First a little bit about leaded stained glass for your understanding.

There are two major ways that stained glass windows are made: leaded and copper foil. There are differences between these two styles of window. I will give you a quick overview so you can decide which way you want to go.

Lead Method of Stained Glass - Very traditional - And more challenging

This is called lead "Came". It is what holds all the pieces of glass in place.

It typically comes in coils like this. Sometimes you can purchase it in straight pieces. But it is easy to bend, curve and fold by hand.

It comes in a wide variety of sizes and shapes.

Here is a side view of the lead came.

Glass goes into those slots left and right. (note that you can see gaps between the glass and the came. That is something that is handled with solder and a special kind of grout that we will apply. The grout and solder also makes the window watertight.) I will show you all of this.

As you put together the various parts of the window which has came and various pieces of glass there will be places where the came meets other came. These joints are where you apply solder to hold it all together.

Copper foil method of stained glass - More modern and easier to do

Most places that hold workshops on stained glass will use this method. It is cheaper and easier. And it is easier to work with.

Copper foil is exactly what it sounds like. It is long strips of copper that has an adhesive on one side.

You apply that foil to the edge of the stained glass. The adhesive holds it on the glass.

The copper foil is wider than the glass so some of it runs right over onto the surface of the glass - on both the front and back of the glass. This is by design.

Now you place these pieces against each other with the copper foil in contact.

Then you solder it. So, it becomes pretty much the same thing as the lead came.

So, that's the major difference between making a stained glass window with lead came or with copper foil.

Now, if you decide you want to go the easier route I have a full tutorial on how to do the copper foil right here:

How to Make a Stained Glass window with copper foil

Stained glass is an art that almost died out. Good thing it didn't! It is beautiful and you can make it too. I show you how, step by step and I have a video to go with it. How to make a stained glass window.

Otherwise let's continue with the tutorial on how to make a leaded stained glass window. In this next part we look at the design of the window.

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