I'm back!

I had to put my stained glass project on hold for a few weeks - the house needed a serious overhaul and then I had a family emergency that I had to fly home to take care of.  However, today I got back into the swing of things and began moving forward.

I decided that I still wasn't happy with the layout around the yoshi egg - it just seemed off kilter somehow.  So I did a google image search for egg.  I found one that leaned in the correct direction and changed it out for my background.  I then used that image to trace the outline of an egg:

This makes for a final pattern of:

I'm much happier with the way the yoshi egg looks.

Now that I have my final pattern, I have to decide on how big to make the piece.  My first thought was to go roughly 11x14.  However, this made the pattern way too big:

Credit goes to Alex's hand, which was used for scale.

I decided to shrink the pattern down a bit, and I think I'm happier with the result:

Again, credit goes to Alex's hand, which obviously needs a bath.

Now that I have the size of pattern that I want, I need to print out another copy for a total of two copies.  One copy of the pattern will be tacked to the homasote board, and one copy will be cut up, with each individual piece glued to glass to give a precise pattern for cutting.  As you can see in the previous picture, I've already begun numbering each piece on this copy.  This pattern is somewhat ambitious with a total of 77 pieces of glass.  

The pattern I'm attaching to the homasote has more information on it:

Each piece here has three items of information.  The piece number, which matches the piece number in the previous picture, a color designation, and an arrow showing the direction of the glass.  I will be using some glass that has swirls and patterns to it.  When I use glass like that, I need to decide what direction the swirls will be facing, and this is the best time to make that decision.  Of course, if things don't look right, I reserve the right to change my mind at anytime. 

Now that I have filled in both patterns, I need to attach one to the homasote board.  

I'm using specialized metal bars that will not attach to solder - which will be very important later on.

Now, I'm ready to begin the fun part of the process, cutting the glass.  Sadly, I am missing two very important pieces of glass, the light blue and the swirly orange for the fireball.  I am also missing a special saw for cutting some of the more intricate pieces.  I have been informed that the glass and the saw are ready for pickup, but my teacher is out of town.  In the meantime, I can at least show the glass that I do have.  Please note that taking pictures of glass at night without a light box is insanely difficult.  

Green: 

If you look closely, you can see the swirls of darker green in this glass.  This is why the direction of the glass is important.

Dark Blue:

Yellow:

Orange:

Red:

White:

Brown:

Of all of the glass, the red and the brown were the hardest to take pictures of.  The red is a much deeper red than the picture appears, and the brown is more like the right hand side, instead of that orangey color where the light is coming through.  

I'm hoping to start cutting some of the glass soon.  Honestly, I really can't wait for this project to begin moving along!