Stained Glass: Projects and Patterns

Janet Arnett is the former campus manager of adult education at Ontario’s Georgian College. She is the author of Antiques and Collectibles: Starting Small, The Grange at Knock, and 673 Ways to Save Money.

To be effective, a how-to book must be detailed yet clear, precise yet
interesting; it must cover the needed facts yet keep the goal in sight.
Stained Glass does all this and more. It is a beautiful book—beautiful
in its organization and step-by-step clarity, beautiful in its design
and photographic illustrations, beautiful in its sparkling color and in
the originality of the how-to projects.

The book starts as a primer, discussing the materials, tools, and
supplies needed, cutting methods, safety tips, and processes used in the
craft. There’s information on making a jig, transferring a pattern to
glass, cutting circles and curves, grinding, drilling, soldering,
beveling, applying copper foil and patina, and all the other techniques
needed to move from concept to finished product.

Having worked through the mechanics, the book moves into projects, with
step-by-step directions for 22 items: hanging panels, lamp shades,
dishes, vases, boxes, and candle holders. The book teaches the
copper-foil method of construction made famous by Tiffany—the most
popular method with hobbyists. The projects use contemporary
stained-glass designs, which have a traditional look without the
construction complexity. Clear working patterns and illustrated
directions are supplied for each project.

Visually, the book is a jewel, glowing with masses of well-saturated
photos capture the depth of color and sparkle of stained glass. It
provides all the inspiration needed to become involved in this visually
exciting medium.