How to Add Color to a Wine Glass When Blowing Glass

Put on a mask that covers your mouth and nose, then carefully pour the colored frit in a spot on the marvering table. Be sure this spot is away from the edges so when you roll the glass over the frit, it does not spill over the sides. Remove the mask when you are finished.

Grab the heated blowpipe from the pipe warmer, put your thumb over the top blow hole, then dunk the other end of the pipe in a bucket of water. Take the pipe out of the water, remove your thumb from the hole, then blow into it. This process ensures any trapped glass is cleared from the pipe before you begin the wine glass.

Open the furnace door and rotate the blowpipe in the supply of molten glass to wind a quantity of glass around the end, which is known as a "gather." Remove the pipe and continuously turn it to allow the glass to form an even shape.

Roll the molten glass over the supply of frit on the marvering table until the color encases the gather. Go to the glory hole and rotate the colored glass inside to allow the frit to melt in. Repeat the process of rolling the heated glass over the frit and heating it in the glory hole until the wine glass is colored to your preference. Generally, two to three rolls gives a glass a spotted appearance, while five or more creates a solid coating.

Heat the glass, then blow into the pipe. Immediately position your thumb over the blowpipe opening just until the bubble inflates to the desired size. Turn the pipe during each part of the process.

Sit at the glassblower bench and shape the glass with tools such as blockhead wood molds to form the wine glass body to your liking. Typically, heat your glass to an orange glow, position the glass in the wet shaping tool, then rotate the pipe to allow the glass to conform to the shape.

Form the bottom of the glass using the technique of your preference. A common method is to have your assistant acquire a small gather on a separate punty pipe and touch it to the bottom of your work. After separating the excess glass from the punty pipe with diamond shears, use a paddle to flatten the gather to create a sturdy bottom for the glass.

Instruct your assistant to create a punty; heat your piece during this process. When you are ready, sit at the bench and allow your assistant to touch the glass to the bottom of the vessel. Dunk tweezers in water, then touch different areas at the connection point where the vessel and original blowpipe meet to create stress. Hit the connection point with the tweezers to free the original pipe and create an opening at the top of the wine glass.

Heat the new opening until it is glowing orange. Sit at the bench and shape the opening with tools such as cup jacks. When you are ready, tell your assistant to put on fireproof gloves and position his hands underneath the wine glass. Remove the glass using the tweezers and water process, and allow your assistant to catch the piece and place the wine glass in the annealing oven to bring it safely down to room temperature.