The creation of a variety of glass beads is called "lampwork", and everyone can do it if they wish. It is not recommended to keep such production in an apartment, but there are no restrictions for a garage or in a private house.
Instructions
Step 1
Without special equipment, it will not work to make glass beads - you need a burner with a high temperature and a muffle furnace, so that later, according to all the rules, to cool the products. You also need special glass, it is sold in sticks and has a rich color palette. Special goggles are also useful for working with the torch to protect your eyesight. The bead is made on a steel spoke with a separator compound applied to it. To prevent the glass from cracking from the temperature shock, the stick heats up very slowly and is gradually wound around the knitting needle, giving it a general shape. The bead can be made round, square, figure 8 or flat. When the form is wound, they set it aside and deal with glass of contrasting colors, which will be used to make patterns on the bead.
Step 2
Glass rods of all the necessary colors are gradually warmed up in turn on the fire of the burner and the longest and thinnest columns are pulled out of them with tweezers, this will facilitate the work. After all the columns have been drawn out, take the bead blank again. They heat it up, continuously rotating - if you stop rotating, then the molten glass will deform and drain. On the surface of the bead that had time to cool slightly, drops are applied from a previously elongated column of the intended color. As soon as all the drop-dots are in place, the bead is again well heated, melting them to a smooth surface. To achieve the smudged effect of these dots, you can use an awl; in a flame, its tip is good for mixing two or more colors.
Step 3
When the bead is ready, put it in a muffle oven or ceramic blanket, as it should cool very slowly. At uneven temperatures, the glass will crack and all work will go to waste. If the bead splits into large pieces, it can be glued together, but a network of microcracks may form inside, spoiling the entire product. Beads cool completely quite quickly, but for safety reasons, many leave them in this position overnight.
Step 4
Craftsmen of their craft make not only various beads from hot glass, but also pendants, brooches, and souvenirs. You can collect such jewelry by completing them with leather cords, natural stones, wood or beads. Earrings using glass beads are very common. Textile necklaces with lampwork beads are also quite common. It is not easy to make beads and pendants in this style, therefore their cost is high, but with their beauty they conquer almost everyone who sees them.
