Neutral colours on a base of black, with a pop of indigo and a hint of sparkling goldstone.
This bead is 18mm 'corner to corner'.
This bead has a hole 7mm wide.
All my beads are made by myself, and annealed in a digital kiln directly from the flame. They have been cleaned for your convenience.
Square bead
When glass melts, it becomes a liquid-pliable and easy to manipulate into the shape you want. Glass will cool off the quickest where the 'skin' contacts the air. This means while the outside cools and hardens, it will contract, while the inner core is still liquid and will need to expand! This creates a lot of stress, and there will be cracks and weaknesses in the glass.
By placing the hot glass in a waiting hot kiln, the glass is able to equalize and the kiln cools off very slowly, letting the glass reach one temperature at the same time. This process will create a stronger bead for life on a bracelet or necklace or key chain.