Suspended Glass Panel

Steps 1-2

Steps:

1. Place a sheet of release paper into the kiln.

2. To make the flowers, cut different size squares of various colors of glass using a glasscutter. Cut thin rectangles of various green pieces of glass for the stems and leaves.

Step 3

3. Cut off the corners of the square glass pieces to shape flower petals with glass nippers. Cut pieces of clear textured glass for each piece of colored glass so there are two layers for each flower to keep the piece sturdy.

Step 4

4. Cut pieces of clear glass to make the double thickness of the stem pieces. Cut some of the rectangular pieces into triangles with the glass nippers.

Step 6

5. Assemble the design directly on the release paper in the kiln, layering the clear and colored glass pieces.

6. Sprinkle glass frit into the centers of some of the flowers.

Steps 7-8

7. Fire the piece in the kiln and let cool overnight.

8. Remove the fused glass from the kiln and measure for the frame.

Step 11

9. Cut four pieces of steel tubing to the measurements for the frame using a metal saw. Miter the corners.

10. Mark and drill holes into the steel pieces spacing the holes evenly.

11. Place the four pieces of steel tubing in a square with right angle clamps in the corners to make sure the corners are square.

Steps 12-13

12. Weld the four sides into a frame wearing welding safety equipment. Weld loops at the top corners of the frame for hanging.

13. Paint the frame with black spray paint. Let dry.

Step 15

14. Coil smaller gauge wire with a wire coiler, making 25 to 30 wire coils.

15. Cover pieces of larger gauge wire with the wire coils.

Step 17

16. Anchor one end of a wire through one of the holes in the frame and twist the end to secure using needle-nose pliers.

17. Weave the other end of the wire through the flowers in the fused glass piece to anchor it to the frame.

Step 18

18. Repeat the anchoring process using around 20 wires securing them through the drilled holes in the frame and wrapping the wires around the flowers in the fused glass panel.

Step 19

19. Add the remaining coiled wire to the suspended glass panel as decoration, curling them in pleasing configurations. Twist the ends.

Lisa Mote of Newborn, Ga., studied art in college, but didn't work with stained glass until taking it up as a hobby shortly after graduation. After working full time as a stained-glass artist and having five children, she saw some fused glass pieces she thought she'd like to incorporate into her work. Before long, glass fusing took over and stained glass took a back seat. After taking a welding class, she started incorporating glass and metal together to create her own unique pieces.

Website: www.lisasglassstudio.com