bake in the shape that's expected when placed on the body, then wipe down with a damp cloth after baking rather than sealing the Pearl Ex (and possibly cracking finish).
http://expressionartmagazine.com/FTRND02.html

Plastic

colored

pony bead lacing material (tubular, much like SoftGlass..."Tooobs Pony Bead Lacing" --Pepperell Braiding Co)
.... s another option for cordage ....I've used it like buna cord several times and it seems to work just fine.
....found in the kids area of JoAnn fabrics. Kathy W.

flat plastic lacing.... it's bakable too!...
....11 colors (including glow-in-the-dark at PCE http://polymerclayexpress.com/cord.html
SAME AS?
..."S'getti" craft lacing is durable.... glossy and stretchy and comes in a gazillion (well, not quite) colors... (WalMart)
.......if baked at 275 degrees for 20 min, nothing at all happens to it!... will stay glossy if left alone while cooling
..........if you stretch it while it's still warm, you lose some of the gloss from the surface but none of its stretchiness (...repeated pulling exhausts it for the time being and leaves it a bit stretched out, but come back later and its memory and stretchiness has returned)
......attaching to clay... if the cording is embedded in approx. 1/4" polyclay (Sculpey III) bead (with and without Diluent), after baking cord pulls out of both but leaving surface compressed and abraded.
.......you might get *some* adhesion though with longer 'sit' time for the Diluent, but I think a crimp bead, or something of the type, would be nec
.......or you try maybe deglossing the plastic cord with sandpaper would help
.......or, as with wire, add a drop of superglue (...or liquid clay?)

Tattu Magic ...strong monofilament cord (somewhat rigid?) ...retains shape when making tattoo type jewelry...holds crimp well...sev. colors

plastic --clear (not stretchy)
monofilament and tubing.....+ dyeing it

cautions for some beads ...monofilament fishing line itself is fine for anything that doesn't use metal or glass beads that may have the slightest sharp edge inside the bead hole which will eventually cut the monofilament
... I have used monofilament for lightweight lariats that are mostly made up of seed beads, but would be cautious of using it in something that needs to withstand more weight (will become brittle and break after a few years --especially where it is stressed at knots.

I was at this art fair and I saw this awesome jewelry that just jumped right out at me, lol. I said, WOW is that fishing line -how did you do that??
....oh that’s just dyed monofilament fishing line, using Rit dye and a little vinegar. (I had been dying some t-shirts for the kids and just dunked some fishing line into the hot colored water and it took on the color right away,couldn't believe it!
.......I unwound some monofilament from the spool, dyed it, rinsed, then rewound onto another spool.
...I had seen this colored monafilament wrapped tightly around fan-like shapes of high-polished sterling silver pins and earings... beautiful.
...could also use lengths as cat whiskers, etc.
...licalee used hers for stamens

licalee uses Kool Aid to dye her monofilament nylon cording, and also nylon-covered beading wire
...in a coffee mug, boil water ... add a spoonful of vinegar to the hot water and soak monofilament for 10 min
...in a different mug, add a package of kool aid (don't add any sugar) and add hot water ...add monofilament... pop the mug in the microwave for a minute and a half, and remove the monofilament (use a utensil so you don't dye or scald your fingers). This is where you boil if you are using nylon covered metal.... Rinse it off
....(can mix colors but best done when the kool-aid is wet so you can see the eventual color)
....also, if you heat the monofilament too high with a flame, it turns clear again as it melts. licalee
(Kool Aid can be used to dye fabric, but will fade on cotton or cotton-poly over time, esp. if wash frequently or wash with harsh detergents)

nylon tubing.... I made cording from (clear nylon) tubing that I dyed yellow using Rit dye... and threaded some rubber cord from Rio, (which I won't buy anymore), threaded through it ...I also embellished the cord with artist wire and o-rings
...lesson: Rit dying is just too much fun! ....I save it in jars and use over and over
......I use a small amount of water,maybe 2- 3 cups... add maybe 1/2 a package of Rit dye... and a tablespoon of vinegar to the water.
......I bring the water close to a  boil...then dip the tubing in and out of the water till I get the color I like (this takes a minute or less). 
......Rinse in cold water. Geo  (websites ...gone)

Dianne C's lesson on dying clear vinyl tubing
....You will need vinegar, liquid Rit Dye in your color choice, vinyl/rubber gloves, hot water and a glass bowl or one that will not absorb the dye.
1. Bring water to a boil. Pour about 1 1/2 quarts of hot water into the bowl. Add about 2T. Vinegar, 3T. Liquid dye to the water.
2. Carefully put the clear tubing into the dye bath. The time in the dye bath depends on how deep you want the color. I like to leave my tubing in for 6-8 minutes. I check it about every 2 minutes.
.....Also, you can mix the liquid dye into the hot water to attain new shades. For example, I used dark green and navy for a rich teal color.
3. After dying, place tubing in hot water to rinse it. Carefully blow out on one end to blow the excess dye inside the tubing.
4. Then, place it in cold water to further rinse the tubing.
5. Finally, using a small amount of dish soap, wash it in soapy water, rinse and dry. Each time make sure you blow on one end to clear the inside of the tubing.

I went to Walmart last night and picked up 25' of nylon tubing for $1.97.  Boy, that goes a long way!   Lori
..........I wonder what kind of tubing Lori got? My Walmart charged $5.97 for 25 feet.
...the tubing that I had tried from Walmart was aquarium tubing and had a very strong odor...I did not like that smell. Dianne C.

The clear tubing that I ended up purchasing for selling (hardware stores) does not have the nasty odor or the aquarium tubing, and I felt that that fact alone makes it well worth the price (20 cents per foot).  Dianne  C.

(for stretchy plastic used for cording, see Jewelry > Cords for Beads)
(for plastic ear wires which can be dyed, see Jewelry > Earrings)
(for using paints like Lumiere on rubbery cording, see Decoy cord just below)

Rubbery Cording

for making somewhat rubbery strands from polymer clay, see Clay Guns > Weaving

“Decoy Cord”

I came across a very good stringing material in a local sporting goods store... called decoy cord and is used somehow with duck decoys
....be sure you get extruded PVC version though, not the "braided cording
...it has a nice weight, is smooth, and is very, very dark green (looks black)... will not rot, mildew or fray
...I like it better than buna N... definitely easier to obtain
...also far less expensive than buna (which can cost between .25 -.60 per foot, where decoy cord can cost around .04- .11 per foot.)
...comes only in one diameter (approxmiately 3/16" ), but with the huge cost advantage over buna-N, I can happily accept the single-size limitation. Desiree
...unlike buna, decoy cording has a semi-gloss finish
....... if I don't like the shine though, I use a fine grit sandpaper to make it matte
....the decoy cord also bakable
... since it is PVC just like polymer clay, you can use the same adhesives you'd use on baked clay

The two brands I've seen are really not equal to buna in appearance or "behavior" - they don't drape as nicely as Buna, and seem to want to decide for themselves how to lie....IMO, it would have taken a pretty hefty pendant to make the decoy cord drape well. Elizabeth
...I found the decoy cord to be a little stiff until it warms up....a few minutes after I put on my necklaces strung with the decoy cording, the cording softens and drapes nicely. Desiree (....but still maybe not for a lighterweight pendant)

one brand even had a "seam" type line running the length of the cord - some sort of extrusion mark, probably. Elizabeth

It can be baked with the clay, etc., but...
...decoy is PVC, and we know polymer clay is PVC and quite sensitive to temps.
.......(I read the typical high end of the temp range for buna-N o-rings is 250- 275 F...Viton is 400 F)....since it's a form of rubber and I assume behaves a bit differently if overheated.) Desiree
...it can't take too high a temp. ...my temp was a little too high (300) when I first put the cord in...it will melt some if too hot.  Judi

I like buna cord, but there are different qualities of buna are out there. ...I have some that stiffened considerably within a year. It's a pendant that I purchased, so I don't know the supplier.
....I did purchase some rubber cording a few years ago that left black marks on light fabric.
.....Also rubber cording is kind of industrial looking, which I like, but doesn't work for all pendants. Irene

Decoy cord would make a nice bracelet if you're using a clasp... it may not stretch as much as buna though and slip over your hand. Ginger

I also use the cord from Cabelas for the Audacious Rings I make, as it is more stable then the Buna. Dotty in CA

painting decoy cord: ...I found some of the dark green at a local sporting goods store and decided to experiment.  I love working with the buna cord, but hadn't baked it. I did a test with both.  I placed in a piece of each plain, and then painted a piece of each.  I was afraid the decoy cord wouldn't take the paint since it's shiny, but it seems to be just as good as the buna cord. .  I wasn't able to scratch the paint off of either type of cording.  I used the Genesis paints.
...I've only ever tried the Genesis and the Lumieres for coloring buna cord, but I'll bet there are a lot of heat-set substances that would do it. Eliz.
...I have heard that some have tried painting decoy cord with acrylic paints. I haven't seen it nor do I expect the paint would adhere well, even if it were first sanded to roughen the surface for better adhesion. But I haven't tested this so I don't know how well it would or wouldn't work. Desiree
...I painted buna cord for some of my pendants. ...it's very strong, but it will shrink (and get thicker) if baked in the oven to cure the heat set paints. ....Doesn't hurt it, but you need to cut extra length. Judi (same for decoy cord?)

I painted a bunch of the decoy cords, and then heat cured them in the oven and they shrank substantially in length. So if you're doing that, cut them longer than you need. Ginger (same with buna)

....It takes super glues and other adhesives just like buna.
...I've jammed the decoy cording into those leather coiled spring crimp ends.....it seems to have the same or a little less stretchability than buna, though that would depend on the type of buna cord and the type of decoy cord. Desiree
....rubber cording can be connected to itself with superglue. Slice the cord ends at a sharp angle (or some people have success with butt cuts), add a tiny drop of superglue, then join….
...ends of rubbery cording can be glued into clay itself (each end separately, or both ends together at top of pendant)... poke a guide hole, add a bit of superglue or liquid clay?, then insert into clay and bake

I also ordered some of "crimps" for the cord from Cabelas
.....they DO hold the cord well but they're also (fairly large).. I was thinking about covering them with clay. Karen H.
...the crimps sell for $10.00 for 150 crimps.... size is about 1/2" X 1/2".
......they also offer black cord crimps which I sometimes use when I make a piece that will fit over the hea