Here's a little tip I use with making beads in polymer clay

One of my favorite ways to make beads is to measure the clay by putting the clay thru the pasta machine on a #1 and use a cutter to make uniform sizes. I use a 3/4 " cutter. If I am adding cane slices to the bead, I make the bead square and add six cane slices to the bead and round it or make a uniform shape, let it set and use a thin needle to make the inital hole, first on one side and turn bead around and insert needle to make the hole where it just came thru the other side of the bead and then use a needle tool to make the hole larger. I bake them on floral wires on a skewer holder for grills for 20-30 minutes at 265 to 275. Enjoy! If you have questions or do not understand my directions, e-mail me: marbill1@charter.net.