Glass Fusing Tutorial: Flower and Foliage Hanging Pendant

Project Tutorial

In this guide, we’ll learn how to make a cute and simple fused glass garden scene on a piece of clear oval glass.

Let’s get started!

Introduction

We recommend doing this project in two separate fuses: the first to fuse the glass bail to the glass oval, and a second, lower temperature tack fuse for your murrine arrangement. For added effect, use some stringer for flower stems.

We’re using a 2-inch glass oval, but this project can be done with any size and shape, including Glacial’s Precut Glass Ovals and Circles. Just make sure you are consistent in the COE of glass you are using.

Materials: What You'll Need

Glass

One Fusible Glass Bail
One 2 in Precut Glass Oval
Flower Murrine Sticks (choose one or mix and match)
Leaf Murrine Stick
Stringer (greens and browns)

Misc

Tweezers
Glasstac
Wheeled glass nippers

Step 1 - Cutting Murrine

First, chop the murrine sticks into the desired size using nippers. Make sure you wear eye protection when doing this. Lightly grab the Murrine stick with the cutting blades to hold position, then snap quickly to cut. Slowly increasing pressure can crush the glass.

Sharper blades work better. If your blades are dull, rotate them to engage sharper edges.

Use a container to catch the flying pieces.

Letting a finger on your left hand press against the lower blade (away from the cutting edge) can help to steady your hands, allowing you to cut more precisely and quickly.

To learn more, watch our video on how to cut Murrine Sticks.

Step 2 - Fusing the Bail

Next, we need to fuse the bail to the glass shape:

Place a fusible glass bail into your kiln.
Place your glass shape in the kiln so that one edge of the shape overlaps with the slit in the glass bail.
Adjust the position so that the bail is centered with the glass oval.
Set and run kiln firing schedule #1

Kiln Firing Schedule #1

Segment 1

Rate: 9999
Temperature: 1450 degrees (F)
Soak / Hold Time: 15 minutes

Additional Segments

Anneal and cool your glass as required for your kiln and project size.

The top temperature may vary based on your kiln. Be sure to test and adjust the top temperature before firing any large batch project.

Step 3 - Arranging Murrine

Now for the fun part!

Pour a tiny bit of glasstac onto the fused glass oval. This helps the murrine stay in place as you add to your composition.
Use your tweezers and start placing your stringer and murrine in whatever way that speaks to you.Try layering the murrine over the stringer to give your flowers some depth.
Carefully place the piece in the kiln and set to kiln firing schedule #2.

Kiln Firing Schedule #2

Segment 1

Rate: 9999
Temperature: 1390 degrees (F)
Soak / Hold Time: 15 minutes

Additional Segments

Anneal and cool your glass as required for your kiln and project size.

The top temperature may vary based on your kiln. Be sure to test and adjust the top temperature before firing any large batch project.

The Result

Congrats, you’re done!

Make sure you let the piece fully cool before handling. Remove it from the kiln to see your creation.

You can use a string or decorative ribbon to hang the piece.

Next Steps

Thanks for checking out our how-to guide! If you tried this out for yourself, we’d love to see what you made: tag us on Instagram with the hashtag #fusedglassart and be sure to follow @glascial.art.glass for more glass guides and project ideas.

Want more inspiration? Checkout our handcrafted COE 90 murinne and COE 96 murinne to satiate your artistic hunger!