Fired Blank on Mold before slumping.

We will be making a 2 layer glass barrette. Measure your barrette finding. Cut your base glass at least 1/4" longer than your finding and about 1/2" wide. If you are going to make a 3 layer barrette then cut the top (clear) piece the same size as the base or a shade larger.

Add your design elements to the base and cap with the clear top if desired. 

Full or tack fuse, depending on the desired effect.

In the meantime you should have coated your mold with kiln wash. This should be totally dry before using your mold.

When your barrette blank is fused and cool place it on the mold so that when it slumps it will curve over the mold and take on a barrette shape (I'll have pictures of this soon). You can fit 4 or 5 barrette blanks on the mold (depending on how wide they are). Place the mold with the blanks into the kiln and set to slump. For my kiln, which full fuses at 1490, I slump at 1350 and hold for 5 minutes.

When your curved barrette is cool you can proceed to glue on the finding. I squeeze the tube of E6000 so that there is a nice bead sticking out of the tube, then I put the finding to the bead and run it along the length of the finding, squeezing more out as I go in one fluid motion. There should be enough E6000 so that it squishes thru the holes in the end of the finding which forms a lock when it dries. You have time to make sure the finding is straight. Leave the barrette alone for at least an hour and don't wear it for 24 hours.

NOTE2: Sometimes the arc of the mold will change due to the heating and cooling. To test it:

Turn the mold upside down. Place a barrette finding curve to curve. If the finding does not touch the mold everywhere you should gently bend the mold. Use 2 hands, placing your thumbs inside the mold and press down with your thumbs while pulling up with your other fingers. A gentle pressure is all you need as the adjustment should be slight. Place the finding in the mold again to retest. !!!You are testing on the BOTTOM side of the mold!!! Just trust me <smile>..... it works.