Know your Glass—Drapery Glass, Submitted by Liz
WHAT IS “DRAPERY GLASS?”
Drapery glass was invented by the glassmakers at Tiffany Studios to recreate, in glass, the folds of fabric in garments. The glass was used in windows to add a 3-dimensional effect to flowing robes and angel wings, and to imitate the natural coarseness of magnolia petals.
The making of drapery glass requires skill and experience. A small diameter hand-held roller is manipulated forcefully over a sheet of molten glass to produce heavy ripples, while folding and creasing the entire sheet. The ripples become rigid and permanent as the glass cools. Each sheet produced from this artisanal process is unique.
Because of the amount of hand work involved, sheets of this glass can only be created at a very small size - often 1/4 to 1/3 the size of a regular sheet of art glass.
Foiling Drapery Glass
STEP 1
Wrap the glass with 1/2" foil. Line up so that there is a 1 mm border on the underside of the glass. This is nearly impossible on account of the large irregularities of this glass, simply follow the lowest points of the glass, and do not worry about the points where the glass rises.
STEP 2
Some areas will peak too high to be covered even with the broad 1/2" foil. Simply add another layer of foil
STEP
trim the excess foil, down to 1 mm
STEP 4
Fold the 1 mm trim over the glass. Work gently throughout the valleys to prevent against foil ripping.
Some areas will peak too high to be covered even with the broad 1/2" foil. Simply add another layer of foil