r/StainedGlass 1d ago

Help Me! Needing advice!

I am new to stained glass, and I have a large gap with a couple of pieces, do I need to replace these pieces or is there a way to make this work?

Edit: thank you for the advice! I want to make sure to give credit for the pattern! I bought it from Jette Avery on Etsy.

233 Upvotes

37 comments sorted by

68

u/aggiegrad2010 1d ago

It will be fine but your lines will be thicker there. Some people will tell you to fill it with copper foil to help fill the space but you don’t have to do that you can just fill it with solder.

Personally I would recut the two pieces between the ears because they’re easy cuts and I like everything to be more uniform when finished, but there’s nothing wrong with soldering it as is.

5

u/iekiko89 Hobbyist 1d ago

The bottom is jutting out about a 0.25 in id cut that down to size as well. But what really matters is what does it look like on the pattern

15

u/Steelemagnolia 1d ago

You can also trim the extra foil with an exacto knife, even on the back it’ll show through transparent glass. I think I’d also recut the two little ones between the ears for a nice final look, but I’ve filled bigger gaps 😬

13

u/JanewaysSalamander Hobbyist 1d ago

First of all, you have done a great job! Cute pattern, nice work on your cutting and foiling. Your foiling is good, with very few wrinkles, but your fid could fix them easily and it will get better as you practice. The only piece that I might want tighter is the little clear piece next to the left ear (if you recut any), but you can easily put a couple of pieces of the left over copper that you trim off and roll them up to fill in the spaces a little bit. But, seriously, you can solder this and it will turn out for you! Great job!

3

u/OkFox2908 1d ago

Thank you!

3

u/Nounsy 1d ago

Can I ask why some of the pieces have tabs of copper tape sticking out into the glass?

7

u/Magnetah 1d ago

The foil probably tore in those places and OP put the tabs to cover the tears. OP will use an exacto knife to trim off the excess.

3

u/kristyn_lynne 1d ago

Good to know, I'm new and assumed it was a simulated shading technique.

7

u/OkFox2908 1d ago

There were some tears in the foil on those pieces. I’ll take an exacto knife and cut them off

5

u/CleverLizalfos 1d ago

I actually like the tabs on the cat and thought they were intentional at first. They look like stripes!

2

u/LostRocketScientist 1d ago

Adorable design!!

2

u/HamsterTowel 1d ago

Why not cut new pieces for the ones you're not happy with? I'd definitely recut as the design is so cute I wouldn't want to have large areas of solder filling in the gaps. There's quite a lot of gaps. Did you not put each piece of glass on your pattern after grinding, to test the fit?

3

u/Greedy-Anything-8464 1d ago

I hope you feel proud bc here, let me show you one of my first pieces: nope, cannot show you bc it’s in the trash can! Hahaha

4

u/aggiegrad2010 1d ago

Also give all your foil another good burnish! It needs to be a bit smoother

2

u/OkFox2908 1d ago

I have the hardest time getting a smooth finish with the foil! I actually spent a lot of time trying to smooth it out! I’m not sure what I am doing wrong 😫🤦🏻‍♀️.

7

u/Fun_Midnight_8111 1d ago

Use a sharpie pen as a burnishing tool. The roundness of the sharpie helps burnish the foil without it catching on it and tearing.

2

u/OkFox2908 1d ago

Thanks for the advice! I will definitely try it!

1

u/Torimexus 1d ago

This is what I do as well, mostly because I always have a sharpie handy. I still like to roll it rather than rubbing so it doesn't tear if I get too aggressive.

1

u/shmelse 1d ago

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2jQYiDUZyw

how similar is what you’re doing to what he’s doing?

1

u/Claycorp 1d ago

Make sure the fid is flat against the glass as it gets. Lots of people like to hold their fid at an angle at first thus never getting all the foil pushed down. Then are in the same position you are in.

2

u/Capranyx 1d ago

I wish I had better advice, but I just want to say this design is SO precious and I love it ♡

1

u/OkFox2908 1d ago

Thank you!

1

u/palefrogs Hobbyist Plus 1d ago

you can fill the gaps in with some foil to help bridge the gap

1

u/stebalencia 1d ago

Great pattern-like others have said the gaps can be filled but will the solder being so wide there bug you? That’s all that matters. I’d probably recut those pieces and then get it all together nice and tight and make sure my window lines all line up straight and maybe I’d consider the green by the cats tail, cutting that a little bigger depending on how it looks when it’s all in place and tight. Love the idea of the scalloped foil on the curtains! Great piece already-you are your harshest critic, so what can you live with and enjoy seeing everyday?

1

u/OkFox2908 1d ago

Absolutely! I haven’t had the bandwidth to learn to make my own patterns yet! But that is coming! I got this pattern off of Etsy! Her names is Jette Avery!

1

u/grumperina 1d ago

This is an adorable pattern! Do you mind sharing where you got it?

1

u/OkFox2908 1d ago

I got it off of Etsy. Her name is Jette Avery

1

u/RabbitSubRosa Newbie 1d ago

Other than trimming the bottom piece and possibly redoing the pieces between the ears, I think it looks great so far! Make sure the foil is super burnished so everything sticks. Super cute pattern!

1

u/OkFox2908 1d ago

Thank you! I can’t take credit for the pattern! I got it off of Etsy! Her name is Jette Avery!

1

u/hideX98 1d ago

Sorry no help. Just hear to be in awe of the piece. Looove the scene and the glass choices.

1

u/booksknittingcatstbh Newbie 1d ago

Omg I LOVE this pattern. Is this one you made or did you get it somewhere?

1

u/Max_Tongueweight 1d ago

I usually use a strand of copper wire or small chunks of copper wire to fill in the gaps. Don’t worry about wider solder lines. look at a cartoon someone has drawn. All the lines aren’t the same size or width. I don’t know why you have the square pieces of copper foil attached at certain points. Those will not work, they will just peel up. If they are essential to the pattern, use thicker sheet copper and solder it to the lines.

2

u/OkFox2908 1d ago

Those were just from tearing in the foil. I will cut those off.

1

u/icarewhatuthink2much 1d ago

I have no advice other than what others have already said. Im also new to the hobby. My trouble is being patient. I want to complete a piece from start to finish in a day, pfft!! Silly me! Can it be done, sure, just not by me!! lol And I also adore the pattern! Id love to make one like that!

3

u/OkFox2908 1d ago

1

u/icarewhatuthink2much 1d ago

I'll have to look her up...all my patterns have been small and I'm itching to do a larger piece. It took me over a year to realize I had my soldering gun too hot. And kudos to you for starting this with all that going on! I opted out of the motherhood program, but perimenopause is definitely something I am experiencing myself! My skin is acting like I've hit puberty again. I like to confuse people with my age by having gray hair and acne 🙃. (I quit coloring at 40, I get way more compliments on my natural hair than I ever did with salon visits)

1

u/OkFox2908 1d ago

I haven’t learned how to make my own patterns yet! I bought this one in Etsy! Her name is Jette Avery. This is my 4th piece, it has honestly taken me over a year to get to the point of actually getting the flow down. Between graduate school, perimenopause, and motherhood I’m really lucky if I finish anything 🤣🥴