Stained Glass for Beginners: Step-by-step Projects in Copper Foil and Lead Came — From Your First Suncatcher to Stunning Glass Panels

Ada Wilder cut her first piece of glass in a community college workshop twenty-five years ago and has been teaching the craft in her Asheville studio ever since. In Stained Glass for Beginners, she walks you through both major techniques — copper foil for small projects and lead came for architectural panels — with the kind of step-by-step clarity that only comes from watching hundreds of beginners make the same mistakes and learn the same lessons. Eight progressive projects take you from a three-piece suncatcher to a twelve-piece geometric panel, with full coverage of glass cutting, pattern design, soldering, cementing, and finishing. Every technique is photographed from the worker’s perspective. Honest cost breakdowns tell you what to buy first and what to add later. A full troubleshooting chapter covers every problem that makes beginners quit — and shows you how to fix each one. No prior experience needed. Just a table, a window, and the patience to let light do what it does best.