Bumps and Bobbles and Whorls

It seems everyone has an opinion about raised bumps on beads. Do you like the feel of them, the fact that they add texture to your beads? Or do you prefer the smooth look and feel of the glass all by itself? Long ago, I was a 'no bumps please' bead maker. But now? Oh give me some texture!
For glass whorl making, bobbles have a purpose beyond looks. They add a little weight to the whorl, which often seems like a good thing. And if they are placed all around the outside, they can also affect the speed and length of the spin. Oh, it's physics, and I am not so good with physics. But it does change how things go around.

To quote Wikipedia:  'Whorl shapes vary greatly and can include ball-shaped, disk-shaped and cross shaped whorls. The shape and mass distribution of the whorl affects the momentum it gives to the spindle while it is spinning. For example a center weighted whorl will spin very fast and short, while a rim-weighted disk-shaped whorl will spin longer and slower.^[9]'

<sup>So, first I make a nice smooth whorl. Then maybe I add some swirls here and there, either evenly all around the bead, or maybe just randomly. Then I wonder if it might need just a little more weight, or if accent bumps would look nice. And then, well, does it need raised bumps around the center to make it spin a bit longer? And, if it happens to be a sea urchin whorl, then bumps and bobbles are a definite part of the design!

Oh, looking through that article, I see spindles are associated with a number of goddesses. Hmmm... going to have to let the brain wheels spin around that for a bit!</sup>

Torch Time Again!

 Good golly, I have not been blogging much! Just popping in now to say my torch is back up and running after being on hiatus for a couple of months. I've started out with some fancy silver-cored fish pendants and glass whorls for spinning yarn.
New curved beads are on the to-do right now list! We'll see how that goes~ they are always a bit of a challenge.

Making Glass Worry Stones

I have been asked off and on if I could make a little flat bit of glass with an indentation in it for- sort of like a worry stone. The short answer? I had tried and not been happy with the results. But now I've figured out a whole different way to do this. There are a few tricks that have been working well for me, so I thought I'd try a mini tut for the glass workers out there.
This piece is not actually just a 'worry stone', but a very small glass bowl that can be used for support spindle spinning.

First, ditch the mandrel! A large glob of glass will be built off the end of a metal chopstick to be removed later. Add 1 ~ 1 ½ rods of clear glass to the stick as quickly as possible; shaping & smoothing can happen after it is on the stick. Build the glass off of the end of the stick; don't let the stick get too far up into the glass. Clear is a nice stiff base; colors will be added over it later.   

 

 

 

  

Next add colors and shape as desired. Ivory and aqua have been added here. Keep the chopstick hot as you do this. After color has been added, the glass has been heated, shaped into a cone shape, stretched and twirled back on itself. 

 Get the glass really hot and smooth, and then flatten. Here two graphite marvers are used to press the glass. It may take a few tries to get the glass flattened to about 5/16 - 3/8 inches. Check to be sure it is even and not thicker on one end~ usually this seems to happen at the chopstick end. Just reheat and mash again. Shape the piece as you'd like it to look when finished.

 

Here's one of those special tricks~  make the hanging or wearing hole now, rather than at the end. Making the hole now will keep the glass from getting distorted later; do keep this area hot as you work on the rest of the piece. 

Thin the top end slightly with the corner of some mashing pliers to make a triangular flat spot; then use a pair of biter tweezers and a pick (or something better like Peter's tweezers) to make the hole. Rotate the pick or stretch with the tweezers so the hole will be large enough for a cord to pass through. Be sure to keep this area warm while you're working through the rest of this piece.

 

It's time to move on to the indentation. After a bit of trial and error, I've settled on a couple of tools from the 'alternate craft store' (my local hardware store)~ a large smooth bolt and ball peen hammer.

Heat the flattened glass well on both sides to be sure the tool will be able to sink into it. Quickly put the hot glass on a marver and push hard with a large smooth bolt. You may need to do this a couple of times to get a good bowl. If you'd like a deeper indentation, a ball peen hammer works quite well. I use both and go back and forth between them to get the bowl as deep and wide as I want it. Remember to keep both ends of the piece warm! Heat the indented area to get rid of as many chill marks as possible.

 

Finally it is time to take the piece off of the chopstick. Heat the chopstick up until it is red hot, grab the worry stone with a pair of heat proof pliers and pull the glass off of the chopstick. I have not yet quite figured out how to make this end look just right; it will likely need a bit of smoothing.

Make sure to keep the whole piece hot while doing any final shaping, and flash in the flame before popping in the kiln.

Finito!

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My own spindle sticks

I've been telling myself (and a few other people) that I really need to figure out how to use a lathe and make my own spindle sticks for a while now. I am venturing down that road (with a bit of trepidation). Why bother, you ask? Well I have found precisely one person who can make the sticks I need for a sensible price. Well, for any price, really. And what if Hershey Fibers gets tired of it? Then I will have a pile of stick-less whorls lying about and no one will know what to do with them! So~ away we go!

For starters, using a lathe is a little fun, a little hard on one's body and a little scary. There's a whole lot of shakin' going on! And I am no spring chicken. Secondly, these thin sticks take some finesse. As they thin out, you need a sharp tool to do the work for you, no pushing allowed. I am working at The Hub, and the tools seem a bit over used. So I switch to sand paper near the end. And then I get tired of standing there and just stop and bring it home to finish it. Which is kind of silly as it takes a lot longer to finish by hand!

Anyway, I am fairly pleased with the results. I've paired some whorls up with particular sticks in my etsy shop. How are these sticks different?

• They are a bit thicker than the ones I can buy, which I like~ they feel firmer in my hand. 
• The 'flick area' is thicker. I am working on narrowing that.
• The centers are wider; the shape is not quite what I envisioned, but they're on the way!
• Some of them are shorter, which is also my preference.
• 
  They can be notched for drop spinners more easily.
• They are not all the same. This means that specific whorls work best on specific sticks. I'll be working on getting things a bit standardized in future, though I like that they are not all perzactly the same!
• A little oil & beeswax finish is rubbed on.
  
• Right now I am working with poplar, but Urban Timbers just may be able to provide me with some locally saved wood. I love that idea!
  
  

Lampwork Glass Beads~ 'Frit Stacking' Ideas

 So... I'm sure many, if not all of y'all bead makers, have some frit mixes lying around. Back when I first started to make beads, I didn't use frit. And it was in the old 'dinosaur' days before Val Cox and her 'Frit Secrets' book came out, so frit mixes were not yet a big part of the glass bead world. Nowadays, a  nice mix of frit can decide the colors of a bead, making that part of the process easy. They are a useful crutch, especially for days when one is feeling a wee bit less than inspired. Just grab a mix and enjoy making the bead! Val's book has a lot of different ideas for how to use frit in a bead; it is a great resource. 

I often feel like I am kind of cheating when I use a prepared frit mix in a bead and it takes a little bit of the creativity away, so I try not to lean on them too heavily. That said, I seem to be in a bit of a frit loving stage. I mean Gaffer's or Reichenbach's royal purple or purple rose frit is simply irresistible! 

While thinking about some of the things that happen when a couple of different frits are mixed, or just a touch more of something is added to a mix, I realized that maybe the frit colors could basically be stacked instead of using them all at once in a mix. Say, for instance, you are inspired by the colors in a violet. Instead of using green and purple together, why not put on some green and then add some purples randomly on top of it. Would this not give more of a violet feet to the whole bead? (Without all the trouble of having to actually put wee violets all over it). How about rolling the bead in a larger size purple frit and then a smaller one~you can see in this example that little bits of purple are on larger dots of purple. Those larger bits of purple must have been sticking out when the smaller purple frit was added, making it look like glass dots were placed on the larger purple bits. Another fun idea!

Today was a 'frit stacking' experiment day. I was pretty happy with the results. As a bonus, interesting reactions sometimes occur between the frits. Here are a couple of the beads and how they happened.

This pink bead started with a base of clear, then CIM rose quartz with triton frit at one end and then another layer of clear all around. The triton was reduced to bring out some shine and then encased for a little extra background play, though that was rather lost in the shuffle after everything else was added. Some Reichenbach iris amber green, opal raspberry and copper ruby were added over the clear layer. These three frits were all about the same size. You can see that some rather interesting things ended up happening on this bead.

Another bead was a play of organic colors and purples. I didn't write down the colors on this bead, but I believe I started with a background of amber green iris (which changes colors a bit as you go), then some large Reichenbach purple rose frit, and then small Gaffer purple rose, which I put all the way across the bead. I don't believe I added any actual green frit to this bead; the iris amber green can make its own green in some instances.

Here are closeups of both of these beads to show some of the yummy reactions that happened!

Viking Inspired Whorl Ideas~ New Glass Whorl Styles

It's time to talk about whorls again! For the last several years I have been making handmade glass whorls that are used for Viking style spinning. Slowly but surely, things keep moving along. First there were single whorls, then pairs of whorls that spun together, and now I seem to be in a phase of making longer single whorls. My busy brain is always ready to pursue a new idea; then it seems I abandon old things and move on! 

There are a few different design ideas affecting my whorl making these days. First and foremost are single conical whorls, which are a bit longer and thinner than past styles. The shape simply appeals to me. It seems like the extra weight near the center is making them spin nicely and possibly longer than the shorter, wider whorls. The conical shape also allows extra weight at the outside edge. Some extra added glass 'bobbles' can add yet more weight at the outside, as well as visual interest. 

The next thing is colors and designs~ oh my! This is where I get excited. I've been making a lot of two-tone beads with a line of something or other swirled between. Sometimes there's a touch of frit (wee bits of broken glass) involved, or goldstone, or a glass that changes colors and reacts in the flame. I may even add a little handmade murrini to jazz up the bobbles between the colors. There's often a bit of a 'happy accident' involved (and sometimes an unhappy accident~ ha,ha). The style can seem rather simple, but again, the look just hits me right.

  Finally, there's encased silver foil with frit or murrini or something trapped within or added on the outside. These are not new techniques for me, but not something I've concentrated on much in the world of whorls. An additional part of this idea is something I am calling an accidental whorl, though it has now become an 'accidentally on purpose' whorl. These babies tend towards a round or bicone shape and were originally made to be worn. One day I made one that seemed just a little bit too large to actually wear and still stand upright. I popped it on a spindle and, well, it spun like a top. Because these were originally meant as wearable beads, the holes are straight. 

One more little flight of thought~ one may wonder, why not just make whorls like the wearable beads? Can it be done? Of course it can, however... I often find that a particular type of bead begs a particular shape or design. I could not tell you why! Have I ever made a bead that is similar in shape and design with a tapered hole? Why yes, but it seems it is not something that my brain directs me to do with ease!

Here's that red accidental whorl spinning its little heart out!

A Short Story About the Birth of a Glass, Felt & Suminagashi Studio

Here's a little something I've never thought to do~ write up a wee bio for public consumption. So here's a bit of information I think folks might find interesting about me and my work.

Work, you say? Well, that's what we call it around here! I began making lampwork glass beads in 1999 when I purchased a bead making kit for my daughter (ha,ha). She rushed off to college in short order, where she was not allowed to have a torch in her dorm room ~ who knows why? So I was left with a torch, a book, a bunch of glass and time on my hands. I made beads. And more beads. And I found that there was a lot I didn't know, so I made yet more beads. And bought more books, and more glass. The internet intruded with its wealth of information, and then I found there was yet more to learn. A vicious cycle to be sure! And so Isinglass Design was born.

At this point, I've learned so much that I've shared a lot of it on this blog. Take a look around for tutorials and general gibberish about lampwork bead making.

You can see some of my old work on flickr and more recent stuff on pinterest, or pop over to my facebook page. You are also allowed to follow me on instagram if that's more up your alley. Of course there's stuff for sale in my etsy shop~

But bead making is not all I do in the world of arts and crafts these days. I started working with wool and making felt in about 2015. I've made scarves and bowls and puppets and purses. Right on this blog I show how some of those things were made. Look here to see how I got interested in the world of fiber.

And then, more fool me, just before we were all sequestered, I went to an introduction to suminagashi workshop at the local library. So now I play with ink and paper when I can think of nothing else to do! Want to try it yourself? Read here for a bit more info.

Surely no one needs to know more about me than this? But truly, if you look around this blog and watch me on instagram, you will definitely know more than you bargained for!

P.S. my name is Laurie~ yeah I did forget that bit...

Medieval and Viking style glass whorls for hand spinning

Just a wee post to show off some of my handmade glass whorls, because I fear I have made a few too many. And of course I want to make more! These are based on historical whorls found in various areas from Medieval and Viking times. 

I cannot say they are historically accurate, because the designs are pretty modern. To read more about how these were developed for my shop, you can refer to this bit on my blog.

https://isinglassdesign.blogspot.com/2014/03/spin-spider-spin-experiments-with.html

 

 

 

Over time, the style has gone from single whorls, to whorl pairs (for extra weight and flexibility), and now to a longer style meant to be used alone. Because change is good, right?

You can find them in my etsy shop~ https://www.etsy.com/shop/glassbead

Suminagashi, the Video

Time to make a suminagashi video with a few examples of interesting things I have learned! The video in all its glory can be found on youtube (it's called  The Suminagashi Movie), with captions to help things along. I'm sort of assuming you've got a basic handle on how this technique works already.

Below is more information about some of the things you'll see in that video.To the left is the finished (still wet) print.






This is just about 1/2 inch of water in a baking pan, with black and blue sumi ink. Nothing fancy. This is pan is solely dedicated to suminagashi~ no ink in the food chain! I do this right next to my sink, which makes it neater, but does not give 360 degree access. The ink has had a drop or two of sumifactant (see below) added to it to help it float and control the spread.

The first thing demonstrated is a way to move the ink designs around. If you place each drop of ink at the base of the previous circle, instead of in the center, the design will move across the water. You can see the different ways the design moves all through this video.

Some early tests

The 'clear' in the first part of the video is nose oil- to use this, rub the base of a brush against the outside of your nose to pick up a little oil (eww...) and use that to make empty circles. This gives a really nice controlled circle inside the colored ink. Another option is to add about a drop of photoflow to a teaspoon of water and use that to make clear spaces in your design. Or try a touch of soap in water and see how it works!

In most cases, a brush is loaded with ink and touched lightly to the surface of the water to make a circle, but there are times when that circle is just not big enough. Then it's time for a double dip or a little longer or deeper dip into the water. If the ink starts looking too thin, wipe the brush off and load it again- water seeps into the brush as it is used.

Accent dots can be added here and there and, again, moved and shaped by adding ink in different areas relative to those dots. Very interesting designs can be made with this method!

The design can be further manipulated by blowing gently or strongly or through a straw, or by fanning with a hand fan. It is not necessary to do all of these techniques in each piece. Remember, sometimes less is more!

Sumifactant (a special surfactant made by Colophon Books) and photoflow  are great for pushing the design around. Careful! Both of these can move things about powerfully. Photoflow seems to be the strongest pusher, and therefore the least reliable. Sumifactant is a little more controllable.
If desired, even after all of this manipulation, you can still add more ink! (Because sometimes more is more~ ha,ha). I often do this to help consolidate the design so more of it will fit on the paper!

The paper used in the video is a very pale purple unryu of about 25 grams. Unryu is my favorite paper type to date; pretty strong and a bit see through with a lovely texture. The lighter weight unryu does not have a very good wet strength. To pick up the design, start at one corner of the paper and lay it on the water as evenly as possible. This paper has great pickup and very rarely comes away with a missed spot or line.

Leave the paper on just until the design shows through the back, lift carefully by one edge and then immediately put it on a flat surface ( I use a large plastic lid), then rinse gently so spare ink comes off. After it is a bit drier, I move it to a glass tabletop until mostly dry, then sandwich it with plain paper and press it for a couple of days under  some weight (a pile of books).

Glass Bottles ~ Lampwork Tips

Little lampwork glass bottles are quite a lot of fun to make over a torch- when everything goes according to plan! Because I know these can be used for some very special purposes, I tried to keep calm and think happy thoughts as I make them. Which is usually not too hard. They have their challenges, but the final result is often surprisingly nice!
For the glass makers in the crowd, I'll give a few pointers. These are made at the end of a hollow steel tube which has been dipped in bead release. I like to use KRAG mudd because it is strong and cleans out nicely.

* Dip the mandrels the night before so the bead release will be firmly attached to the steel.
* Make a small bead right near the end of the mandrel~ this will be the neck of the bottle. Make the ends of this bead nice before continuing. You will need to keep this area warm the whole time you are working on your bottle so that it won't detach from the mandrel. Bounce it in and out of the flame often keeping the mandrel warm as well.
* Begin wrapping the glass at the base of the neck as you would for a hollow bead.  Because you will add several layers and blow it out and expand it later, the bead does not to be as large as the finished bottle will be. Apply one or two layers of glass and do a 'test blow' to be sure there are not weak spots that will blow out before proceeding.
* Add decorations- more colors, enamel, silver foil, whatever your heart desires! Melt everything together carefully and manipulate as you wish. Don't let the whole bottle get floppy while you do this. If things start getting messy, remember to take the bottle out of the flame and let it stiffen up; let gravity work for you too!
* Shape into a basic teardrop shape, then blow a little air in to expand. Reshape, flatten a bit if desired, blow in a bit more air and continue shaping.
* Add a lip wrap~ just one or two wraps around the top of the neck.

* Add handles~ put a dot of the lip wrap color on one side, then halfway around. If they look straight, add a thin bit of glass even with the dot from the bottle side up to the lip wrap. Melt gently and open and shape the handle using a poking tool. Add another handle on the other side. Handles may need to be shaped more than once.
*  Check the shape of the bottle and adjust as needed.
*  Heat the base, attach a thin rod to it and pull gently to make the end more pointed.
*  Check it all again, make sure everything is warm and pop it into your kiln!

Suminagashi, Tracking it Down!

Several weeks ago, I was delighted to take a suminagashi workshop at my local library. What, you might ask, is suminagashi? Well, suminagashi means 'floating ink'-it's the Japanese art of making prints from ink floating on water.  The woman who was guiding us was fairly new to it all, but enjoying it so much that she had to share. A few hours later, I was hooked! Floating ink on water to get random fractal-like patterns is just plain fun! I've seen it recommended as a project for kids and I can imagine they'd love it too. But here's the thing~ there is not a lot of suminagashi instruction to be had. I've started myself a pinterest board and have been adding everything I can to it.

Don Guyot's pamphlet Suminagashi, an Introduction to Paper Marbling is available from Colophon Book Arts Supply, which also has some great suminagashi supplies. This is filled with great information.

Suminagashi: The Japanese Art of Marbling : A Practical Guide by Anne Chambers is quite good, with information gleaned from a number of experts she met in Japan.

The Ultimate Marbling Handbook by Diane Maurer-Mathison has a very informative chapter on Suminagashi as well, with information on making double prints, among other things.

The Little Book of Book Making by Charlotte Rivers has a short chapter by Ruth Bleakly with instructions and a few great tips.

 Add the information in all of these books together and you'll get a pretty complete overview of most everything you'll need to get started with you own experiments!

Other than that, there is the rare art book Suminagashi-Zome, a translation from Tokutaro Yagi's Japanese instructions, published by the Heyeck Press in 1991. Unfortunately, it is a pretty expensive and hard to find tome. I've got my eyes peeled!

I've been experimenting with so many different things- types of paper, different inks, double dipping, printing on both sides... The list goes on! I'll have to tell you results and what I think I've learned a bit later. In the meantime, the pieces pictured here are just a few examples of what I've done so far.