During this past year, many of you have mentioned that you’d love to learn how to create stained glass yourself.

Well, today is your lucky day!

I will be teaching an Intro to Stained Glass class at The Art Center at Ambler (45 Forest Ave., Ambler, PA 19002) beginning the second Wednesday of January, 2019. The class will be held from 6:30 – 9:30 pm each Wednesday evening from January 9 through February 20, 2019 (weather permitting). All of the details and sign up info can be found under the Classes and Workshops tab.

The class will cover pattern-making, glass cutting, copper foil method of panel assembly, soldering and finishing. We will begin with an easy 3-piece sun catcher, graduate to a slightly larger panel and then practice your skills while building a larger panel of your choice. Once completed you will have the basic skills necessary for making basic stained glass windows and more.

The class will also cover:

• Where to set up a workspace and safety concerns
• Necessary tools and supplies including any tools you may already own
• Various types of glass, copper foil, solder and flux
• Incorporating found objects in your projects.

The details…

The class runs for 7 weeks starting with a small apple sun catcher pictured above. The three piece project will give you a good feel for cutting glass and it is fairly free form as every apple is individual.

Your second project will be one of a few specific small panels such as a quilt square or the art deco mirror frame pictured here. You will have the opportunity to look through pattern books and choose your own designs if these are not to your liking. These projects will need to fit a specific space and help you develop more accuracy. It will also provide more practice soldering your copper foil seams. By the 5th class, you will most likely be working on a third project of your choosing.

I will provide a $20 first project packet which will include pattern making supplies, practice and apple glass and the consumables needed such as foil, solder, flux and a bit of solderable wire. I will also supply tools for you to borrow if you do not have tools of your own.

Bring from home:

Each student will be asked to bring some items from home once registered for the class including:

• A roll paper towels
• Square carpet piece or glass cutting surface 18”x18” (approx.)
• 18”x18” square sheet rock/wall board (available in small pieces at home improvement store for $5 or so)
• A Sharpie Marker
• 12” ruler and a pen
• Metal push pins
• Eye protection (I have a dozen or so in case folks forget or don’t take this seriously)
• Band aids (can’t have too many!)
• Cellulose Sponge and small ceramic dessert or bread plate (that will never be used for food again!)
• Rubber gloves (optional)
• Dawn Dishwashing soap
• Soft nail brush
• Soft cloth such as an old t-shirt
• Old toothbrush
• A box to carry all of your stuff

Once you’ve decided that breaking glass is a lot of fun, you may choose to purchase tools and supplies directly through me or shop at the limited number of (relatively) local or online stained glass suppliers. *Fair warning… stained glass can be a very expensive hobby. The old joke applies… “If you want to make a small fortune in Stained Glass, start with a large one!”

Click here for more details including registration costs, supply lists and sign up info (links to online or mail in registration are at the top of that page.)

I can’t wait to share my love of stained glass with you! Hope you can join us!

Have questions?

Art Center at Ambler Open House

Stop by The Art Center at Ambler (45 Forest Ave., Ambler, PA 19002) for an Open House on Wednesday, December 12 or Thursday, December 13 from 6:30 – 9:30 pm to meet the teachers. I’ll be there both evenings to answer any questions you might have!