How long did it take you to make that?

How long did it take you to make that? is a question I get asked a lot and its very hard to answer!

This is partly because I tend to make similar things in small batches rather than individually: 8 flower suncatchers, 12 balloon decorations or 40 (yes 40!) Christmas trees.

Two fused glass panels being made from pieces of blue, green and clear glass.

Its also because for each piece I make there are lots of different processes:

  • drawing the original design

  • cutting all the separate pieces of glass that will make it up

  • grinding them into shape and adding glass powder or frit

  • shaping hooks and any copper sheet or wire inclusions

  • assembling it with fusing glue to transfer it to the kiln

  • firing it

  • cleaning it after firing

  • finishing it with ribbon/fishing wire/rubber feet/jewellery fittings

  • and finally boxing or wrapping for delivery.

But to give you an idea, the slideshow below shows the various stages in creating two fused glass wall panels for a recent commission. After designing the pieces and adding glass frit and copper wire inclusions, the pieces were each capped with a clear piece of glass once in the kiln.

The panels were now ready to be fired. The photos below show them in the kiln before and after firing.

The panels finished with fishing line to hang them from, and ready to be wrapped and posted to the client.

Eva PollardComment