Glass Tile Pendant 1

This is the first in a few examples of how to make glass tile pendants.

These pendants are very popular as they are so easy to make and can be very topical when using the printed paper method.

The glass tiles themselves are available in a variety of shapes and sizes to suit all tastes and can be finished with bails, glued into fittings or even wire wrapped.

There are lots of tutorials out there using slightly different materials, but this is my favourite method for the printed paper type with added bail. This method means your item is waterproof and shock resistant so takes a few more knocks.

You will need

E6000 glue
glass tile
Cleaning solvent eg white spirit, methylated spirit, nail varnish remover.
paper design - you can use a photo, printed paper or print your own design with a laser printer.

You will need to work in a well ventilated area.

1. Place your tile over the design, draw round it, and cut out roughly leaving a border of about 0.5cm or more.

2. Thoroughly clean the tile with a solvent such as white spirit. Complete the rest of the project wearing gloves to keep the tile grease free. Cover the back of the tile and the front of the paper design with glue, popping any bubbles with a pin. Use plenty of glue, any excess is easy to clean up.







3. Starting at one edge, gradually lower the tile onto the paper, allowing any air to be pushed out of the way. In the photo I have started at the top left edge and you can see the air bubbles being pushed to the bottom right.



If you see any bubbles or shiny areas, smooth these to the edge of the glass gently from the paper side. The tile should be floating slightly in the glue so take care that your design remains centred. (You can see I had to move mine lower after taking this picture :) ). When you are happy place the tile on a flat surface, glass side down. This helps the glue to cure better and lessens the chance of bubbles appearing. Leave to dry for 4 hours.


4. The glue will still be soft at this stage. You can now trim your paper with sharp scissors or a scalpel. Any excess glue on the glass surface can be rubbed off. Leave to cure fully.

5. Coat the back of the tile with another layer of glue, thinly this time, and press your chosen bail into it taking care to make sure it is vertical with your design and centralised on the edge if using square or rectangular tiles. Leave to cure completely - I leave mine for 72 hours but it takes less time if you have a warm room.

I know this is a different pendant, but the one above isn't dry yet :)

To finish, just add your choice of cord or chain.

Next time I'll be showing you how to make these with your own painted design on.

Happy Crafting,

Janice x