Want to learn lead came?

Beginning Lead Came patterns
These are the patterns available to students in Beginning Lead Came. Top row: Cathedral and Sunrise. Middle: Deco. Bottom: Playhouse and Fleur. Warning: of these five patterns, Fleur is by far the most difficult. These windows are on display at Village Glass Works.

Prepare to become addicted. Few crafts are as satisfying as creating a stained glass window using lead came.

Beginning Lead Came is open to adults (you have to be over 18 years of age) who have previous experience in cutting and grinding glass. The class is not for glass novices. We don't explain the different kinds of art glass, how to cut it, or how to grind it. Successful students are those who have worked in cooper foil, but want to expand their skills. If you want to get started in stained glass, you should first take the cooper foil class at Village Glass Works.

In Beginning Lead Came, we cover how to safely handle lead came, how to manipulate it, cut it, and fit it. We also teach how to solder, how to weatherproof and how to add wire hangers to zinc came borders.

Classes are held on Saturdays. We meet four times for three-hour sessions (10:30 am-1:30 pm). A total of 12 hours. Before the first class, students are expected to pick up their pattern (you can choose from five different designs - shown in the photo), buy their glass and have their glass pieces cut and ground to size. Some students are able to complete two windows in this class. The cost of the lead came (we use 1/4") and zinc U came (used as the border) is included in the tuition fee - as are the soldering and weatherproofing supplies. Students are expected to have their own glass cutter. The Village Glass Works classroom has the other tools for your use.

If you want to take the class, talk to Susie at VGW. She'll put you on the list. When we have at least three students, we schedule a class. I do not take more than five students in any one class.

Lead came construction is not an easy 1-2-3 weekend craft. It takes determination and practice. Lots and lots of practice. Students who successfully complete Beginning Lead Came and go on to build several windows on their own are eligible to take Advanced Lead Came. In this class, students are encouraged to choose a pattern slightly more difficult than they are used to; but one that can easily be carried to class (a design 6-feet long would not be appropriate). We cover special issues as they come up, but do include steel reinforcement and drilling glass.