I’m always looking for new and interesting ways to work with fused glass, and this unique mold caught my attention! Unlike traditional molds used to slump glass into different shapes, this one has beautiful flowing grooves that are actually part of the design process. The idea is to fill those grooves with colorful glass frit (tiny pieces of crushed glass), then place a sheet of compatible glass directly on top. During firing, the frit and glass fuse together, creating a beautiful pattern of flowing lines right in the glass itself. What makes this technique so exciting is that the design is created from underneath rather than on top of the glass. It’s a fun twist on traditional glass fusing, and I couldn’t wait to experiment with it!
What makes this mold even more interesting is that it does two things in one firing! As the glass reaches full-fuse temperature, the colorful frit melts and fuses into the clear glass, creating beautiful flowing ribbons of color. But that’s not all! The mold itself has a gentle curve, so as the glass softens, it also takes on a slight slump, giving the finished piece a subtle curved shape rather than remaining completely flat. It’s almost like combining full fusing and slumping into one step! For this piece, I used bright yellow and orange frit, which really stands out against the clear glass. I love how the colors follow the wavy grooves, creating a design that looks like it’s flowing right through the glass!
One of the coolest things about this technique is that the finished piece looks different depending on which side you’re viewing! In the photo on the left, the textured side is facing up, and you can see and feel the flowing grooves created by the mold. The yellow and orange frit adds beautiful pops of color along those textured lines. In the photo on the right, I’ve flipped the piece over so the smooth glass side is facing up, with the colorful frit fused underneath. You can still see the design through the clear glass, but it has a different appearance. I love that one side highlights the texture while the other showcases the colors through the glass. Two beautiful looks from one firing! Which side do you like better?
I have to say, I’m really pleased with how this piece turned out! The combination of bright yellow and orange frit, flowing textured lines, and the gentle curve makes this such a unique piece of fused glass. What I especially love is that one mold can create so many possibilities just by changing the frit colors, combinations, and placement. I’m already imagining how beautiful this would look in shades of blue and green, or even a rainbow of colors! That’s one of the things I love most about fused glass—there’s always another technique to try, another idea to explore, and another reason to fire up the kiln! Stay tuned, because I definitely plan to experiment with this mold again!
If you would like to see more of my fused glass work, please refer to my website Elegant Fused Glass by Karen. If you get a chance, check out all my site and my Elegant Fused Glass by Karen YouTube. If you would like to stay abreast of what I’m up-to and learn a little more about jewelry, check out our newsletter. It is published the last day of each month.
Keeping my Kiln warm,
Karen
