How to Make a Fused Etched Pendant

Make your own fused etched pendant with a piece of dichroic glass. Dichroic glass is glass that has a layer of metallic-colored paint attached to it with a special compound called a binder. You can etch a design of your own onto the glass, or use etching stencils to create a beautiful multi-colored dichroic image on a pendant. When fired, the glass fuses to another piece, called a cap, and creates the finished pendant.

Things You'll Need

• Dichroic glass with clear backing or black backing
• Black felt-tipped pen
• Stencil (optional)
• Masking tape
• Red felt-tipped pen
• Latex gloves
• Paper towel
• Etching cream with brush
• 2 tbsp. baking soda
• 1 piece colored glass (optional)
• 1 glass capping piece
• Heat-safe metal jewelry pendant bail
• Kiln

Instructions

1. Draw a design freehand onto the back of the dichroic glass, or use a stencil to transfer a design onto it with a black felt-tipped pen.

2. Cover the areas of the colored dichroic surface that you want to remain--the negative of the design--with masking tape. Or cover it with a permanent ink red felt-tipped pen, such as a Sharpie, to protect it from the etching cream.

3. Put on latex gloves. Cover your work surface with a paper towel. Apply the etching cream to the painted surface of the dichroic glass with the provided brush in an even layer. Let the glass sit for three minutes.

4. Brush the etching cream on the glass up toward the top edge. Let it sit for three minutes, then brush the etching cream on the glass down toward the bottom edge. This ensures a smooth etched surface on the glass.

5. Submerge the glass into a bowl of water and swish it about to remove the etching cream. Replace the water with clean water, and rinse the glass again to ensure that all of the etching cream has been removed.

6. Place 2 tbsp. baking soda in 1 cup of water and mix thoroughly. Submerge the glass pendant into the water mixture, and let it sit for 5 minutes. This will remove any etching cream residue that is remaining on the glass surface. Rinse off the pendant in clean water, and then let it air dry.

7. Place a clear or colored piece of glass "cap" onto the pendant. Insert a heat-safe metal jewelry pendant bail, halfway in-between the two pieces of glass, at the top center of the pendant. Heat up your kiln and fire the pendant according to your manufacturer's instructions to finish making the fused pendant. The glass will soften and melt together around the bail, and when it cools and hardens the bail will be in the glass.

Tips & Warnings

• Wear protective latex gloves when working with etching cream, as it is a corrosive substance.