Polymer Panache Jewelry

New Bracelets

Started making some dangling bracelets with some of the many beads I have in my stash.  

The technology for glass beadmaking is among the oldest human arts, dating back 3,000 years^. Glass beads have been dated back to at least Roman times. Perhaps the earliest glass-like beads were Egyptian faience beads, a form of clay bead with a self-forming vitreous coating. Glass beads are significant in archaeology because the presence of glass beads often indicate that there was trade and that the beadmaking technology was being spread. In addition, the composition of the glass beads could be analyzed and help archaeologists understand the sources of the beads.

This blue bracelet is made with Furnace Glass Beads.

 Furnace glass

Italian glass blowing techniques such as latticinio and zanfirico are adapted here to make beads. Furnace glass uses large decorated canes built up out of smaller canes, encased in clear glass and then extruded to form the beads with linear and twisting stripe patterns. No air is blown into the glass. These beads require a large scale glass furnace and annealing kiln for manufacture.

 These handcrafted bracelets can be found in my Etsy Shop Polymer Panache