I take a small amount of clay, sometimes Iron Stoneware clay, other times Taos Red Earthenware clay, and even Porcelain clay as well...

...and I form it between my fingers until it resembles a small rock. I grew up in New Mexico and rocks were everywhere -- not so many are here in Fort Worth.

Next I poke a hole through each nugget with an aluminum knitting needle. I poke through until I see it about to protrude through the opposite end, then I take it out and poke it through from the other side. This leaves both sides with a nice clean hole.

The next step is to allow it to dry and bisque fire the lot of them to 06. Afterward, I glaze them and put them on stainless steel bars so they don't stick to the kiln furniture. I got the stainless steel bars at a welding supply store.

You have to specify stainless steel because they'll bring you out anything that seems like the right size you want. Check and make sure they bring you stainless steel. The last time I specified stainless steel, they brought me something that looked orange. It was copper. I asked, "Is this stainless steel?" I got the reply, "OH, you want stainless steel?" So ask for stainless steel and ask again when they hand to you. Look at it and make certain it looks like stainless steel. If it is not stainless steel it will melt and make a mess of your kiln.

I learned a wonderful tip recently. When you are loading your kiln with beads, place a small dab of glue on the bar and slide the bead over it. It will dry and when you load your kiln, the beads will not be sliding everywhere, slipping off, etc .... The glue burns off in the firing and leaves no marks on the beads. Now taking them OUT Of the kiln is a different problem altogether. They easily fall off -- but you are taking them out of the kiln anyway so it is not a big deal.