Glass Crochet, Weaving, Spun Glass
 

Q: How do you get to Carnegie Hall from here? A: Practice.

To make the loop the glass must be the right temperature.
The right time to do it is to hesitate until the glass just loses its glow from the fire, then form the loop. You can just roll the glass between your fingers.
First slightly back away from you, then back towards you. I stretch it just a bit as I'm rolling it in my fingers. If the temperature is right it will form the loop.

You need to use a relatively sharp and small flame for this. Large flame large loop, small flame small loop.
Make sure the parts are welded to each other after making the loop.
You have to do this weld quickly or the loop will melt away.

Just like crochet, there are many different styles for making objects.
This is one of the basics.

If you wish to make a circular pattern. Form a "Maria" ( a flat disc) on the end of a rod. You can then add rows around it.

Hint: The bending point of any glass is just below the melting point.

Have fun!

Maybe One Day
 

You will be making one of these too.

Wow! Amazing ship!

I can't imagine ever being able to do that, but then again, I never imagined being able to melt glass in a flame at all a few years ago!
Thanks for the instruction, maybe I'll give it a try one day, but not that ship quite yet! :lol:

I'll put another one up for everyone just a simple basket with a handle.

How about a weaved bracelet?.....I would certainly pay for it..please...LOL

Sorry but this stuff is way to fragile to be wearing as a necklace or bracelet.

It does make for a nice shelf piece however.

HyperT - thanks so much for sharing!!! I have always been fascinated with this. When I was a kid, we would go to Disneyland ever year and I spent a lot of time watching glass artisans make everything from sleeping beauty's castle to 3 masted schooners and of course all the Disney characters..... It's nice to actually see a pictorial of the technique!!!

Of course, now I have to try it LOL

I worked in a glass blowing and cutting shop my first summer out of high school. My biggest sale of the summer was selling a ship like that. It made the owners very happy that day :)
Awesome job on the ship.

I made one like this with sails one time that was 2feet tall for a fireplace.

Nice Work!!!

I too became fascinated watching a glass asrtist form these spun pieces at the Ohio State fair in the late sixties and early seventies. (one reason for joining this forum!) Now I wonder if the pieces they created were ever annealed! I know they stated they were made from pyrex. If using the 33 coe if it allowed them to not anneal. Have several pieces still in a collection case . Have to scope them when I get more into this art. I would assume one would use boro for these works of art.

Pyrex works well for it, because it's just more forgiving. Before Pyrex came along (it was invented for train lanterns because other glasses would crack in the rain from thermal shock) there were lead glasses and soda lime glasses. Artists definitely spun glass from those glasses too. I have done it myself on occasion just for the color effect. And yes the pieces should be annealed, 33 or not. Soft glasses tend to make better welds but you must be careful not to thermal shock a part of the piece when working on another part. Flame annealing comes in handy for this type of work as well, as you go along. Your best bet here is to know exactly what you are going to make, and how you are going to make it from start to finish. If you have all that memorized you are less likely to destroy the piece in the manufacture. By working this way you can "chase" most of the stress out as you move along from start to finish. This method applies to other items as well.

Your ships look great!