Wearable Glass Purse

Glassmaker Lisa Renée Falk creates a wearable glass purse.

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Filed under: Handmade, Crafts, Art, How To

Materials and Tools:

thermally compatible fusible glass:
-two shades of blue
-two shades of green
-lavender
-turquoise
various yarns, Fun Fur, Eyelash yarn
galvanized gray wire mesh (hardware cloth)
needle and thread
yarn needle
clear nylon cording
stiff cotton lace
circle glasscutter
glass nippers
wire cutters
scissors
kiln
glass grinding machine or file
glass cleaner
soft cloth
permanent marker
paper

Figure A

Steps:

1. Sketch a purse design (figure A) and choose a color palette of desired glass and yarn.

Figure B

2. Cut glass circles in various sizes with a glass circle cutter.

2-inch outer circles
1-1/2-inch center circles
1-inch inner circles

Vary the colors of the glass circles (figure B).

3. Grind off or file the rough edges and clean off the glass.

Figure C

4. Layer the glass circles in graduated stacks of three with the largest on the bottom and smallest on top. Place in a kiln and fuse at 1500 F and anneal for 12 hours (figure C).

5. To make the purse, use wire cutters to cut one piece of 17" x 8" wire mesh, which will become the front, bottom and back of purse. Cut two 6-1/2" x 4" sidepieces. Cut out a 17" x 2" handle from wire mesh.

6. Fold the 17" x 8" piece of mesh 6-1/2 inches from each end to form a U shape which will become the front, bottom and back of the purse. The purse will measure 8" x by 6-1/2" high. The bottom will measure 4 inches.

Figure D

7. Whip stitch the sidepieces to the front and back pieces at the edges using nylon cording (figure D).

Figure E

Attach the ends of the handle to the sidepieces centered at the top in the same manner (figure E).

Figure F

8. Thread a yarn needle with eyelash yarn and whip stitch all the edges, covering the nylon cording. Whip stitch the top edges of the purse and the edges of the handle. If desired, add a second color of yarn over top of the first yarn (figure F).

9. Arrange three glass shapes as desired on both the front and back of the purse, for a total of six shapes. Cut six squares of stiff cotton lace large enough to cover each glass shape.

Figure G

10. Place one of the lace squares over a glass shape and using a needle and yarn, hand stitch the lace to the purse encasing the glass shape between the lace and the purse (figure G).