I am noticing my white polymer clay has a great affinity for any dust or lint in the area or on my hands.  I typically dust the work area with a Swiffer duster before I begin working, and I suspect some of it just comes from brushing my hands against my clothes.  Plus the room itself is somewhat dusty, as I share my "studio" with the food and litterboxes for our three cats.  Any good tricks to keep the clay and lint apart?  Any good way to get it out once you see it on the surface?

 I do cover the clay I'm not actively using and put it away in drawer when not in use, plus I clean tools and surfaces with alchol after I finish (or use parchment paper, as was helpfully suggested on this forum!)

I have the same problem. I have half a dozen cats and just as many dogs and most are long haired and starting to shed like crazy, so other then living and working in a clean room are there any suggestions?

DW, I have two cats and just about every surface in my house has cat hair. The litterbox is in my office and there's a lot more dust in there than anywhere else in the house.

But, I work on clay in my garage, of all places, and don't have that problem at all...no cats, no litterbox. 

I sure know that problem.  I'm still trying to figure out where some little red fibers came from!

When I'm working with white, which isn't often for that reason, I work in the kitchen and that seems to have less dust as long as all the doors to the outside are closed.  Or I plan on covering the whole piece with mica powder.  I have a chocolate lab, so the dog hairs are big enough that they are relatively easy to pick out.  Or I use as little white as possible so there are no "big" areas where dust can show.  Wearing gloves might help to cut down on transfers from your clothes, and wearing non-shedding clothes (no sweaters).  Short sleeves so there's no transfer from forearms.  One thing I've never tried - do the work inside a 1 or 2 gallon zip lock type bag or a roasting bag.   

This is how I keep my white clay dust and lint free:

I have a bathroom dedicated to the rolling of my white clay.  I have the heat vents covered as well as the window.  I do not have anything in there that might produce dust or lint.  I vacuum the bathroom with a shop vac at least once a week.  I do not let anyone in that bathroom.  Before I go in I take a shower and then put lotion on my legs and arms. Just before going in I roll my clothes with a lint roller.  I wear black so that i can see the lint and make sure it's gone.  Once in the bathroom I shut the door slowly so that if there is a particle of dust somewhere I do not disturb it, because I know it will end up on my clay.  Anyway, I have a lump of white scrap clay that I roll in my hands for a couple of minutes because anything that might be on your hands will stick to the clay and it's better that it stick to the scrap rather than your project. 

 I hope this helps!

Sandra
 

I guess that the faux ivory I'm trying to get somewhat right will have to live with a few bits of dog, cat and human detritus in it. My world is less then clean anywhere in it. Such is life with a herd of dogs and cats.

 Hi, I mostly condition my clay at my Local Bead Shop! I too have Cats! I've not had much luck with keeping the FUZZ away at my house, either! Winter use IS better than summer, however! I just PLAYED with clay last night, until 5:30 AM, and if you take off your glasses, it's not so bad! LOL! twfancy...Nancy

If I take my glasses off it is even fuzzier!

You can also try using a inonizer that will ionize the air and make the dust fall.  Before you start with the clay run it awhile then clean off the surfaces before.  Another thing to try would be to spray a very fine mist of water to capture the dust in the air and have it settle to surfaces, then gently clean the sufaces before starting.

LJRosen

Is some cat/dog hair and some just  plain old dust going to be that detremential to the clay? Not a ton of it but just the odd floating bit going to change the look that much?

Bentiron - I've used white clay that has teeny pieces of 'stuff' and it didn't matter, course I was usually making something with other colors, too.

 It didn't bother me until I tried to make something WHITE then I noticed the lint and dust sticking out like sore thumbs.  I suspect my solution will be don't do that or figure out how to consider it an inclusion.  The solution that sounded most plausible for actually working to eliminate the problem reminds me of entering a cleanroom, and I'm not about to start stocking bunny suits!  The concept of keeping one of our 1 3/4 bathrooms perfectly clean made me cry.  I hope I am better at making jewelry than keeping house!

Housecleaning and jewelery making are not compatible activities are they? I know some folk that can work on a car in slacks, white shirt and tie and not get dirty while others get within ten feet of a car that needs repair and they are instantly dirty. I can have my bench all cleaned up and think about making a piece of jewelery and within ten minuets I have half of my tools on the bench. Well it is the same with me and clay, clean the room, set up the HEPA filter in the room the night before, walk into the room to work on the clay and there is a fist full of dog hair on the table where the clay is. I know the shed in full swing but I guess that I'm going to have to live with it.

Hi, I have not made a lot of jewelry and all so far has been very begginer.  I am replying to this blog because I love that all of you have animals that are important to you and the dust etc and fir not that important.  I have found that most people are not open to accepting this.    With 5 cats and a lot more that are wild and we feed along with racoons etc. I too have lots of hair and it has bothered me.  I love all of your comments and this makes me feel so much better!  You all sound so very honest and open.

 Thank You

June

Hey June, welcome to the board. My cats come first. If their fur gets in the way of doing something, I modify what I'm doing. Every couple of weeks I have a group that meets at my house. Part of the housecleaning I do is to remove as much fur as possible from where they sit. Occasionally one of my two cats will stroll in, sniff folks and either join in or saunter on out. 

Linelle:

Hey June, welcome to the board. My cats come first. If their fur gets in the way of doing something, I modify what I'm doing.

What she said.

June,

Around my house "Interference by cats" is a given and allowable whether I am playing a card game with friends or working on a project.  It is pretty easy to control the hair issue, it's keeping them from eating wire and beads that sometimes becomes a challenge.  When they get in that mood I put the project away for a bit and play with them!

I love this thread - made me laugh out loud several times!  My dog is always underfoot in my studio, my cat goes where he damn well pleases, and the cleaning gene is noticeably missing from my DNA...so "inclusions" are just a matter of course.  Other than inspecting the clay and removing obvious offenders, there are only two rules I try to follow:

1) no rolling around on the floor with my dog right before heading into the studio

2) in the event I do end up with tiny fibers/lint on the surface of my ivory clay, I try mightily to refrain from picking at them.  Once you cure the clay, you stand a much better chance of sanding them off and ending up with a smooth surface.  Trying to remove the inclusion prior to curing invariably leaves some sort of indentation, no matter how careful you are.

Thanks for the laughter this morning! :)

Hi Everyone,  You have no idea how much all of you have made me laugh and at a time when I have just been crying uncontrolably.  I do not tell you this for sympathy as I will work things out and am usually a very strong person ... just have to kick my behind etc LOL.

However, I tell you this because I do not think that people realize how much they help others by just being themselves and open and honest and funny.  The information you give to help with jewelry making is but a small piece of the wonderful good you do!  I am very glad to have happened into your blog!    Thank you from the bottom of my heart for the laughter you have given to me and hopefully I will make you smile (when I stop the stupid crying LOL).

Thanks again,

June

Wow, June. What an incredibly honest and brave thing to say. And very true. Even in those very dark times, just having someone be present for you can make all the difference. Isn't amazing how laughter can find you even when you think it's the last thing you can manage?

This is a great group and you've already picked up on that. It may not get all the traffic and buzz that other boards have, but it's special in other ways.

During my darkest hour, my cats stayed close to me and never did that aloof thing that I think is a myth anyway. My cats have earned completed dictatorship over my house. I am their helpless and obedient servant.