[Bobby]

This came about through Nicole.....Janelle and Kari.
What a fun group of glass lovers.

I haven't seen Jiley in a long time and it was wonderful
to be able to see and talk to old glass friends.

While I was giving Jiley a quicky tut I met the most fun three people
and ended up sharing the leaf process that I do with glass.
This is not new to the feild but is the way that I have found to play with
the glass.................and I do so love leaves. I told the girls that I would
send them the tut and since it is now done..............what better place to
share than with the forums that I sooooooooooo lurk ! ! !

What a wonderful day with glass people................WOW..........



O.K. shorter version for a leaf tutorial.

In making the leaves you will be working off mandrel.
Before you start wrap a ss wire around a mandrel with scrap wire.
The scrap wire can go into the kiln with no problem.
I have reused mine more times that I can count.

To Start:

A.......add a ball of glass to a mandrel.
keep the glass at the tip.

B.......Take your tweezers and mash down the center.
keep water handy to cool your tool with.

C.......One one side mash three times.
keep the leaf warm only.
C.......Heat the next side on the edge and mash again.
Flash to keep warm. It doesn't take much.

D.......Rewarm but don't lose the design.
Heat the top just a little and pull the tip out.
This lets the point and the leaves curve.

Play around.....you can make many different shapes.
The fun thing with off mandrel is that you can shape
your leaf and design it forever before you attach it to
the sterling silver wire.

Now:
After you have your leaf the size and shape you want,
heat up the mandrel where the glass is attached and
pull the leaf off with a pair of tweezers. Keep the leaf
warm and pick up the mandrel with the wire on it and
just heat the sterling silver and the glass enough to be
able to slip the ss into the end of the glass leaf. You
may have to do this a few times but the glass and the
sterling silver wire will stick to each other.

After they come out of the kiln I just rub the ss with my
fingers a little and it takes off any of the darkness
from being in the kiln.


1.......Wire wrapped mandrel. The ss wire is slightly
curved around the mandrel so it will not slip
while attaching the hot glass to the hot ss wire.

2.......Leaf right out of the kiln.

I filed down a pair of tweezers to be able to make thin
veins for the small leaves.

Bobby