Welcome to my website. Expect to see colour and design in glass beads, jewellery, weaving and patchwork quilts. I also have a little shop in Art Fire which unfortunately is empty at the moment. Enjoy a browse and if you like what you see talk to me about it or buy it or come back and visit again!
This is the link to my empty shop, which I have high hopes of re-stocking shortly! http://queanofglass.artfire.com/
This is the link to my empty shop, which I have high hopes of re-stocking shortly! http://queanofglass.artfire.com/
A busy day on the torch
One day at the blowtorch produced this glowing collection. I wish the beads could stay together like that: it is my idea of a visual treat. Instead I rip the sets apart and mix in silver and crystal and semi-precious stone and pearl to make necklaces.
Here is a sample of what happens then.
My pieces start at the Carlisle Mini CC burner, where I melt glass rods and layer the glass onto a stainless steel mandrel, which has been dipped in bead release . Then the mandrel goes into the Paragon SC-2 kiln to anneal the glass bead; controlled cooling gives the beads strength and ensures a long life. When the slow cooling is complete, the mandrels with beads attached go into water to soak. After a little while I can slide them off and then I use a bead reamer to remove any remaining bead release inside the hole. Rinsed and buffed they can then be strung to show off their full beauty.