Easter Egg Bunting Project Guide

Description

Materials

Tips:

• Before you begin, find a place to work that has great ventilation where you can open a window and use a fan. An area safe from children and pets is recommended.
• Please read and follow all directions carefully. When working with glass, protect your feet and legs by wearing pants and closed toe shoes. Eye protection is essential.
• Practice cutting on window glass to get the hang of using a glass cutter.
• You may find it helpful to take a beginning stained glass class at your local stained-glass studio or store to become familiar with glass cutting, foiling and soldering methods.

Instructions:

1. Place the egg template onto the glass so that the streaks run vertically. You’ll want to make sure that it is placed at least ½” away from the edge of the glass. Trace around the template using a Sharpie. The template is perfectly sized to fit two eggs vertically about ½” and each sheet will yield four eggs.
2. Next cut off excess glass; To do so use a straight edge to draw a line about ½” from the outlined egg. (FIG 1)
3. Fill the glass cutter with a little bit of cutting oil. Wearing safety glasses, hold the glass cutter so that the blade is perpendicular to the glass. Score the glass along the straight edge using a steady pace. (FIG 2)
4. Place the glass between the jaws of the running pliers, centering the jaws over the score line. The bottom jaw should be curved upward. Squeeze the handles to break the score line. (FIG 3)
5. Repeat Steps 2-4 to remove any extra excess glass.
6. Score around the outline of the egg, try to do this with as little stopping as possible, this will give you the best break (FIG 4).
7. Once complete, flip the piece over onto a pad of newspaper or a towel and apply light pressure all around the score line. You should hear a light pop and some glass may break away (FIG 5).
8. Turn the piece over again and score the glass from the outline to the edge of the glass in several spots. Use the running pliers to separate the glass. When breaking along a curve it is best to slightly angle the running plier in line with the curve.
9. Repeat steps 1-9 with the remaining glass.
10. Once your pieces have been cut, use the Breaker-Grozer to nibble away any sharp edges and points. Hold the tool with the curved edge up, gently pull the tool in a downward motion to nibble away at the edge of the glass. (FIG 6)
11. Use rubbing alcohol or vinegar to remove the marks on the glass.
12. Peel 1” length of the backing from the foil tape, center the sticky side of the tape on the edge of the glass. Wrap the entire outer edge of the glass with foil, overlapping the end by ¼”. (FIG 7)
13. Crimp the foil down over the edge of the glass. When foiling tight curves, be sure to crimp the outside curve before crimping the inside curve to prevent the copper tape from tearing. Burnish the top and bottom of the leaf. Using a fid or craft stick burnish (rub) the foil to the edge of the glass (FIG 8). Press firmly, but don’t scrub or the pressure may cause the foil to tear.
14. Repeat Steps 13-14 for each egg.
15. Plug in your soldering iron.
16. Apply a small amount of flux to the foiled area of one egg.
17. Unroll a 6” length of solder, heat the solder with the tip of the soldering iron. Apply a thin layer of solder to the fluxed areas (FIG 9). Repeat this process around the egg. Allow to cool for a few minutes. Carefully turn the piece over and repeat this process.
18. Hold the egg with long tweezers or pliers and solder the outside edge of the egg.
19. Place the egg back-side up onto the work surface. Place a jump ring on either side of the egg, about 2” from the top. Apply flux to the one jump ring and solder it to the side, you may find it helpful to hold the jump ring with long tweezers or pliers to keep it in place (FIG 10). Repeat with the other jump ring, allow cooling and repeat with the other side.
20. Repeat steps 17- 20 with the remaining eggs.
21. Wash each egg with warm soapy water to remove the flux and allow drying. Apply finishing compound to protect the solder and give it a nice shine.
22. Cut eight 5” lengths of ribbon. Arrange the eggs on a flat surface so the jump rings are next to each other. Thread a length of ribbon through the jump rings tie a knot and a bow, repeat tying each candy corn together at their jump rings. For more support, thread white twine or clear filament behind each egg and through each jump ring. Use ribbon or white twine/clear filament to hang bunting.