Lea's Loft Glass Art Studio

02/09/2026

The Basics… Glass Release 🔥✨

What you use between your glass and kiln shelf or mould can make all the difference.

From ThinFire and shelf primer to Boron Nitride and fibre, the right release product depends on your project, your firing method and the finish you want.

We’ve put together a quick guide to help you choose the right one for your next project. 💚

Need help choosing? Give us a call or pop us a message — we’re happy to help!

01/09/2026

23/08/2026

Our very first glass dresses made it to the red carpet

23/08/2026

Our first glass dresses made it to the red carpet!

14/08/2026

📚 RESOURCE FRIDAY

📄 FREE PATTERNS — BUT CAN YOU SELL WHAT YOU MAKE?

Following our discussion about copyright and stained glass patterns, we thought we’d share a resource that is actually useful for artists who sell their work.

✨ This week’s recommendation: The Glass Creative

They offer a selection of free stained glass patterns that come with commercial-use permission.

That means you can use the patterns to create finished pieces and sell those finished pieces — provided you follow their licence terms.

❤️ A few important reminders:

• FREE doesn’t automatically mean FREE TO SELL.
• You may not redistribute or sell the pattern itself.
• Check the designer’s licence before starting your project.
• The Glass Creative asks that you credit them when showing or selling finished work.

🌐 Explore their free Symbols of Life Pattern Pack:
https://theglasscreative.com/downloads/symbols-of-life-pattern-pack/

A great example of how supporting designers and respecting their licensing can benefit everyone in our stained glass community.

FREE PATTERN ≠ FREE-FOR-ALL. 😉

💬 Have you found any other pattern designers who offer free patterns with commercial-use permission? Share them below — let’s build a useful resource together!

Learn • Grow • Create • Inspire ❤️

A free stained glass pattern pack that includes 5 stained glass patterns. 4 patterns on standard 8.5 x 11 paper and one, the Tree of Life on 12 x 12 paper. This is a free, free-use pattern pack with no licensing restrictions. Get creative with your glass texture and color choices!

13/08/2026

🎨 GLASS TALK THURSDAY

Tell the Story Behind Your Glass

I came across this fascinating article about the Haas Brothers and their wonderfully strange glass, textile and bead creatures.

Their work blurs the line between art, design and fantasy—and it got me thinking…

Does your glass tell a story?

Glass doesn’t have to be:

A pretty bowl.

It can be:

✨ Strange
✨ Playful
✨ Humorous
✨ Character-driven
✨ Sculptural
✨ Imaginative

The Haas Brothers show us that combining unexpected ideas can create work that people remember. Their pieces aren’t just objects—they have personality and invite you into a world of their own. (My Modern Met)

And that’s where storytelling becomes part of your marketing.

When you share why you made something, what inspired it, or the story behind the design, you’re giving your customer something more than a beautiful piece of glass.

You’re giving them something to connect with.

So let’s talk…

💬 What’s the story behind something you’ve created?

Maybe it’s funny. Maybe it’s personal. Maybe it’s completely ridiculous. 😂

We’d love to hear it.

📖 Read the My Modern Met article:

Colorful creatures come to life in this artist duo’s fun and fantastical work.

12/08/2026

WACKY WEDNESDAY

🌈 Pick Your Glass Superpower

If you could have ONE glass-making superpower, which would you choose?

🔥 Perfect kiln firing every time
✂️ Cut any shape perfectly
🎨 Unlimited colours
✨ Make glass glow
🧠 Instantly design beautiful patterns
💰 Never waste a piece of glass

Which one would you choose? 👇

11/08/2026

🔥 Fusing Tip Tuesday

Thermal Shock

Ever opened the kiln and thought…

“What on earth happened here?” 😩

This fused glass panel is a great example of what can happen when glass experiences thermal shock.

It wasn’t necessarily a kiln failure.
It doesn’t mean the glass was “bad.”

The problem can be uneven thickness.

Glass expands as it heats and contracts as it cools. When different areas of a piece have significantly different thicknesses, they can respond to temperature changes differently.

That creates stress within the glass.

And eventually…

💥 CRACK.

This is why testing is such an important part of fused glass.

If you’re experimenting with:
• New designs
• Different thicknesses
• Large pieces
• Heavy areas of glass

Test it first.

Sometimes the result isn’t what you expected.

And sometimes, like this piece, even a failed firing can still be beautiful. ❤️

But the crack is telling you something.

What has your kiln taught you the hard way? 😅

👇 Tell us your biggest fused-glass firing lesson in the comments.

Photo LIORA • OR

10/08/2026

Thank you so much Melissa!