Fimo polymer clay: a complete beginner's guide
Polymer clay is one of those materials that looks deceptively simple from the outside and reveals extraordinary depth the more you work with it. It starts as a soft, workable block that can be shaped, textured, carved, rolled, and detailed by hand or with tools. You bake it in a domestic oven for thirty minutes. What comes out is hard, durable, slightly flexible, and capable of being sanded, polished, drilled, painted, and varnished. The gap between what a beginner can produce on their first attempt and what an experienced polymer clay artist can create is enormous — but the distance between starting and making something you are genuinely pleased with is surprisingly short.
Fimo is the most established polymer clay brand in the world, made by the German company Staedtler since the 1950s. We stock Fimo Soft individual blocks at £3.75, Fimo Easy Metal at £10.65, Fimo Form and Play Farm at £13.99, and Fimo Modelling Tools at £5.99 at Craft and Canvas. This post covers everything you need to know to get started.
What polymer clay is
Polymer clay is a modelling material made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) particles suspended in a plasticiser. Unlike air dry clay, which hardens through evaporation of water from a clay body, polymer clay is a synthetic material that hardens through heat — a chemical process called curing — which permanently changes the structure of the PVC particles and produces a rigid, durable result.
The practical consequence of this is that polymer clay has an almost indefinite shelf life in its uncured state. As long as it is kept away from heat and direct sunlight, an unopened block of Fimo can be stored for years without deteriorating. It does not dry out or harden at room temperature — it remains workable until you choose to bake it. This makes it enormously practical for people who work in sessions rather than completing projects in a single sitting.
Uncured polymer clay is non-toxic and safe to handle, though it should not come into contact with food preparation surfaces and should be kept away from young children who might put it in their mouths. Baking should always be done in a well-ventilated space — a window open nearby is sufficient for most domestic situations.
Fimo Soft: the starting point
Fimo Soft is the most accessible range in the Fimo family and the natural starting point for anyone new to polymer clay. The formulation is softer and more pliable than some other polymer clay types, which means it requires less initial kneading to become workable and is more responsive in the hand — particularly useful for intricate work and fine detail.
We stock Fimo Soft individual blocks at £3.75 per 57g block. Buying individual colours rather than a full set makes practical sense — you can choose exactly the colours your project needs, add to your collection gradually, and avoid accumulating colours you rarely reach for.
The colour range across Fimo Soft is extensive — from clean primaries and bright secondaries through pastels, earth tones, skin tones, and neutrals. Colours can be blended freely by kneading two or more pieces together, which opens up a very wide palette beyond the individual block colours. Partial blending — kneading two colours together incompletely — produces attractive marbled effects where both colours remain partially visible.
Fimo Form and Play Farm
Fimo Form and Play Farm at £13.99 is a complete children's set containing pre-portioned coloured Fimo, instructions, and everything needed to make a series of farm-themed figures. It is designed for children and makes an excellent introduction to polymer clay for younger makers — the pre-portioned colours remove the need for cutting and measuring, and the guided project format gives a clear structure to the making process.
Fimo products are recommended for children aged eight and above, with adult supervision for the baking stage.
Fimo Modelling Tools
The Fimo Modelling Tools set at £5.99 contains four tools designed for working with polymer clay — a wallet of shaped implements for creating textures, smoothing surfaces, cutting, and working fine detail that fingers alone cannot achieve. These tools work equally well with DAS and other clay types we stock, making them a versatile addition to any modelling kit.
How to work with Fimo Soft
Preparing the clay
Fimo Soft straight from the packet may feel slightly firm initially — this is normal and varies by colour, as some pigments affect the consistency of the clay. The first step is always kneading: work the clay in your hands for a minute or two until it becomes warm, soft, and uniformly pliable. Kneading also ensures the plasticiser is evenly distributed throughout the block, which produces a more consistent result after baking.
If a block is particularly firm, warming it slightly in your hands for longer before beginning to knead helps. Avoid using a heat source to warm it — even mild warmth from a radiator can begin the curing process prematurely.
Working the clay
Once conditioned, Fimo Soft can be shaped in a wide variety of ways. Hand modelling — pinching, rolling, pressing, and pulling — produces organic, expressive forms. Rolling the clay flat with a smooth roller or an acrylic brayer produces even sheets for cutting shapes or wrapping around objects. Texture can be applied by pressing the clay against any textured surface — fabric, leaves, sandpaper, carved stamps — which leaves a detailed impression. Cutters, both purpose-made clay cutters and standard biscuit cutters, cut clean shapes from rolled sheets.
For jewellery — beads, pendants, earrings, and buttons — Fimo Soft is particularly well suited. The clay holds fine surface detail clearly, produces vivid colour once baked, and the cured result is strong enough for items that will be worn and handled regularly. Pierce beads with a cocktail stick or skewer before baking to create the thread hole — do not attempt to drill after baking if you can avoid it, as the risk of cracking is higher in a drilled piece than one pierced before curing.
Joining pieces
Pieces of uncured Fimo join readily simply by pressing them together firmly. For a stronger join, score the surfaces lightly before pressing. Pieces that have already been baked can be joined to uncured clay — the new piece will bond during the second baking. Joining two already-baked pieces requires glue — a cyanoacrylate (superglue) or two-part epoxy gives the strongest result.
Baking
Preheat your oven to 110°C before placing the clay inside. Lay your finished pieces on a baking tray lined with baking parchment or a ceramic tile. Do not use a microwave or gas oven — conventional electric ovens are the right tool, and fan-assisted ovens should be set slightly lower as the fan increases the effective temperature.
Bake for 30 minutes. The general rule for thicker pieces is 30 minutes per 6mm of thickness — a piece that is 12mm at its thickest point needs approximately 60 minutes. Do not rush the baking time. Underbaked Fimo feels slightly flexible when cool and is more fragile than fully cured clay.
Fimo will feel soft when it first comes out of the oven — this is normal and not a sign that it is underdone. Allow it to cool completely at room temperature before handling. The clay hardens as it cools and reaches its full strength only once it is back to room temperature. Do not attempt to accelerate cooling by placing pieces in water.
An oven thermometer is a worthwhile investment if you bake Fimo regularly — domestic ovens are often inaccurately calibrated and running hot can cause browning or burning, while running cool leaves the clay undercured.
Finishing
Once fully cooled, baked Fimo can be worked in several ways. Sanding through progressively finer grits — starting around 400 grit and working up to 1000 or 2000 — removes fingerprints, smooths surface imperfections, and produces a surface that can be buffed to a natural sheen. Acrylic paint adheres well to baked Fimo and allows detailed surface decoration. Varnish applied after painting protects the surface and adds either a gloss or matte finish — use a varnish specifically formulated for polymer clay rather than a standard craft varnish, as some varnish formulas react with the plasticiser in the clay and remain permanently tacky.
What to make with Fimo Soft
Jewellery is the most popular application — earrings, pendants, rings, brooches, and beads. The combination of vivid colour, fine detail, and durability makes Fimo the material of choice for handmade jewellery at every level from beginner to professional.
Buttons and haberdashery — handmade Fimo buttons are a beautiful and practical addition to handknitted garments. They can be made to match any colourway and baked to a very tough, wash-resistant finish.
Miniatures and figurines — food miniatures, tiny animals, fantasy figures, and decorative objects are all natural fits for Fimo Soft. The fine detail the material holds and the stability of the cured result make it excellent for small-scale work.
Embellishments and decorations — gift tags, magnets, ornaments, and decorative details for other craft projects.
Botanical and nature-inspired pieces — flowers, leaves, and natural forms modelled in polymer clay and baked produce beautiful, permanent decorative pieces with a delicacy that other materials cannot easily match.
Frequently asked questions about Fimo polymer clay
Is Fimo safe for children?
Fimo products are recommended for ages eight and above with adult supervision. The clay itself is non-toxic. The baking stage should always be supervised by an adult. Do not allow very young children to handle uncured polymer clay unsupervised.
Can I bake Fimo in a fan-assisted oven?
Yes — set the temperature slightly lower than the recommended 110°C to compensate for the increased heat circulation of a fan oven. 100–105°C is a good starting point. An oven thermometer will help you calibrate your specific oven.
Can I mix Fimo Soft with other polymer clay brands?
In most cases yes — polymer clays from different brands are generally compatible. Baking temperatures are similar across most brands and the clays blend together when kneaded. Test a small piece before committing a whole project to a mixed-brand approach.
What happens if I overbake Fimo?
The clay will brown, darken, or in severe cases burn and produce unpleasant fumes. Covering pieces loosely with a tent of aluminium foil during baking helps prevent browning from oven element heat even when the overall temperature is correct.
Can I rebake Fimo if I want to add to a finished piece?
Yes — already-baked Fimo can be rebaked with new uncured clay added to it. Keep baking times and temperatures consistent across all baking sessions.
How do I store unused Fimo?
Wrap unused blocks in the original foil packaging or in cling film and store in a cool, dry place away from heat and direct sunlight. Uncured polymer clay does not need to be airtight — it does not dry out — but should be kept free from dust and away from heat sources.
Can I make Fimo waterproof?
Baked Fimo is naturally water resistant but not fully waterproof. A coat of appropriate polymer clay varnish improves water resistance considerably. Items that will be submerged or regularly washed should be sealed thoroughly. Fimo is not food safe and should not be used for vessels intended to hold food or liquid.
Shop Fimo at Craft and Canvas
We stock Fimo Soft individual blocks at £3.75, Fimo Easy Metal at £10.65, Fimo Form and Play Farm at £13.99, and Fimo Modelling Tools at £5.99 at Craft and Canvas in Hebden Bridge and online at craftandcanvas.co.uk.
Craft and Canvas | 3 Carlton Street, Hebden Bridge, HX7 8ER | craftandcanvas.co.uk