Introduction to Stained Glass

I love taking classes. I’d like to be a  perpetual college student, sleeping in til 9:30, alternating painting, photographing and designing for 3-6 hours a day.

Alas, as an adult with a career, the most I can hope for these days is a 10 week course or weekend workshop once a year. Here is a project from a Stained Glass Class.

Temple University: Center City offered a 10 week course in stained glass a few years ago and I jumped on it. We spent the entire class working on one project—designing, cutting foiling and soldering. This design above is Frank Lloyd Wright’s Lake Geneva Tulip Window.

For supplies, there is only one local stained glass supplier I found:
Rainbow Stained Glass
815 Bristol Pike, Bristol, PA 19007
(215) 785-3034

For other materials, or if I’m not picky about seeing the glass beforehand, I’ve dealt with Delphi and Warner Stained Glass.

There is a beginner kit you can buy with leading sheers, soldering iron, glass cutter, nippers and such. As for a grinder, I posted a “Wanted” ad to craigslist and found a retiree who sold one to me with a whole lot of glass and other supplies for cheap!

I also recommend this book. It covers both leaded and soldered glass with a few nice projects in the back.

Here were my next to pieces: