Decorative Glasswork Course

A month or so ago, I decided it was time for me to do 'something' and emerge from what has been happening. I didn't have a clear idea of what I'd get up to instead preferring to see what caught my eye, inspired me or lead me to expand my horizons. Things had been very hard going this year and I felt I had to 'DO' something to either help normalise/ rebalance my life or if nothing else just give me a new focus. As always when this type of spur to action occurs I can get quite immersed, which is why this blog has diverged from beading to other crafts, old and new, for me.

As the new leisure classes were about to start I was browsing around and saw a decorative glasswork course on offer at the old Glasgow College of Building and Printing that I just had to apply to join. It's now City of Glasgow College but to me it is always known by its old name.

On the first week we learned to score the glass to cut it, to make curves and to cut out a simple pattern of a little bird. I am not sure whether he is a dove of peace, a bluebird of happiness or a bright canary but the words I was calling his tail section which kept breaking on me were less than charitable. Once he was cut out though we got to try out grinding and smoothing the edges in preparation for copper foiling the next week. He came out well and now lives on my dining room wall.

The other hangings are a favourite hand-drawn map of Colonsay and Oronsay, somewhere I've never actually been! I used to be into cartography as a child and teenager and I think this was the first grown up picture I bought myself. The other is a picture of a very young me in one of my first school uniforms. I say first as I was in seven schools due to my parents or schools relocating. I was always the kid with the uniform from a previous school as my Mother made me 'wear out' each one! I'm not sure the pics will remain on this wall, especially the school photo which makes friends laugh helplessly, but at least I know where they are till I find them a new position.

There are only four newbies in the glasswork class with the rest being returners who are working on on-going projects. Everyone was very friendly and happy to discuss their project. They were impressive and so inspiring. So far I've worked on a chain of three hearts which are still waiting to be linked together and hung up, and this week I started a simple Christmas tree tee-light project to tide me over till I can get the glass for my new glass/chainmaille project. I'm liking it so much I might be one of next term's returners.