Hand crafted Glass Art, Patriotic Flag Heart, Artisan buy Crafted Stained Glass Suncatcher for windows

Enjoy this patriotic stained glass suncatcher depicting the American Flag in the shape of a heart all year round to show your pride in the best country ever, The United States of America.  Land of the free!

Handcrafted in Livonia, Michigan, this red, white and blue suncatcher was made with the highest quality glass available and is just waiting to find its new home.
This would make a wonderful gift for anyone who loves the USA.

Measures approximately 7 ½ inches tall by 8/ 1/2" wide with a loop for hanging.

HOW YOUR STAINED GLASS WAS MADE

The design process begins with a carefully drawn pattern.

A viable pattern in stained glass means one that is both stable (won't easily crack), and one that contains pieces shaped in ways that can be hand cut and shaped. Stained glass wants to break in straight lines, so pieces with deep inside curves are extremely difficult to pull off, and if you do, are much more likely to crack down the road.

Carefully select the color and type of glass to be used.

The colors and types of glass incorporated into a piece give it its life and feeling. The same design made using different glass will look different.  I first determine what type of look I'm going for, and then lay out different glass combinations until I'm satisfied.  With so many different shades of glass, plus the fact that many glasses look very different with and without light behind them, it can be a challenge to find glasses that complement each other in all types of lighting.

*All of our glass is high-quality glass, sourced from American manufacturers.

Color code and cut out the pattern.

A stained-glass pattern is a coloring book style outline that gets cut out like a puzzle.  Multiple copies of the pattern are printed to scale, and one copy is then cut out to use as a template for cutting the individual pieces for the finished project by either tracing the shape onto the glass or pasting the paper to the glass.

Cut, grind and wash each piece of glass.

Using a handheld tool called a glass scorer buy, each individual piece of this puzzle is very carefully hand cut, then the edges are lightly sanded to ensure a precise fit into the design.

All of the glass pieces are then washed and dried to remove any oil from the cutter or dust from grinding.

Wrap each piece of glass in copper foil, and burnish the edges.

Once all of the pieces are put together like a puzzle and fit just right, each edge of the glass is wrapped in copper foil. The edges and both sides of this copper foil need to be smoothed out (burnished). This very important step ensures that the solder will hold the pieces together for many years.

Adding the solder.

The foiled glass pieces are again put back in place, fitting each piece together just like a puzzle to make sure everything fits snugly. Using a small paint brush, an acid called flux is applied to the copper foil, and 60/40 lead is melted and applied along each copper foil line with the help of a very hot soldering iron. This glass piece is then flipped over and this process is repeated on the opposite side.

Framing (for panels only).

Smaller suncatchers are generally not framed, with the soldered copper foiled edges serving as the edge finish.  But larger pieces need to be framed to give them more stability so they won't easily fall apart when handled.  The weight of larger pieces can cause them to bow and crack if they are not stabilized with a frame.  I use zinc channel framing and sometimes add a wood frame in addition to the zinc channel for an even more finished look.

Cleaning and adding patina

When all the soldering is complete, everything gets a thorough bath to remove the flux and solder bits. It's very important to do this thoroughly to remove any acids from the flux.

Once dried, the solder lines are coated in the desired product to change the color from silver to copper or black. This means it's time for another bath and towel dry.

Waxing

The final step is a good wax done to both sides to provide a protective coating that slows down the tarnishing of the metal parts and adds a shine to the glass parts.

Stained glass is beautiful but fragile and heavy, but requires very little maintenance.

HOW TO CARE FOR YOUR NEW STAINED GLASS

HANGING: 

Glass is heavy so it's never a good idea to hang your stained glass from a suction cup.

Instead, hang your piece securely from a study hook that has been screwed into a secure material like a wall stud or wooden window frame.

CLEANING:

A gentle dusting should be all the cleaning your stained-glass piece will ever need.

If you would like a deeper clean, it is recommended to use furniture or car polish containing carnauba. 

Simply spray the polish on a soft, non-abrasive cloth and gently clean your glass piece, always being careful not to apply too much pressure and crack your beautiful glass.

Never use scouring pads, steel wool, abrasive cleansers, or anything that contains ammonia.

TOUCHING: 

Stained glass is held together with lead solder and/or lead came. Lead is a health issue when inhaled or ingested. Although lead is not absorbed through the skin, washing your hands with soap and warm water after handling any stained glass is considered a sufficient precaution to prevent any unwanted exposure.