The conversation at my show booth usually goes a little something like this:
Customer: "I love this bracelet (or earrings, necklace, etc.)... so unique and colorful, where did you find such unique beads?!"
Me: "Thank you! The silver findings I buy and I make all of the glass beads from Italian glass through a process called lampworking."
Customer: "Oh! (with confused look on face) But where did you get the beads from?"
So then I usually explain that I make all of the beads by a process called lampworking and I use a 2000 degree torch made specifically for beadmaking. It's an arduous and time consuming task but it usually gets the job done (I think).
I have been selling my jewelry now at shows and online for just a few years and even though there is a huge glass bead community out there, most of my customers still have no idea what lampworking is, which is why I decided to dedicate this particular blog to this discussion.
Below is a picture of me lampworking in my studio.
So what the heck is lampworking anyway?
Lampworking is a process of glassworking or beadmaking where a propane/oxygen based torch is used to melt hot glass over a steel rod. The rod creates the hole over which the bead is formed. Various tools and hand positions are used to mold the glass into the desired shape. Even though today we use torches specifically designed for beadmaking, this technique is known as lampworking since oil lamps were originally used in older times as the fire source for beadmaking. Even more detailed information about this process can be found here.
Hopefully this clears some things up for my customers.
As always feel free to e-mail me with any questions or feedback about my work. And if you're interested in learning how to make glass beads yourself, feel free to join my mailing list . Oh and I forgot to mention, new items are always up on my etsy page!
