01.
Cut the Strips
This project started with a Bullseye 3mm thick Streaky sheet of glass (002310) composed of a mix of Cranberry Pink transparent and White opalescent. I started by cutting an 8×8″ square, then cutting that into 1/4″ strips.
02.
Create a Pattern
I experimented with different ways of laying out the strips, flipping them front to back (the back of the sheet has a different pattern), side to side, and putting them in a different order. I’ve numbered each one so that I can always put them back into the original order and keep track of them as I’m messing around.
03.
Cap It with Clear
Once I decided on the how I wanted the strips arranged, I laid them out on a kiln shelf lined with ThinFire shelf paper. I then cut an 8×8″ piece of 3mm clear glass and placed it on top. Not only will this make the piece the required 6mm thickness, it will also make it food safe (since clear is food safe and the side that could be in contact with food). But the best part of the clear top is that it will also give the design some depth.
04.
Ready to Fuse
In the back on the left is the cranberry piece ready to fuse.
05.
Ready to Slump
So soon? Yes, as usual, I forgot to take a picture of the fused piece before I put it back in the kiln to slump it. Here it is on the mold (Square Slumper 8635).
06.
Slumped
The piece has successfully slumped into the mold, and it’s done!
Results
Final Result
I had originally bought this glass thinking that I’d use it in stained glass projects. But now that fusing has taken over my life, I decided to melt it instead. I like the lighter pink streak down the middle of this plate (8x8x1.5″), and the way it’s broken up by the strips. I’ll definitely be fusing more of this glass.
Close-up
The milkiness of the streaks gives this piece a soft look .
FULL FUSING SCHEDULE (RUN TIME 9:28, 14.8 kWh)*
| SEGMENT | RATE (deg F / hour) | TEMPERATURE (F) | HOLD (hours:minutes) |
| 1 | 250 | 500 | :20 |
| 2 | 250 | 1000 | 0 |
| 3 | AFAP | 1450 | :30 |
| 4 | AFAP | 900 | 1:00 |
| 5 | 100 | 700 | OFF |
SLUMP FUSING SCHEDULE (RUN TIME 10:58, 18.4 kWh)*
| SEGMENT | RATE (deg F / hour) | TEMPERATURE (F) | HOLD (hours:minutes) |
| 1 | 300 | 1200 | :30 |
| 2 | 300 | 1225 | 3:00 |
| 3 | AFAP | 900 | 1:00 |
| 4 | 100 | 700 | OFF |
* The firing schedules may be designed for other projects that were fired with this one. Everything was fired in a Paragon GL-22AD.