Bold and Beautiful Bead Making: Pattern and Shape Exploration

Designing your jewelry is an incredibly rewarding experience. Glass bead-making is the perfect way to create truly unique pieces. With the basics of glass bead-making or Lampworking, you can create beads that perfectly match your style and preferences. You have complete control over the size, shape, and colors of the beads that will adorn your necklace, bracelet, or earrings.  

 The class will introduce you to the equipment and safety procedures necessary to start your journey towards creating beautiful, handmade jewelry. In the class, you'll learn the art of manipulating glass by heating it in a torch flame, wrapping the molten glass onto a mandrel, and using heat and gravity to shape the bead. The Flameworking class will equip you with the skills needed to work on the torch and the techniques to make basic beads, which can be decorated with different colors and textures.  

 By exploring color and form, you'll gain an understanding of how pattern and texture can transform your designs. The introductory glass bead class will provide a strong foundation to hone your skills and create stunning beads. You'll learn how to consistently form a good base bead, pull a stringer, and apply stringer decoration. You'll also learn how to create flattened beads, bi-cone beads, and barrels, among other types of beads.  

 By the end of the class, you'll have the confidence and knowledge to create beautiful glass beads that reflect your unique style and personality. Get ready to embark on a journey of creativity and self-expression and discover the joy of creating your handmade jewelry!

What to Expect:. Beadmaking requires a little practice at heat control with the torch to create successful beads. Students can anticipate making 2-6 successful pieces in this class, along with some failures, while also refining their skills in translating a specific object (in this case, fruit and fungi!) into glass. Clean-up time is included in the duration of class, and usually the last 20 minutes of class are dedicated to cleaning your workstation. Read more about how to prepare for class on our Registration Info page. 

While beadmaking, participants primarily engage in seated activities such as working with glass rods and torches. The environment can be bright and loud at times. Handling glass and tools may require a certain level of dexterity. To learn more about accessibility the Accessibility page on our website.

Eligibility: No previous experience required. Open to ages 12 and up.

Pick-up: The glass needs to cool down overnight then be carefully removed from the mandrels, so the students will have to return to UrbanGlass once notified to pick up their work. 

This is an in-person class taking place on-site at UrbanGlass. Health and safety guidelines will be emailed to you upon registration

We recommend registering for classes early to reserve your spot! We base materials, and teacher needs off of student enrollment. Early registration not only guarantees your spot in class, but also helps to ensure the class will run. Classes with low enrollment may be cancelled within two weeks of the start date of class. Contact our Registrar of Education, Ari Eshoo, at arianna@urbanglass.org if you have questions about the class or would like to arrange a payment plan.

Class Schedule

• 1 Session: July 15th
  Tuesday, 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm