4. CUT OUT THE PATTERN PIECES
4a. Use your scissors to cut along the red cut line on one of your
design copies.
4b. Use your glass pattern shears to cut out the inside lines. Glass
pattern shears have 3 blades, and they automatically remove the
right amount of space that will be taken up by the leading between
the glass pieces. Line up the middle of your Sharpie line with the
middle of the scissors. Always cut in the same direction: if you
begin cutting left to right, always cut left to right. If you start cutting out a circle clockwise, keep cutting in a clockwise direction.
This ensures that your lines won’t take little jogs to the right or left.
5. TRACE THE PATTERN PIECES ONTO GLASS
5a. Like putting a puzzle together, assemble your pattern pieces,
using your layout copy as a guide.
5b. Put your pattern pieces on the glass you’ve chosen and trace
them with a Sharpie or other glass-tracing permanent marker.
6. CUT OUT THE GLASS PIECES
6a. Dab the glass cutter in a little oil (kerosene is standard, but
WD- 40 works well). Start at 1 edge of the piece you’re cutting.
Apply a constant medium pressure while pushing the glass cutter’s wheel along the inside of your Sharpie line until you get to
the next edge. This is called scoring the glass. Always score from
edge to edge. Perhaps practice on some scrap glass. After a few
tries you’ll get the feel for the right amount of pressure.
CAUTION: Always wear safety glasses and make sure your
glass cutter is sharp. Always clean the glass before cutting, and if
the glass is textured, cut it on the smooth side. Also, you might feel
more comfortable wearing gloves when breaking glass.
