How to make stained glass – measuring
If you want to learn how to make stained glass windows you must be able to accurately measure.
You will need:
Tape measure, Paper, Pencil, 2mm felt pen, Tracing paper, Ruler, Notebook, Set square
Measuring the aperture:
Before you begin your design you must measure the window accurately so that you can work to scale. There’s no point designing a fantastic tall thin stained glass window for a short wide aperture - when you scale it up it will be all out of kilter…
First take two sets of measurements:
Tight size = the exact size of the aperture (i.e. under the beading right to the edge of the frame)
Sight size = the size of the window that is visible (i.e. up to the edge of the beading)
Then calculate the most important measurement – the fitting size - by subtracting 3mm from each edge of the tight size. Once you’ve got your fitting size measurement, you can forget about the tight size altogether.
Make sure you measure all four sides, and if you are making a pair of windows, measure both. Never assume they are the same size, especially in older buildings. Then measure the angles to make sure the window is square.
Now you have accurate measurements, you’re ready for the exciting bit – designing and learning how to make a stained glass window.
How to make Stained Glass - the cutline
