Project by Lisa Vogt from Wesley Chapel, Fla.
For Lisa, it wasn't until she took a stained glass at a retail store while earning a degree in Fine Arts that she determined her area of focus in life. She was so captivated by the medium that she went home and finished a project in one night that was supposed to span the full four-week program. In this project, she makes a copper wire and glass bumblebee.
Materials:
2 photocopies of the full pattern/design
6" clear fusible glass
large scrap glass: yellow, black, clear dichroic
small scrap patterned dichroic glass
green stringer
16-gauge copper wire
wire cutters
Steps:
1. Cut a piece of clear fusible glass the same size and shape as the full size pattern.
2. Using your design/pattern as a guide, cut black and yellow glass to make the bug body.
3. Cut the wing, head and eye pieces out of clear dichroic glass.
4. Cut three 5-inch-long pieces of copper wire with wire cutters. Position the wire over the clear base glass.
5. Assemble the black, yellow pieces plus the head on the wire on the base glass.
6. Place the wing pieces on the body pieces. Cut a green stringer to size. Place them on the wing pieces.
7. Position the eyepieces on the head.
8. Fire the assembled project in a kiln according to the manufacturer's published firing guides.
9. When fired and cooled, carefully bend the wire down to make the legs. Cut them to size as needed to make the bug level.
Website: www.lisavogt.net