Today’s tutorial takes kiln formed beads one step further by creating a fused in floral pattern. By varying this pattern, you can create a wide variety of designer beads for beautiful jewelry. This tutorial uses the Channel Bead Mold Kit.
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- Begin with a kiln washed channel bead mold, dipped mandrels and a piece of glass. I’m using bottle glass
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- Each bead has two layers, the top layer is the width of the bead mold channel.
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- The top layer of glass should be this wide
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- The bottom layer is 1/8″ smaller
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- Cut 2 glass strips for each channel, one for the top layer, one for the bottom layer.
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- Measure and mark at 3/4″ intervals
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- Mark the strips at the same time to keep the sizes consistent
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- Score each strip on the lines
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- Break the strips into rectangles, keeping each size separate.
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- Place the BOTTOM layer of glass in the channel first.
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- Add a dipped mandrel to the center of the glass pieces
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- Add the top layer of glass
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- Repeat with the remaining channels
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- When all beads are assembled, fire to a full fuse.
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- Fused Beads using a fuse firing schedule
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- Twist beads off of mandrels, pliers are handy for this part
Part 2 – Floral Focal Bead
Next we’ll make the floral center beads. The bead making process is the same as Part 1, we will be painting flowers on the glass before assembly. I used two colors of glass line paint for the flowers and two colors of green for the leaves.
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- Glassline Paint and brushes
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- Paint flowers on bottom layer of the bead. Since the glass is small, my flowers are alternating dots of color.
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- Place bottom layer of glass on the mold with the paint side UP
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- Place a dipped mandrel on the center of the glass
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- Add the top layer of glass to cap the paint
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- Fire to a full fuse
Part 3 – Assembling the bracelet.
The length of your bracelet will depend on the size of your arm, if you have a bracelet that you like the length of, you could measure it and use it as a guide.
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- Materials for the bracelet
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- Arrange the beads how you like them, and cut a wire a few inches longer.
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- Slip a crimp bead on the wire.
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- Slip the wire through the clasp, and then back through the crimp bead.
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- Crimp the wire using the crimp pliers
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- Add 3 white spacer beads, then the fused beads in the arranged order
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- Add 3 white spacer beads at the end of the bracelet
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- Add a crimp bead
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- Add the other side of the clasp
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- Thread the wire back through the crimp bead
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- Thread the excess wire back through the white spacer beads
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- Crimp the crimp bead using the crimp pliers
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- Trim excess wire using wire cutters
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- And you’re finished! Wear it with pride!
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- Floral Kiln Formed Bead Bracelet