At my small work desk in the mudroom part of our basement I have a happy place with FIYAAAA!! And with that fire I make beads! I was requested to make something special for a big sister of mine. I was asked to make an “Order of the Sapphire” award. As you can see, it took many attempts, and in this first picture (left) you see my experiment left 3 beads on a mandrel and 3 chopped off. This was because when molding the beads, the under coat that helps it keep from the mandrel fell off and they got stuck on the mandrel, so I had more head to chop off.
In this next picture (middle) you can probably guess how much glass I went through now, but you can definitely see the mistakes I made. One has a huge crack, and the rest are stubby and uneven, the edges are sharp and it just wasn’t working so I made it my all in the last picture.
In the very last (right) picture is the bead that was the very last one I made, and was a success. It was the right length I hoped for, although the only thing I didn’t like was the uneven ends, but I didn’t tamper with them too much or they would have cracked like the others. I was able to make one that suited nicely and it was sent off and she wears it proudly! I’m very happy with the outcome and I hope you do too! It was very much a pleasure to try and perfect something for someone dear.
I love that this project was a gift! Lovely work. I especially admire your perseverance as you worked towards something you are proud of. Thank you for sharing your process.
One day I need to try glass, it always looks so cool! Thank you so much for explaining the process, this was a wonderful read!
I love that blue, and your final beads are so even! Thank you for sharing the lessons, and your art.
I love the color of the glass and your persistence in getting a finished product. Thank you for sharing your work!
Nice work! Your beads look very evenly made. Definitely keep doing it.
Bravo for sticking with the project — I love that it’s a gift with so much meaning.
Nice work. Keep it up. This takes time and practice (which I definitely don’t have).
Great job.
I like how you described that it took many attempts, and that you persevered! Well done! Beautiful sapphire color,!
Thank you for sharing your project. The final bead looks beautiful.
Keep up the great work!
Wonderful work! Glass is a fun, but tricky medium. I can’t wait to see what you do next!
As someone who works with glass I know how tricky the material can be! You did a really great job on sticking with your project until you had success, and you made a lovely final result. Perseverance and patience are definitely two of the keys to glassmaking. I look forward to seeing more of your work in the future!
Thank you for sharing your whole process including the setbacks. Your final bead is lovely and seems well worth all the effort you put in! Bravo!
This is awesome! Thank you so much for sharing your art!
Ooooooh, fire!! Awesome job with this project! I especially appreciated how you told us the whole story of your process – what didn’t work as well as what did. Our mistakes can be our best teachers, so they’re actually something to be proud of! Well done!
The bead looks amazing. Thank you for sharing your process with us. I will keep these tips in mind the next time I try (again,) to make my own beads.
I’m impressed by your perseverance on a challenging project, and your end result — it’s beautiful! Thank you for walking us through the process. I’ve never done glass-making, so it’s really cool to see the different steps involved. And what a lovely gift for your big sister! Well done!
This was such a great project!! Glass can be so trickey, but you really have a great hand. I. So impressed that you were able to get your bead to the exact length that you needed.
I also loved that you took what you learned from your first attempts and applied it, going forward to a successful bead!
Well done!!