How to Do Overwraps in Glass Bead-Making

Overwrapping is a great way to add volume to a bead. You can either use this technique to make a bigger bead of add different colors to a bead to mix colors. If you know how to make a basic bead, you can do an overwrap.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Mandrel
• Glass torch
• Glass rod

1. Begin by making a basic bead and allow it to cool for a moment. You want the bead to still be hot but not molten.

2. Heat another glass rod in the flame in one hand and keep the core bead in the other. Make sure that you occasionally heat the core bead to keep it from cooling too quickly and shattering.

3. Heat the glass rod until the tip is molten. It should be exactly like when you are going to make a bead.

4. Touch the tip of the hot glass to the middle section of the core bead.

5. Rotate the mandrel to spread the molten glass around the core bead until you have gone all the way around.

6. Wind off the last of the molten glass. Do this by pulling the molten glass away from the bead while still rotating the mandrel.

7. Continue to heat the bead and shape the glass. You can either leave the bead with the overwrap like a ring around the core bead or you can heat and rotate the bead until the glass is incorporated into the core bead.

Tips & Warnings

• Practice wrapping the molten glass around the core bead and winding off. Getting a uniform amount of glass around the core bead also takes practice.