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A Beginner's Guide To Making Stained Glass Windows New Jersey

By Douglas Schmidt


If you like the look of stained glass and are interested in having pieces in your own home you may be put off by how much they cost. Making stained glass windows New Jersey can be fun and a great way to add personal touches to your home. Here are some top tips that you can use if you decide that making a piece like this is something that you want to try and do.

If you look at some extremely complex designs you will be amazed to see that they can be made of thousands of pieces that have been shaped carefully and then fitted into a pattern. Many times the windows seen in a church was donated to that house of worship and may cost thousands of dollars. Older windows may have been made as a form of worship and dedication.

If you have a very modern home design you may want to choose a pattern that is very simple and which may use the play between different colors to make the window stand out. If you have a home design that is more classical in nature a pattern that is more highly ornamented may be a better choice. If you are making the piece yourself you may want to see how many individual pieces you will need to cut and fit together in order to tell whether you will be able to finish it properly.

While glass is the main material used in these types of windows there are other materials that are required as well. A section of the design will be cut, sanded and wrapped with tape. The pieces are then soldered together. In the past, lead caning was used to form the metal band that fit between individual pieces of glass. If you are shopping for a window, make sure this metal strip is not overly thick or uneven and that the pieces are joined together as securely as possible.

A store that specializes in this art form can be extremely helpful. You will be able to buy materials and patterns there, see what different colors will look like when they are placed side by side, and will also be able to get advice and tips from the staff in the event that your project does not go as well as you had hoped it will. There may even be classes that you can attend or work space that you can rent.

Finding patterns that are easy to read will also be helpful. Eventually, you may be able to start designing your own pieces but in the beginning it is a good idea to have a pattern to work from. Get used to scaling them up and down in order to create windows of varying sizes.

Make sure you get comfortable transferring patterns to glass and learn how to make accurate cuts. This is where a simpler pattern may come in handy. Over time you can work on more complex designs as your confidence and skill increases.

If you want to know more about this art form taking a class might be a good idea. Some community centers or colleges will offer workshops that may vary from beginner to advanced. You may be able to find workshops if you ask at craft stores or shops that specialize in stained glass tools and materials.




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