Square dots - like windows

[malilyd]

Howdy all! I'm hoping someone can help me with a technique to make square melted in dots - like I might use for a window on a bead? I've searched the threads and can't find anything.

I'd be much appreciated for the advice!!!

margaret

[istandalone24/7]

can you pull a square cane (think murrini) and nip it when cold...apply as you would a milli/murrini?

[tela]

Dots push against each other and affect their shape. Try rows of good sized dots, offsetting each row to the other


* * * * *
* * * * * * like this
* * * *
and melt them in slowly. You will need enough glass on the dot to push into each other, leaving the thin base color separating them. Glass, speed, and spacing are the things you need to get control of for good shapes.
Oh, and PPP

jo
well, I cant line up the asterisks, but you get the idea

[Talonst]

- Make a dot
- Heat slowly and marver it down until the dot is is pushed in flush with bead surface then slowy melt it smooth. The marvering is done in 5 or 6 passes and then the bead surface is reheated so that it's all smooth again. Pushing the dot down like this gives you some thickness at the edge where it meats the base bead, which is key for this technique. Melting too fast and/or not marvering will causes the border of the dot to be thin or blur.
- Use a fine steel mandrel that has been sharpened to point as a pick and pull out the corners of the dot. Make sure there's a fair amount of heat in the bead but that it is stiff. Then heat the surface where you'll be moving the dot. Flash the tip of the pick in the flame quickly so that it's hot and will stick to the glass. Now place the pick at the border of the dot and base bead and pull out to form a point. Do the same thing for the other 3 corners making sure to re-establish the heat base in the bead between each pull. If the mandrel skids off the glass it's not warm enough, if it sticks at the end of the pull wait a few seconds and then wiggle and it will come loose.

You can make all sorts of shapes like this.

If I were going to use the murrini approach I'd form up a gather of color and form it into a square (or whatever shape) and then surround it with either clear or the color of the base bead so that I end up with a round cane. Round shapes are easier to pull and the pattern is less likely to distort. This is a more complex process but would probably yield better results if you want really tight sharp corners.

[malilyd]

Thank you so much all three of you! Now I have many ways to try!

Margaret / malilyd