Lampwork

So what is lampwork I hear you ask?! Well, lampwork is the art of making glass beads using a blowtorch. You melt a rod of glass onto a metal rod called a mandrel, and turn like mad in the flame to form a 'base bead'. You can then melt other coloured glass onto this or use 'frit' (broken shards of glass) to decorate. All lampworking beads really need to be annealed in a kiln to ensure longevity. It's quite a tricky process to learn at first, but the results are very satisfying indeed! I love the way colours can be combined to an amazing effect, and how you can manipulate molten glass into different forms.

I first discovered lampworking last summer after joining an online beading forum (http://www.beadbuddies.co.uk/forum/). There are some great folks on there and I was really inspired by lampwork artists, and decided to find out more about the craft, little did I know then I'd be hooked! Armed with a starters kit, I set about creating a mini studio in the garden shed, and can now make some good 'rounds' or base beads, and I even managed some cute penguins! Time is a bit of a restriction, and so were the cold wintry months (what a wimp!), but I hope this blog will spur me back into action at the torch over the next couple of months. Can't wait to show you my progress and future glassy creations!