When I first began beading, I didn’t know what a lampwork bead was. I now know they’re little works of art, and the best are handmade, not factory made, by artisans all over the world. The beads are made by melting rods of glass over a flame from a gas-powered torch with either air or oxygen as the oxidizer. The beads are then put in a kiln to be annealed, or slowly cooled to avoid thermal shock.
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| My own kiln and torch. |
There are two types of glass — soft glass, or soda lime glass, and borosilicate glass, commonly known as boro glass. Soft glass melts at lower temperatures, while boro glass melts at higher temps, requires a hotter torch, and the glass rods are more costly.
Today I’m going to show you some beautiful lampwork beads found on Etsy. Enjoy!
“Red Sky at Night” by Blue Lagoon Beads
“Wagga Wagga” by Helen Chalmers
“Thrill in Brazil” beads by Amie3
“Tequila Sunrise” by Silver Reflection
“Bottom of the Sea” by Mandella Glass
I hope you’ve enjoyed my choices, and be sure to check the handmade supplies section at Etsy for more lampwork beads!
Lori Anderson writes the blog Pretty Things and creates jewelry for her web site, Lori Anderson Designs. She is also the creator of the Bead Soup Blog Party.