A Fused Glass Pendant Made From Colorful Fused Glass Buttons

The buttons are first fused in a warm glass kiln and then fused together at a later stage to make the pendant.

You can change the colors and sizes around to suit yourself.

To make this pendant you will need the following:

For each button 2 x 3/8" square pieces of glass, and 1 x 1/8" square glass piece.

Thin fire paper or kiln washed shelf.

Glass fusing kiln.

Glass cutter.

To make the pendant proceed as follows:

Step 1 Cut enough 3/8" squares of glass to match the number of buttons you wish to make, two pieces per button. Cut 1 x 1/8" square of glass for each button.

Step 2 Wash and dry the glass thoroughly.

Step 3 Place the bottom 3/8" glass layers on the kiln shelf and then add the top layers followed by the 1/8" square in the middle of the top 3/8" piece.

Step 4 Bring glass up to fusing temperature reasonably quickly and hold for about 10 minutes. Check buttons to ensure they are nicely rounded and the centre square has melted into the top layer.

Step 5 Switch off kiln allow to cool to room temperature.

Step 6 If you have a glass grinder you can grind indentations on the buttons so that they merge into each other, if not then the buttons are just placed up against each other. Place cooled buttons on another protected kiln shelf and arrange in a pattern with each button in contact with the button next to it.

Step 7 Place in glass fusing kiln and bring slowly up to fusing temperature, hold for ten minutes, check to see that the buttons are nicely fused. If not hold a little longer until you are satisfied.

Flash vent kiln down to about 1000 F (540 C), let temperature drop to around 950 - 960 F (510 C) and hold for about 30 minutes, switch off fusing kiln and allow it to cool to room temperature.

Ypu can vary the number of buttons and colors to provide greater variety with this type of pendant.