Born to Bead – Making Beads of Distinction

Pasta Pasta Pasta, now I know we are cooking with gas but anyone thinking Italian. No I’m not refering to hot Italian stud or flaming hot Ferarri. Instead I’m referring to hot Italian glass, well more the temperature your glass decorations can withstand. As a tutor one of the most common mistakes I see made by students is the inability to manage heat control and thereby control their decorations. Very often when learning we place our dots and decorations on hastily, then hold the bead in the working part of flame until molten, at which point we realise that it’s gone too far and the bead starts to warp, decorations start floating around. It’s at this stage I bring out the pasta. Think of glass as pasta, al dente. Pasta will continue to cook once removed from the stove. When adding your decorations don’t melt the decorations down completely. Rather heat the bead until the decorations are two thirds where you want them to be then remove the bead from the flame and wait for the glass to settle, it will continue to cook when taken from the flame. This gives you better control over the resulting pattern. Slow down and your decorations will thank you for it.