Seeded Glass
 

Is there only a couple of colors for the seeded glass rods?
I tried pink and like it but would like more variety.
Anyone know a supplier?
Thanks,
Katie

Looks like Frantz has it on sale right now. White, pink, amber and purple. There used to be a nice light aqua but they don't have it. It was the prettiest I thought.

The stuff I recently purchased from Frantz is awful. Well... the white is, I don't know about the others.

Soo... I was forced to improvise. I tried making a basic baking soda bead, but it was too much... I tried mixing baking soda into glass, pulling it into a stringer, and then making a bead... still too much.

I FINALLY NAILED IT I made a grape size blob of transparent glass on the end of the rod, roll it in baking soda, cook it in, let it get nice and molten and globby again. Allow it to flow around, melting in more glass from the rod into the blob until it looks "right". DO NOT PULL IT INTO STRINGER. Just apply from the blob onto your mandrel.

This is pale lavender transparent.

I never had much luck with rolling it in the baking soda but your method seems like the way to go. Will give it a try. I was hoping for a pretty turquoise.
Thanks so much for sharing and posting a photo. Lovely bead.
Katie

What does seeded glass do? What makes it special?

-BEP

It creates thousands of bubbles in the glass.

Wow, I love that look Jamie Lynne. I'd like to try it with lt aqua and see what it would look like.
Do you coat your grapey size blob heavily in bs or just lightly?

Uhh, a roll or two. If you add too much, just keep letting the glass wrap around until the proportions even out.

The stuff I got from Frantz ends up opaque because it is so saturated with bubbles. It's not pretty...

That's a really pretty bead Jamie. I used to have 3 or 4 rods of each color, the old stuff, and I can't find them anywhere. Because I reorganized. lol

Becca, you lucky dog, well not the losing them part, but the possessing them part is lucky. I long for a rod of the aqua stuff.

The way I do it now is an acceptable replacement, but it's still a PITA. I much prefer the rods.

If anyone is going to try this, I would strongly suggest starting with pale-ish transparent. It seems like the darker they are, the less the bubbles show up. That's pale lavender, it could easily be mistaken for clear with diddys on, so start pale and up your saturation as you see fit.

I have the pink seeded and make my base bead out of that then encase with aqua trans, it doesn't turn purple just looks aqua, maybe because the pink is so light?

The pink seeded stuff usually ends up more of a peach color for me. It's not light by itself, but it's probably too light to have any effect on the aqua. What are you trying to accomplish?

found the bead, excuse photo. I wanted blue bubbles and wasn't having any luck with the baking soda so I used the pink seeded and encased in light blue. It would probably be better if I used the blue for the first wrap, then the pink, then encased again.

I've often wondered if one swipe with medium grade sandpaper down a rod of glass would accomplish the same thing. Obviously, I've not tried it...

Chrissi, I tried that after Kevan(?) suggested it, it didn't do much. I had that sucker really scratched up, too.

Gotcha'. I may have gotten around to trying it one day; now I won't. :D

I'm glad I found this. Jamie Lynn, those are really nice beads. I'm going to try this too.

Oh lord, there goes my day! Off to look for the baking soda!

And I thought that people used the seeded glass as tubing, blew hollow stuff out of it. But was wondering at the same time that it must be difficult since it is soft glass and the diameter is really small. I have some of the pink, white, purple and amber, but have never even used them. I guess today would be a good time.

Honestly, thats what I thought the seeded tube was for too. Last time I was at Frantz I picked up a couple of each color. I was all confused at the diameter of the rod and was thinking to myself, how the hell do you make an ornament out of something this small. Then wondering if I could use a marver to open it up some when it was hot! I'm glad this thread came about or I would be out there probably trying to do some crazy ornament making with it that would fail! haha




Brandy

Brandy, I have been thinking lately so often about the christmas ornaments... I am glad I am not the only one who thought this :lol:

I actually went to Frantz specifically for the seeded tube for ornaments. When I found the tube, I actually asked the person at the counter if they had any in the back that was a bigger diameter. She told me no. I'm sure the look of confusion on my face was a hoot!


Brandy

I am so darn glad I haven't tried yet, even though I have a glass blowing background, I am sure it would have made me to go bonkers! :lol:
Plus cut lips from blowing into a rod would not have made it any better experience. :D

Now I don't feel so stupid for trying to blow out the seeded tubing. Let's just say it wasn't pretty. :lol:

Get the clear ones and layer it over other transparant colors.