How to Make Stained Glass – The Missing Know-How
Step-by-step Tiffany-style
Learning how to make stained glass is easier if you take one step at a time. These Copper Foil Tutorials guide you through each process starting at the beginning with designing tips and pattern ideas.
By the time you get to the final patina and polish tutorial, you'll be an expert too!
Improve your soldering
With video and close-up photos showing you how to achieve a smoother seam.
Patina and polish
The final stage. Polish your stained glass panel until it sparkles! With information on which type of patina to use and how to stop that ugly white residue building up. Includes video.
Decorative soldering
Add a special 'something' to your gifts with this gorgeous decorative soldered edge. For more experienced learners looking for a challenge!
Cutting glass circles
Watch this video to learn how to cut a perfect circle using just a cutter and grozer/breaker pliers.
All the stained glass tools you need
Choosing stained glass tools is one of the real pleasures of stained glass. But what if you’re not sure which tools you actually need and which ones to buy?
Here’s where you’ll find reviews and recommendations to help you choose the best essential tools that will last for years to come.
Stained glass kits
You might choose to buy a ready-made kit instead of selecting the tools individually. Make sure the high quality stained glass kit you choose contains everything you need.
Grinder reviews
Cut down on waste and achieve precision fits with a stained glass grinder. Discover which grinder comes out top for value and quality.
A look at glass cutters
Enjoy cutting stained glass and reduce breakage by choosing the best glass cutter.
Step-by-step lead came
These stained glass instructions focus on the wonderful time-honoured technique of leaded stained glass. If you want to make a larger panel with strong lines and surface texture, then these Lead Came Tutorials are for you.
This making technique is especially good for external panels that need to be waterproof.
Step-by-step glass painting
These instructions cover everything you need to know about stained glass painting, ranging from different types of paint and how to choose the right one for you; step-by-step guides to painting techniques and advice on buying materials and suppliers.
There are clear and detailed instructions for those who have never done painting before, alongside more advanced tutorials for the more experienced.
Keeping safe
Vital tips on keeping safe in your studio. Think of it like your house insurance - you might not ever use it the knowledge but just having it gives you a warm glow. And it leaves you free to create without worry. Keep safe!
*No wine was drunk, cigarettes smoked or chocolate eaten in the making of this photo.
What Students Think
"Milly taught me I CAN do this. I feel very confident about the skills I've learned & am already starting a new piece."
Kathy Saulton
"I'm learning so many tricks and tips I hadn't thought of before. Your course and videos are so great."
Cindy Miller
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I want to make a stained glass garden panel. The sides will extend about 6 inches below the piece to insert into the ground. What would be the best material to use for the sides?
You can get rods out of these solderable metals Ellen: copper, brass and steel. I hope that helps.
For those of us who have to fill in gaps or even on the straight line still have difficulty giving the came that polished perfectly smooth look I’ve found something that works. When going over your came after you’ve soldered the pieces together, move the iron in wavy motions that leave an unfinished look. Next, use either black or copper patina and let it dry. Finally with a good glass polish put it on liberally, especially on the came, let dry and then rub out the polish vigorously. You’ll be amazed at the new look.
Great tip Michael, thanks so much for posting. I’m sure other ‘glassers’ will be rushing to give it a try 🙂
When needing a small amount of black paint on a suncatcher, use black nail polish.
Good tip Andrea, thanks so much.
Hi There
I’m making a jewellery with only 2 components for the lid. I’m sure the single joint down the middle won’t be strong enough. Is there a way of strengthening the lid fron underneath?
It’s not a practical design to have what’s called a hinge point: a straight line dividing a piece in two. The best thing would be to add a couple of shapes to strengthen the design.
If you really don’t want to do that you could add Re-Strip between the shapes either side of this straight line and all around the perimeter. Not the easiest thing in the world to keep neat!
I hope that helps.
Hi Milly,
Want to make a panel for my octagon window in my entrance foyer. How do I make the pattern for the window so it fits properly. I tried measuring and transferring the measurements to brown paper however it didn’t fit properly.
Thank you,
Rose
You must make a template for these windows. They’re hardly ever symmetrical so mark the top!
Cut a piece of paper slightly bigger than the window opening. Then cut out a few small holes in different places so you can tape the paper to the existing window. That secures the paper in place.
Cut some slits down from the edge and fold the excess paper back, creasing it along the edge of the opening. Stick the slit part down as you go. Continue around the perimeter. Mark which way is up and write any additional information directly on the paper.
Trace the paper onto a fresh sheet of paper to make your pattern. Add any notes you made, including the mark for ‘up’.
I hope that helps. Very good question Rose, thanks for asking.
Thanks Milly, will give it a try. I’ll let you know how it turns out.
Rose
Start your design with a half inch lead around the circumference. That way you can trim off any imperfections on the wood frame you are setting the glass into.
Good point Andrea, thanks. You can see how to leave the correct gap around the edge on my measuring page here.
Hi milly
How do you decide what copper foil to use on a project, there are so many different types and I am unsure what they should be used on.
Many thanks for a great website and tutorials.
The colour of the back of the copper foil is normally chosen to match your intended finish. So if you are going to use black patina on the piece, then choose black-backed foil.
The width is a balance of structure and aesthetics (see above) and the weight determines how pliable the foil is – and how easy it it to split. The lighter the foil the less strength it has.
Good question Lorranine, thanks.
Thank you so much for all your tips and tutorials. I am having an issue with my piece being bendy where i soldered 2 long straight pieces together. What could be causing this? Not enough space between glass pieces to for the “h” with solder?
This is normally due to a hinge point Stephanie. If you have a line that goes straight across it either needs support at the sides and/or reinforcing internally. It’s difficult for me to say more without seeing the piece.
Hi Milly, I’m making the leap & going to purchase a Came Bender this week….can you make a recommendation? I hate to spend this kind of money @ end up with piece of garbage…thanks, Denise
The Cascade one works really well Denise. When you get one, make sure you go through slowly and as many times as you need to get the correct curve. Good luck!
Grinding head
Good afternoon, a silly question, but – with normal use, how long should a grinding head last.
Also, what indication is there that the head has worn down. I have used a few
over the years, and some are of good quality, some are not.
There’s no such thing as a silly question Lizzie but it is difficult to answer. There are so many different factors; how hard you press, how much you ask of the stained glass grinder for example.
You can see that the grinder bit is worn down as it becomes smooth and you have to press harder and harder to get it to work. I hope that helps some.
In a recent post, you told one way to find the center of a rectangle: 1. Mark the center of each side. 2. Connect the centers of opposite sides. 3. The intersection of the two lines you just drew is the center.
A quicker, and probably more accurate, method is to draw the two diagonals. They intersect at the center. (You may have said that too, but my memory is a bit fuzzy.)
I often get interrupted when working and have to remove the nitrile gloves I wear. Though I remove them carefully, I have trouble remembering which side is the outside. I’ve started marking the outside palms with a permanent marker before I remove the gloves.
Graeme Blake
Thanks for your tips Graeme, much appreciated. Good ideas both 🙂
I can’t seem to find the Layered Agate Roundel you mention in your E mail?
Oops, thanks for letting me know Lynn. I hadn’t published the page, doh! It’s working now from your email or you can find the Layered Roundel Instructions here.
Apologies!
Can you- someone ? please address how to insert bevels into copper foil stain glass. Love your courses(videos) . Have just started with stained glass and got a lot of good tips. Caren
Check the bevels for fit before you foil them – they’re sometimes a tiny bit ‘off’. If you have to grind to fit, stick blue tape on the underside to protect the glass as they scratch easily. Use a fine bit, gently! as they can chip too. Then foil in as normal. I hope that helps.
Thanks for the kind comment about my courses Caren 🙂
I couldn’t find a tallow candle in the US, but I did find pure mutton tallow, which works just fine as a flux for lead. Not at a stained glass supplies store, but at Walmart in their cosmetics section (EKO brand). If you don’t like it as a flux, you can always rub it on your skin: it’s supposed to give you a supple skin.
Good solution Graeme. There’s so many things you can use for flux; for example someone tried Vaseline for soldering copper foil seams and it worked just fine 🙂
Just a thought many of Picasso art could be made in Stained Glass
It absolutely could Edward, you could try giving one a go! Rouault is another artist whose work always looks like stained glass. He obviously thought so too because he did some stained glass himself.
There’s a very nice page here about artists and stained glass here.
Hi Milly, I’ve gotten so many great tips and ideas from your site and Pinterest. Now I’m in need for some help. I found a really cute dragonfly stained glass using a fork. I’ve tried it, but having problems getting the foil to stay on the fork after soldering the wings on. I realize I need to reinforce the wings as there will be a hinge problem where the wings attach to the fork. HELP. I can try to send a picture of the dragonfly, but not sure I know how. Maybe you have seen the same one I’m talking about. I believe I found it on Pinterest. ?? Thanks, Nancy
Thanks for your question Nancy. You can try emailing the stained glass image to me and I’ll have a look at it.
Hey Milly
Just wondering if there are any tips on when to use reinforcements to a larger foiled project ?
Thanx for all the useful tips
Terry
I’m in the process of putting together a tutorial about reinforcing Terry, thanks for the prompt. It’s an important part of making stained glass the often gets overlooked. Until I get around to it, there’s a very good eBook by Free Patterns for Stained Glass here.
I hope that helps.
Hello! Thanks for the super tips on every aspects of this beautiful technique ❤️
I have 1 question:
How do you repair the copper foil that opens (cracks) when we work on a very pronounced internal curve? Do you cover the cuts of the tape with small pieces of the same tape?
Hi Sil, yes, you’re spot on. Cut a short bit of copper foil and place it across the cracks. Use a sharp craft knife to get rid of the excess and and make it neat.
Thanks for your enthusiasm and question.
Milly,
I love your site and all your helpful tips. I’m am looking for a software to help me design and print my own patterns. Do you have any suggestions? Thank you
GlassEye 2000 is recommended by lots of my students so that’s the one I’d recommend. I have to say that (as yet) I haven’t used it as I have a Mac and it’s a bit harder to get it on my machine. Just so’s you know I’m not an expert!
Hi Milly, just reading your reply to Tina about the software, I have a Mac too and have loaded a virtual Windows machine on my Mac for all windows based software. It works like a bomb.
Thanks for the tip Maggie. I’ll have a look at doing just that – I need to see what everyone is raving about!
Hi Milly. I love your site and all I’ve learned from it. I have a slight problem. Awhile back I bought a vanity mirror for my daighter. It’s the kind that is round, has a light and is on a swivel stand. (Not unlike the stained glass half round stands). She dropped the mirror breaking one side. I want to keep the stand to put a round stained glass piece in it but I’m not sure how I would attach it. It doesn’t seem to take solder. Any suggestions. I’m not sure if I could post a pic here.
It’s difficult to answer without seeing the stand. Generally if a metal doesn’t take solder the first solution to try is to see if you can stick copper foil to it. Sorry I can’t be of more help and good luck!
I just want to say thank you for all the helpful advice on the Stained Glass Made Perfect and Leaded Stained Glass Artistry courses.
I’ve been working with stained glass for a couple of years now and decided to do your courses to improve my practice and answer a long list of questions.
Both courses have proved really useful and have improved both the way I work and also my confidence. Having the work books to hand are a real bonus. Thanks, Milly, I would recommend your courses to anyone.
Aw, that’s great to hear, thanks Adrienne. I’m glad the online courses were useful and that they’ll continue to be so – if you need to check something further down the line.
Thanks for taking the time to comment.
Hi thank you so much .Love your classes.
My question is- I have done a little project ( I am new)
now I want to paint 2 little eyes on it.
What kind of paint can I use?
Thank you.
You can use ‘cold’ glass paint for this. It’s called ‘cold’ because you don’t have to fire it in a kiln. It does mean that it isn’t permanent though. Or there are semi-permanent ones that you bake in a regular oven. Pebeo Vitrea 160 Oven Bake is a good example of this.
Thanks for your kind comments; I’m so glad you find my stained glass classes helpful.
Hi, you might find this useful. I have packs of leftover “overhead projector” copy sheets. They’re durable, reusable and easy to cleaan and dry and put away for future use. I copy my patterns onto them with my regular printer since they are clear but because I can print and copy in color, I have black or bright yellow edges when I cut them for easier transfer to light or dark glass. Feel free to send on if you find it useful.
That’s a top tip, thanks for sharing it Meg. Very ingenious and a good use for the acetates.
Merry Christmas Milly and everyone who reads this. I recommend your site to everyone I talk to about stained glass. I have picked up several very helpful hints just from the newsletters and signed up for the lead came course when it was on sale a few months back. What was perfect for me was that I was able to buy it then even knowing that I wasn’t able to do it at that time – I had two larger pieces on the go and too many Christmas items to do! – but that I could pick it up any time and refer back to the material any time in the future. The course is my first project for 2018. Thank you Milly for everything you do for the art of stained glass and Happy Creating New Year to everyone.
Hello Lynn, that’s so kind of you, thank you. I’m looking forward to seeing how you get on with the Leaded Stained Glass Artistry course. I think you’ll love it.
Your lovely testimonial makes me realise I should try and capture all these nice comments for other readers. It’s helpful when you’re wondering whether a teacher is any good 🙂
I am recently retired and am considering trying my hand at stained glass. Being on a fixed income I am concerned about the cost of buying sheets of glass at $8-10 each and wonder about the possibility of using reclaimed glass wear that I can purchase cheaply at garage sales…..is this feasible?
Hi Char, absolutely it is! You can use any sheet glass for stained glass. So if you can possibly stretch to getting the tools and materials then I’d recommend giving it a try.
Thank you so much. I am excited about the possibilities. There is so much excellent information on your website.
Go for it Char! Glad you find the site helpful.
Depression glass plates make beautiful circular discs when used with stained glass.
Hi I am very new with stained glass. I am looking for a support group to answer questions I have . Does anyone know if this site can help me with the basics?
Hi Robin, thanks for your question. I’m a bit biased as it’s my website but lots of visitors have told me they find the information on it very helpful to them. You’re welcome to browse all this information for free.
If you’re talking about my Stained Glass Made Perfect class, that’s something different. It’s a paid-for course that takes you through each stained glass process from beginning to end with lots of advice and tips along the way. Just right for you at this stage I would say.
There is a private forum attached to it with some very friendly people who are always happy to help out, support and encourage newcomers.
Does that answer your question? Let me know if you have any more.
I signed on for the Stained Glass Made Perfect course after working in stained glass for 3 years. I am always looking for ideas to improve my skills. I was not disappointed. I did not complete the project as I completed the course but simply wanted to learn ways to improve. I picked up many tips! I also love the fact that I can go back and view the videos anytime as well as having the workbooks. Thanks for a great class!
So glad you learned some new tips from the Stained Glass Made Perfect course Janie 🙂 I’m glad you’re using the accompanying workbooks too. When I’m learning I like to look and look and LOOK at videos too, so I’m happy to hear you’ll be checking back whenever you need to.
Thanks for taking the time to write your thoughts on the course.