Date: 2005-09-13 16:19 Subject: Stepping stone Security: Public Mood: creative Tags: stained glass, stepping stone, uu

Yesterday I was working on a stained glass stepping stone in the basement while doing laundry. For those not familiar with these, pieces of glass are cut to make the picture/pattern and placed in the bottom of a mold, with concrete poured over the top. In contrast to regular stained glass, the pieces don't have to fit together all that closely, in fact they should have some area between where the concrete shows, since this holds the glass in better. Unlike regular stained glass the background can be left unfilled, which also reduces the need for precision.

When I cut light-colored, mostly clear glass, I just lay the glass over the pattern and trace the line through with a Sharpie marker. For darker or opaque glass this doesn't work, obviously. I was feeling too lazy to make another pattern that I could cut apart and trace around the outside of each piece, however, so I just drew the pieces free-hand on the glass and cut them out. I am not good at drawing or copying, so I was half expecting to cut at least a few pieces over again. Imagine my surprise to find they all matched the pattern exactly. This was my own pattern I was using, and I think that certain curves are "natural" to my eyes and the size of my hand.

I designed this piece for a couple at church, Priscilla and Dane. The Unitarian-Universalist symbol is the Chalice and Flame, but I wanted to do something a little different. Priscilla and Dane are avid birders, so I made the "flame" into a phoenix. I think it works really well. I still have to cut the border, which will be made of triangular pieces of green glass, fitting together like the base of the chalice. Privately I've been referring to this as my "Klingon Chalice."

Chalice - unfinished Unitarian-Universalist "Chalice and flame" for Priscilla and Dane. Unfinished, still needs border and casting.