I decided to post this here as well as in tips and tricks.
To get a uniform wall thickness on our shards, we need to first form a starter bubble or "parison" in the center of the mass.
Collect the amount of glass you wish to use on your blow pipe.
Start by winding glass a little back from the end of the blow pipe opening.
Continue winding outwards like a coil keeping the opening open.
When it is out far enough change the angle to the front of the coil
and wrap more coil onto it, like building a coil tube.
When it is extended out far enough change the angle again
and wrap to the inside of the coil bringing it in until it is closed up
but the hole is still open in the center of the mass.
This will give you a hollow center in the mass.
At this point you can add frits if you like.
Heat it gently so as not to close it all the way up.
This will smooth out the coil and even things out a bit.
Then with gentle puffs expand the parison slowly and gently.
If you are finding this hard to do, your glass is not hot enough.
Repeat this process a few times to smooth things out more.
You can then blow your bubble and make a uniform wall thickness on it.
Remember to rotate the glass while doing all of this.
You can practice with a faint colored glass to actually see the parison take shape.
Heat the glass and hesitate before blowing to eliminate hot spots.
I make my full size bubbles about the size of a larger Christmas bulb.
Keeping the opening open?
Have fun, Wayne, Assistant Director In Directory Assistance Department Of Redundancy Department.
P.S. Very thin kidney shaped bubbles are blown so they can be knocked off
in the trash without having glass floating around in the air.
They also provide for a square end on a piece of tubing. This technique requires some skill.
How do you get to Carnegie Hall from here? Practice!