Stained Glass: fun to work with...and a profitable home craft

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by JO FROHBIETER MUELLER

Making stained, leaded glass items is a snap ... and selling them is even easier. I know because, until six months ago, my husband and I had never even touched a piece of stained glass. And now ... now we have thirteen windows, several lamps, an assortment of suncatchers, and many other items to our credit. And, even when we quote "uptown" prices for our "out in the sticks" work, Wayne and I are amazed at the number of folks who seem eager to purchase our stained glass handiwork.

WE GOT INTO THE CRAFT BY ACCIDENT

Actually, we never intended to make this a full or even a part-time business (we still don't), since my husband and I are both employed and we both already have far too many homestead, gardening, writing, and other projects started as it is. Like so many others (as we've since learned), all we really wanted to do a half year ago was buy a stained glass window for our home.

But that was easier said than done. No matter how hard we looked, we couldn't seem to find a single available stained glass window. "Aha! " we told each other, "We'll run an ad in the newspaper. That'll turn up something." So we took out the ad ... and drew a complete blank. Not a single soul answered.

"Well, to heck with buying a window, then," we said. "We'll just get a stained glass how-to book and make our own."

And, as we soon proved to our own surprise, that was almost easier done than said. The following brief rundown of what we now know about making and selling stained glass work is certainly not an exhaustive treatise on the subject. But it is more than enough information to get you started in the craft.

TYPES AND SOURCES OF GLASS

Some stained glass pieces are assembled from stock that is cut to shape, while others are formed from unfaceted glass nuggets formed somewhat like drop cookies (that is, with rounded surfaces and flat bottoms). The slight curvature of the glass in these globs causes light to reflect, making the drops particularly useful in suncatchers (small, decorative, multi-colored designs that are hung up in windows). These large glass "beads" can be bought at craft stores ... but I've found that their prices can range all the way from lit for the 1/20 and 3/4" nuggets (50 for the 1-1/2" size) to 30c for a single globule. It pays to shop around!

Although large sheets of colored glass cost a bundle, smaller chunks-which work fine for most projects-can be bought from stained glass companies or art glass studios for a nominal sum. These sources usually sell broken glass by the pound and allow you to dig through their scrap pile to find the best pieces ... remember, though, to wear leather gloves while you rummage in the heap so you won't cut yourself.