Tag: Venice

Beads Millimeters to Inches Conversion Chart

When you start making jewelry for fun or as a business, you’ll probably wish (not for the first time) that you were taught the metric system instead of the imperial as a kid. 

Sure, most of us learned it temporarily for science class in high school, but all that has made it’s way far out of our brains. 

Which means you’re probably googling millimeters to inches conversions every time you go to buy beading supplies online. 

And while we can’t make you learn the conversions for good, we can help you out by putting everything you need in one place. Read below to get the conversion chart you’ve been missing – and some millimeter to inches tips and tricks! 

Metric System Reminder

If you’re just looking for the plain conversions, go ahead and skip this section. But if you’re one of those people that needs to know why something is the way it is, here you go. 

The metric system makes a lot more sense than imperial. Why? It’s all based on units of ten. 

The middle form of measurement is a meter or a gram (for our purposes). A Deci-meter is 10x smaller than a meter, a centimeter is 100 times smaller than a meter, and a millimeter is 1000 times smaller than a meter. 

Basic Conversions 

  • 1 Meter = 39.3 inches
  • 1 Yard = .91 meter
  • 1 Foot = .30 (30%) meter
  • 1 Inch = 2.54 centimeter
  • 1 Inch = 25.4 millimeter
  • 1 Millimeter = .04 inch (4% inch)

The Millimeters to Inches and Inches to Millimeter Formula 

If you’re old-school and you like to put things on pen and paper (and don’t want to print this article out), here’s the formula for converting inches to millimeters, and mm to inches. Since 1 inch is equal to 25.4 millimeters, you want to write that down. 

The formula you need to convert the two is:

D(mm) = D(inches) x 25.4

In plain English, that’s the number of millimeters equal to the number of inches, multiplied by 25.4. 

Let’s go through an example. Let’s say you have a bead that’s 10 millimeters, and you want to know how big that is in inches. 

You would set up the problem as: 10 = x * 25.4

Then you’d pull out those old algebra skills and divide the right side by 25.4, then the right side (10/25.4). 

Once you did the math, you’d get the answer 0.394, which tells you that 10 millimeters are about 40% an inch – or about 1 centimeter. 

Millimeters to Centimeters 

Since you probably know what a centimeter is off the top of your head better than a millimeter, let’s go over that conversion. 

Don’t worry if you’re not a math person – there’s a chart you can copy down or print out of all these conversions at the end. We’ve even added in a chart that shows you how many beads you need for certain necklace lengths (which are in inches, thankfully). 

Want to know about ring sizes conversions from standard size into millimeters? We have that too. It’s all below! 

MM to CM Formula

Since the metric system is a lot easier than the imperial, this formula is easier than the last. To find out the number of centimeters in a millimeter, take the number of millimeters and divide by 10. 

That’s it! The official formula is: CM=mm/10

To put it another way, there are 10 mm in one centimeter. Yes – a mm is that small! 

Working Jewelry Conversion Charts 

Okay – if you just scrolled down here to get to the easy part, that’s okay. 

We’ll start with general conversions, move to bead size, then do necklace lengths. 

General MM to Inch Conversion Chart 

  • 1 mm = .03937 in (1/25th)
  • 2 mm = .07874 in (1/16th)
  • 3 mm = .0.11811 in (3/32)
  • 4 mm = 0.15748 in (1/8th)
  • 5 mm = 0.19685 in (3/16th)
  • 6 mm = 0.23622 (approx 1/4)
  • 7 mm = 0.27559 (1/4 +1/16)
  • 8 mm = 0.31496 (5/16th
  • 9 mm = 0.35433 (approx 3/8)
  • 10mm = 0.39370 (3/8 & 1/16)
  • 10 mm = 1 centimeter
  • 11 mm = 0.43307 in (7/16th)
  • 12 mm = 0.47244 in (approx 1/2)
  • 13 mm = 0.51181 in (1/2 & 1/16)
  • 14 mm = 0.55118 in (9/160
  • 15 mm = 0.59055 in (approx 5/8)
  • 16 mm = 0.62992 in (5/8)
  • 17 mm = 0.66929 in (11/16)
  • 18 mm = 0.70866 in (approx 3/4th)
  • 19 mm = 0.74803 in (3/4)
  • 20 mm = 0.78740 in (approx 13/16)
  • 21 mm = 0.82677 in (13/16 +)
  • 22 mm = 0.86614 in (approx 7/8)
  • 23 mm = 0.90551 in (7/8+)
  • 24 mm = 0.94488 in (15/16)
  • 25 mm = 0.98425 in (1 inch)

Beads Per Strand 

While it’s nice to know exactly the size of the bead, here’s a good idea of how many different size beads you need per strand (on average).

There are four common lengths of necklaces, 16 inches, which s a little longer than a choker, a 20-inch strand that reaches mid-decolletage, a 24-inch strand that lands in the middle of the chest, and a 36-inch strand that reaches to about the bottom of the breasts. 

Please note that different body sizes determine where each necklace length sits on different people. It’s common to offer necklace extenders on your website so that everyone can wear the size of their choosing. 

16 Inch Strand

  • 136 – 3mm
  • 67 – 6mm
  • 40 – 10mm

20 Inch Strand

  • 169 – 3mm
  • 85 – 6mm
  • 42 – 10m m

24 Inch Strand

  • 203 – 3mm
  • 102 – 6mm
  • 61 – 10mm

36 Inch Strand 

  • 305 – 3mm
  • 152 – 6mm
  • 92 – 10mm

Ring Size Conversions 

It’s relatively uncommon to use our beads to make rings, but if that’s your art form, we support it. 

MM to Ring Size 

  • 5 = 15.6mm 
  • 6 =16.6 mm
  • 7 = 17.2 mm
  • 8 = 18.1mm
  • 9 = 19.1mm
  • 10 = 19.7 mm

Millimeters to Inches Made Simple 

As a budding jewelry artist, we hope that our millimeters to inches and more guide made things simpler for you. 

Feel free to print this page for your workstation, and browse our site for your bead-related needs! 

We have jewelry making kits, wholesale beads, Murano glass beads, and more! You can find everything you need to make your own jewelry (including completed pieces) to everything you need to start an Etsy shop on our site. 

Wondering how to make great jewelry? Read our blog for more information! It’s filled with more helpful articles like this that will take you from beginner to expert in no time. 

The History of Millefiori

Did you know that glass blowing started in the middle east around 2000 years ago? Are you curious about the history of Millefiori?

In this article, you’ll learn what exactly millefiori is and the history of it. Read on to discover its colorful and long history.

What Does Millefiori Mean?

Millefiori is a word in Italian that means a thousand flowers. Mosaics are more geometric designs and were made before Millefiori.

Egyptian Roots

While the technique was mastered in Italy, it dates back to Egyptian times several centuries ago. The Italians also gave it the name Millefiori. The term was first used in the book called Curiosities of Glass Making which was by Apsley Pellatt. He described mosaic beads in his book. After the book, it appeared in the Oxford English Dictionary.

It’s thought that the Egyptians were the ones who knew how to mix different colors of glass. This technique was then used in Rome, but it’s unknown if they influenced each other.

Colorful Decorations

When the term was first used, it described colorful decorations with glass flowers. 

Presently, artists in Murano are still using this same technique that’s centuries-old. You can find souvenirs, chandeliers, and figurines. It’s one of the most popular and in-demand techniques of Murano glass making.

All Thanks to One Man

Before it was introduced to Murano, Venetian glass makers understood that the items were made using glass rods shaped in different patterns and then cut up. After being cut up they were then fused together. It wasn’t easy to come up with a precise technique.

Then came along a man named Vincenzo Moretti who figured out the process through trial and error. He spent hours on end trying to figure out how to make this gorgeous glass art. He then figured out how to produce Millefiori glass which made his company world-famous. My favorite part of this story is that while they were developing their techniques for their mosaics at night, he  along with his brother worked for another glass company near the Chiesa San Donato. Vincenzo and his brother had an agreement that if they could get a contract to sell their mosaics, they would quit their jobs and start their own company. Vincenzo went off to meet the potential client, got the contract and his brother was looking through the window and got the signal as Vincenzo came back from the boat. They both quit their job on the spot. 

Increased Trade

During the late 19th century, mainly due to increased trading with Africa, Millefiori was thrived. Europeans would trade millefiori beads with Africans to impress them. They were also known as trade beads. Much of the trading occurred in West Africa and was traded for gold, ivory, palm oil, and many other goods. In the late 19th and early 20th century, these beads were mostly made in Murano. And in those days there was no telephone, no internet, no cell phone. They would receive a letter which arrived by boat in Murano requesting beads. They would prepare a quote, send if back by letter which would take 2-3 months before they heard back. Transferring funds was also difficult. The money would be sent by wire (another 2 months) and finally, with the money in hand, they would produce the order. 

The Venetians were known for their trade, and Murano and it’s mosaics benefited from the free flow of trade and the numerous ships sailing their waters. West Africans enjoyed these decorative beads and placed a large value on them. Africans at the time didn’t have much use for hard currency. In Africa, the beads were shown as status in their community and ceremonial dress.

More Recent History

In the 1960s and early 1970s, since air travel had improved, many traveled around the world. For example, the hippies went to West Africa and found out about the Millefiori trade beads. They started using them as jewelry and accessories for clothing. After this, the trend caught on and it became very popular to wear it as a piece of jewelry.

How Is Millefiori Made?

It’s a multi-step process to make this incredible glass art. Pots of melted glass in different colors are prepared the night before. They begin with a blob of glass on the end of a punti. The glass blower works this blob into a cylinder, then forces it into a mold, this becomes the center color of the mosaic with the shape of the mold, perhaps a star. He then takes the shape and gathers (that is the term to say you are adding glass) a second color, marvers this and pops it into a mold, perhaps a larger star. Each color you see in the cane represents a repetition of this process. It will be a round ball when they are ready and a second glass blower attaches a punti to the other side of the ball. They then walk away and like taffy, the design remains consistent. The actual size of the canes as pulled will vary, thicker towards each of the glass blowers and smaller in the center. 

 It first begins with a glass rod that’s prepared in a special way. The semi-liquid glass paste is used on the rod. Each layer is made to have a certain shape (normally flower-like or star) and color. In this foto, Gianfranco Albertini of LaFenice Furnace in Murano is pulling along with a glassblower Claudio. Note every thing is by hand, there are NO machines that do this work.

The multi-layered rod is then must be cooled and cut into small cylindrical pieces. These small cylindrical pieces are called murrine. The chopped murrine is sold to artists to use in their work which may be pendants, picture frames, lampworkers use the murrine for the eyes in their tiny animals, rings, and larger murrine may be made into lighting fixtures. 

For pendants, the murrine is placed in frames of copper and placed fusing oven which melts the canes and slowly cools them down. The glass used for murrine is called soft glass and has a low melting point, and is easily shaped making it ideal for artists. Our bead makers use the slices to make beads as they work the slices into the beads over the flame.

What you achieve from this are gorgeously deep colors and beautiful patterns. Today, you can enjoy this art in everything from lamps and bowls to ashtrays, rings, bracelets, earrings, cufflinks, and pendants. The prices tend to be reasonable too and offer a range. 

Thanks to the internet, you don’t need to travel all the way to Venice or Murano to buy your own glass art. There are of course fake products out there in the world, so always make sure that the products are made right in Murano. There is one 

The Long History of Millefiori Beads

Millefiori beads extend back to ancient Egypt and Rome. They experienced a comeback through the years, and you can appreciate a similar design and beauty the ancient Romans appreciated. Would you like to have a design of beauty and history for yourself? Come check out our authentic Italian Millefiori beads today!

Carnevale Ends with the Flight of the Leone

For those of you who follow VenetianBeadShop, you know that we are in Venice “working” and enjoying Carnevale. The weather has been beautiful, warmer than usual. Today is the closing and it ends with the flight of the Leone. When I first went to Carnevale, I thought someone dressed as a lion would slideup the wire to the top of the tower in San Marco…But it is the flag of the Republic of La Serenissima that flies closing Carnevale.

There have been some beautiful creative costumes and many of the classic well-known style. This costume with the moon is so clever and right on with the theme of  this year, but it was a bit difficult to manoeuvre through the crowds. My personal favorites are those people make themselves. But many people wear masks they purchased on the walk to San Marco Square.

On Saturday before the close of Carnevale, an estimated 60,000 people arrived in Venice, most of them for just a few hours. My solution to the crowds is to take a breather in the Correr Museum, gives you a great view of the crowds, surrounded by the history of Venice and while everyone else is trying to find bathrooms and food, I am enjoying wandering around an world class museum with lots of very clean bathrooms and a charming cafe with Prosecco, Wine, Tea, Sandwiches and best of all: chairs to rest and it is inside in case the weather is bad. (If you are handicapped, inquire for the elevator.)

And while I am in the Correr Museum, I get a chance to learn a little more about the history of Venice browsing through the rooms filled with the collection of Teodoro Correr which he bequeathed to the city of Venice. There is also a collection of jewelry from a few centuries ago. And we thought we invented the tassel! It is clear that gold has always been in style.

Some of my favorite costumes were the “Steam Punk” and a group about 50 people arrived from outside Venice on the train all in costume. We had a short phase of Steam Punk jewelry in the US, but apparently it’s a genre still very popular around the world. And in Venice there are tons of masks in case you want to have this costume for next year.

 

And so Carnevale ended with the traditional flight of the “Leone”, the Flag of the Republic of Venice and the anthem, a somber finish to the fun and frolic of Carnevale di Venezia. (The Republic existed for over a millennium between the 7th century and the 18th century from 697 AD until 1797 AD when Doge Manin surrendered to Napoleon.) The fog which had obscured the tower cleared just in time for the Leone.

And my personal end to Carnevale is the last frittelle at my favorite morning coffee shop on the day after Carnevale ends as they will not be made again until Carnevale 2020.

Carnevale Ends with a Fritelle

Watch our short collection of the nearly 2,000 pictures I made of costumes and scenes from Carnevale 2019

Until next year…..

Celebrating 25 Years @VenetianBeadShop

La Fenice Glass Furnace

Taking a walk down memory lane, 25 years ago in August we made our first buying trip to Venice. Now why our Italian son-in-law never thought to tell us that Italy is “Closed” in August is still a mystery. We arrived with our little indexed list of glass blowers, indexed by location and type of products all worked out with the Italian Trade Commission in Atlanta in the preceding months. No Waze or Google maps just our printed maps of the city which really didn’t have a lot of detail, so we drew them as we explored and our limited Italian language.

Making Beads

Just one night in the oven of a hotel where we stayed sent us searching at the Information Office for hotels with air conditioning a rare find in the early 90s in Venice. We discovered the Lido, a couple of hotels which were only open in the summer, catering  to the French and German tourists, which of course led us to discover the necessity of the vaporetto and restaurants on Lido where we still enjoy eating.

Alessandro Barbaro Maestro – Effortless Beauty and Perfection

So in the early morning we would head to Murano with our lists, only to discover most of them were closed. But there were a few wonderful suppliers who were gracious, though they were probably wondering about the crazy Americans who came in August. We still work with some of those suppliers. And I am sure many of our early suppliers thought we would be there once and never come back. Fooled them!

Effetre Glass Canes for Beads

They say love is blind, and luckily so is the love of Venice and Murano where we fell as they say head over heels in love with both the people and the glass. It has been a journey of discovery, joy and pain and fierce friendships.

Even Flat Stanley Enjoys Venice

We did not begin buying beads, that came later. We began with glass from the furnaces, vases, bowls and bottles, figurines, clowns (by the hundreds). While we bought these, we actually had little idea of how to sell the products. We had spent a lot of time learning about importing, customs duties and even attended a college class on importing. We researched the market and knew there were few people in our area who carried any Murano Glass.

Growing and Organizing

But selling it? We made the rounds of school events, church events, and yes, even flea markets. But we read in the paper, you know those things we all used to read in the morning with our coffee, that there was quite a well known Gem and Jewelry show in a town nearby, 3 days only, and 3 times each year. So on Friday afternoon, we went to the show to get a look and explore future show possibilities. The show promoter said, well I like what you have and it so happens that we have a booth where the vendor did not show, so if you can be here ready at 10 tomorrow am, you can have the booth.

My Favorite Red

That began a very long night of pricing our products, and amazingly, we sold almost everything we had. At the end of the show, the promoter came and convinced us to sign up for his next show, so now we had 3 months to get more goods….well that called for another trip to Venice, Italian classes and our house became a warehouse packed with beautiful Murano Glass.

To be continued…..

Celebrating 25 Years @VenetianBeadShop

La Fenice furnace on Murano whose owner GianFranco Albertini taught me the ins and outs of Murano Glass
Taking a walk down memory lane, 25 years ago in August we made our first buying trip to Venice. Now why our Italian son-in-law never thought to tell us that Italy is “Closed” in August is still a mystery. We arrived with our little printed indexed list of glass blowers, indexed by location and type of products all worked out with the Italian Trade Commission in Atlanta in the preceding months. No Waze or Google maps just our printed maps of the city which really didn’t have a lot of detail, so we drew our own maps, penciled in places we liked, glass we liked as we explored with our limited Italian language.

Just one night in the oven of a hotel where we stayed in the hot humid August night sent us searching at the Information Office for hotels with air conditioning a rare find in the early 90s in Venice. We discovered the Lido and a couple of hotels which were only open in the summer, catering  to the French and German tourists, which of course led us to discover the necessity of the vaporetto and restaurants on Lido where we still enjoy eating 25 years later.

One of the unknown amazing Maestro in Murano and one of favorite, Alessandro Barbaro. His lion and leopards are my favorite. They look like they might just move.  So in the early morning we would head to Murano with our lists, only to discover most of them were closed. But there were a few wonderful suppliers who were gracious, though they were probably wondering about the crazy Americans who came in August. We still work with many of those suppliers. And I am sure many of our early suppliers thought we would be there once and never come back. Fooled them!

Murano Glass Canes from the Effetre furnace who supplies all our glass canes
They say love is blind, and luckily so is the love of Venice and Murano where we fell as they say head over heels in love with both the people and the glass. It has been a journey of discovery, joy and pain and fierce friendships.

 Even Flat Stanley goes to Venice…..He also got a gondola ride. Needless to say Marcella had the best Flat Stanley stories.
We did not begin buying beads, that came later. We began with glass from the furnaces, vases, bowls and bottles, figurines, clowns (by the hundreds). While we bought these, we actually had little idea of how to sell the products. We had spent a lot of time learning about importing, customs duties and even attended a college class on importing. We researched the market and knew there were few people in our area who carried any Murano Glass. But little prepares you for the ins and outs of importing, learning Harmonized Tariff Customs numbers (who knew they could carry a tune?). Then you learn about Teamster Strikes at the ports as we shipped a lot via container because it was less expensive. Our entire Christmas merchandise sat waiting to go through the Panama Canal because ships were backed up. We learned the “trade” routes of shipping companies. 

Be careful what you fall in love with…..you can end up with a warehouse that looks like this.
But selling it? I think I discovered that I am way better at buying beautiful glass than selling it (and often I do not want to part with it). In those initial days, we made the rounds of school events, church events, and yes, even flea markets. But we read in the paper, you know those things we all used to read in the morning with our coffee, that there was quite a well-known Gem and Jewelry show in a town nearby, 3 days only, and 3 times each year. So on Friday afternoon, we went to the show to get a look and explore future show possibilities. After a short talk with the show promoter, he said, “well I like what you have and it so happens that we have a booth where the vendor cancelled, so if you can be here ready at 10 tomorrow am, you can have the booth.”

Franco made this beautiful red with his own secret recipe. 
That began a very long night of pricing our products, and amazingly, we sold almost everything we had. At the end of the show, the promoter came and convinced us to sign up for his next show, so now we had 3 months to get more goods….well that called for another trip to Venice, Italian classes and our house became a warehouse packed with beautiful Murano Glass.

To be continued…..

Redentore 2017

Redentore 2017 Venice Celebrating the End of the Plague

by blogvenice • July 24, 2017 • 0 Comments

The end of the plague is always a cause for celebration, even if it ended in 1576. And fortunately, for all of us, the Doge Alvise Mocenigo kept his promise and built the magnificent Church of the Redeemer aka Il Redentore which was consecrated in 1592. Today it is celebrated not only as a religious holiday but the biggest party in Venice – where Venetians actually participate. The car park at Piazzale Roma and Tronchetto are full by midday and the buses and trains coming in to Venice are packed with locals coming into to enjoy the fireworks.

The bacino (basin) in front of San Marco is full of locals on boats of every size and shape beginning about 5 p.m. The boats begin arriving laden with food and drinks and they stay until the last barrage of fireworks is lite about midnight. Locals celebrate on the waterfront of Giudecca and San Marco anywhere there is a space with a view of the fireworks. It is like a block party along the waterfront with a kind of pot luck dinner in the neighborhoods.

Here’s a few minutes of the fireworks (fuochi d’artificio).  I love seeing the gondolas silently rowing through. The cheering and conversations are also enjoyable. If you have a hard time understand some words, some of it is in Venetian dialect. Thanks to my friends in Venice and Lido for the up close pictures taken from his gondola. You can see the outline of the gondola in the pictures above.https://www.youtube.com/embed/rIzy0IM-XJk?feature=oembed

It still represents a pilgrimage to the citizens of Venice. The city constructs this amazing pontoon bridge each year so Venetian faithfuls can walk across. It is a lot of work to make this bridge that crosses the Giudecca Canal but the crews in Venice are seasoned and they get it done. You can see they take into account the need for the boat traffic as you see the vaporetto just going under the bridge. The vaporetti lines are suspended during the fireworks so if you are on Giudecca for the fireworks, the bridge is your fastest way back across to Venice as the vaporetto lines are super crowded when they begin normal operations. The bridge opened at 7 pm Saturday night connecting the Zattere to the Church and remained open until Sunday night.  During Sunday night these hardworking crews dismantle the bridge and get ready for the next big pontoon bridge which will be in November for Santa Maria della Salute, a tribute to the end of another plague in 1630.

The church was designed by the architect Andrea Palladio. President of the US, Thomas Jefferson admired Palladio’s style of architecture and the US Capitol building in Washington DC is a version of Palladio’s designs. The 111th Congress of the US called Palladio the “Father of American Architecture”.

The paintings in the basilica include famous Venetians and Italians of the 16th Century: Francesco Bassano, Lazzaro Bastiani, Carlo Sarceni, Leandro Bassano, Palma, Jacopo Bassano, Francesco Bissolo, Rocco Marconi, Paolo Veronese, Alvise Vivarini and housed the workshop of Tintoretto, a who’s who of famous Venetian painters.

This year to celebrate the 450th anniversary of birth of Claudio Monteverdi (1567-1643), there was a concert in the church, performed by Ensemble Musica Venezia. More fun events included a children’s twin-oared “pupparini” boat regatta and gondola races. The final event was the solemn Votive Mass at the chiesa.

Here is another really good video – professional and I have certainly been outdone. It has been set to music. Enjoy it. (Sorry for the ads which may be in Italian or not?)

Redentore Fireworks Set to Music

But aside from all the incredible history of the basilica, get on with the party. Preparations begin weeks in advance, deciding whose boat to take, what time to leave, where to pick up your friends and above all what to cook! There are certain staples:

  • Baccalà  Mantecato
  • Sarde and or Scampi in Saor
  • Polenta
  • Prosecco
  • Insalata di Riso
  • Scampi in Saor

And for me, they include prosciutto because I have only learned recently to appreciate the finer qualities of Baccalà Mantecato and am still working on developing the love of Sarde in Saor or the Scampi version, though I love the shrimp when they fry them before inundating them with vinegar and onions for the required 2 days of soaking! Who doesn’t love a sweet fried shrimp?

Glass Conference in Murano and Fashion Show

Waiting for the Fashion Show

The island of Murano was host to the GAS (Glass Art Society) with world wide participation. Everyone who works with glass paid tribute to the heritage of Murano. This week it was evident and the pure joy and excitement of the students of glass as they wandered around the island was abundantly obvious. While I might not completely agree with GAS selection of artist and venues, I do not believe that anyone went home unhappy with the experience.

I met artists from all over the world who paid $100+ dollars to tour Murano glass factories and watch maestri from around the world work alongside Muranese in the furnaces of Barovier & Toso, Venini, Effetre and Carlo Moretti. These are not your “tourist” factories, but truly production facilities and home to some of the most famous Maestri of Murano. There were presentations every day by the best in the business.

The Life Time Achievement Award was presented to the family of the famous Pino Signoretto as he unfortunately died late last December. His works are known around the world and many students from Pilchuck in Seattle were in attendance. 

One of the more important discussion panels focused on the environmental issues of the minerals used to achieve the bright colors we all love. The panel included academics in chemistry and physics as the making of glass involves both. Specifically, the use of Cadium, Arsenic, and Lead. Glass producers, large and small are attempting to find a substitute as it is an essential mineral for some of our favorite colors, like red, rubino and opaque colors. The major risk is not in the end use of the glass, but for those who work producing the batch (made from soda, sand, and minerals) which are a hazard to breath when making the batch; for those involved in the working of the molten glass and for those who reheat the glass (such as lampworkers).Inhaling cadmium-laden dust quickly leads to respiratory tract and kidney problems which can be fatal (often from renal failure). There is a race to resolve this problem, and I only hope that the first one to achieve this goal is not allowed to patent the process as that would prohibit small furnaces from making their own glass. For those who depend on the glass rods from Effetre Moretti, we hope they find a solution quickly.

But the best part of the entire conference for me was the Glass Fashion Show. The artist had made their own outfits, some costumes took as long as 5 months to complete and one weighed about 70 pounds.

Several were lighted like Christmas Trees and glowed beautifully against the background of the water. It is a tradition at the end of the conference, but this year, the models arrived in gondolas and floated down the Rio del Vetrai. Both sides of the canal were crowded with the attendees of the conference gleefully drinking Spritz (the local favorite). Locals were watching out their windows upstairs. I left the sounds from the crowd as it gives you an idea of how rowdy and enthusiastic it was.

The conference concluded with a giant party on the grounds of the San Pietro Church with local foods and drinks, music and dancing lasting to the wee hours. Sunday morning was quiet as every one recuperated!  The opinion of many was that Murano should be the host of the conference again soon!

Murano Glass Bead Hole Sizes

This is a question every new beader asks when they first encounter Venetian Beads. And then they ask, “What size wire should I use?”

Venetian Beads, Murano Beads

The most common size of holes of Murano Glass Beads is approximately 1mm. Approximate because they are most often made on 1mm diameter copper rods, which heats up and naturally expands. The glass wrapped around it expands as well, but when the glass and the copper cool, they both shrink. So we generally have a ~1mm hole and for larger beads, the mandrel will be larger as the mandrel must support the bead in the fire.

Making Beads with Fango

We also make beads like our PerlaVita, European Large Hole Beads, Bimbi, our smaller European Large Hole Beads for Children, Duo and 2mm Rondelles which we developed for Leather and they each have different sizing. We make these on stainless steel rods using a bead release to keep the glass from sticking to the rods. Bead Release was used in Venice prior to the 1920s and was called “fango” meaning mud because it came from the lagoon. Bead Release is similar to kiln wash and contrary to popular believe it was not invented by Americans, but they did add graphite to it.

MANDRELS BEING PREPARED TO MAKE OUR LARGE HOLE BEADS
So the short answer is that any wire which is less than 1mm can be used for Venetian & Murano Glass Beads. The important issue is the weight of a bead. So larger beads from 16mm up through our large 30 and 40mm beads will need a heaver (larger) gauge wire. 
Note: Venetian/Murano Beads will always be slightly abrasive around the edges. This is not a defect, simply how the beads are made.

Bracelets or Necklaces?

Bracelets will require a heavier gauge because bracelets are much more active and get more abuse than a necklace. Necklaces, especially those with Swarovski or small beads can be strung on a smaller gauge because they will not be subjected to as much stress.

23 Years and Counting – Happy Anniversary to Us!

This August marks 23 years that we have been working in Murano and Venice with our wonderful bead makers. It started as a hobby, well not even that, friends wanted the beautiful necklaces that I had bought in Murano. Little did I know that loading my bags with goodies for friends would lead 1)a change of careers 2)the adoption of entire families 3)a love affair with the magical city of Venice!

We already had the famous Vincenzo. Famous for getting on an airplane, speaking not a word of English, to come to the US to study helicopter repair (which he never did). Famous for sweeping Bob’s daughter off her feet and marrying her (and us) within months, still speaking only a few phrases of English. (And us less Italian!) As part of Vince joining our family, we also inherited a full fledged Italian family, complete with a fabulous sorella (sister), 3 amazing Zia (aunts), cugini (cousins), baby gemelli (twins) and one very grumpy fratello (brother), all of whom arrived here for August holidays.

Vince at home in Italy.

His family introduced us to amazing family dinners, which we thought needed either a referee or the police as with our limited Italian, we were sure that some one was going to die! Did I mention that the sorella was a graduate of the Largo Garda Hotel Restaurant & School and also a sommelier? Need I say more about the food? Everything hand made in a kitchen the size of a Volkswagon Bus, served exquisitely, in courses so many I couldn’t count, much less eat it all!

But Why? We had though a little about something to do outside of high tech. I was working for a company building satellites. We also though it would be a good idea to write-off our frequent trips to Italy. Sounded good? And the glass of Murano, well, we had fallen in love with it. Though early on, we researched glass in Austria, Germany and the Czech Republic – these places just didn’t hold our attention like Murano.

So in August 1993, we headed to Murano with a few thousand in our pockets. Now why Vince or his family never thought to tell us that the entire islands of Venice and Murano would be deserted – Ferragosto! Everyone having fun on a beach somewhere, but definitely NOT working. The sun was amazingly hot and I think we could have made glass on the sidewalks of Fondamenta Manin. We had a list from the Italian Trade Commission with names of furnaces. (At this point, we were not buying beads, rather vases, bowls, bottles – the beads came along later. But we still managed to buy some beads as they were, then and still today, impossible for me to resist.)

Murano – Where are the People

Bob had cross-referenced the list of furnaces with “street” addresses. The street is in quotes, because addresses were based on the way the postman delivers the mail – nothing to do with where the furnace is located! Remember this is 1993, there is NO internet, no google maps, just us in 95+ degree heat, 100% humidity walking miles and miles, knocking on doors sadly closed until September. We did, however, meet a few who were working. They became our immediate friends and we worked with them for years. We had no idea of wholesale pricing, so before visiting a firm, we would visit all the retail stores and see what the retail prices were. (Not so far documented at any business school as a good idea!)

Windows Shuttered – On Vacation

We made our few purchases, and knew we’d be back as soon as possible. Of course Christmas would be coming and we’d need to visit the family. Funny thing, the furnaces are also closed at Christmas! We soon discovered that Italy is closed a good bit of the year!

But now that we had this Murano Glass, we had to sell it. We signed up for school fairs, flea markets and learned a lot about selling the glass, well a lot about packing and unpacking glass and standing in the hot sun! We read in the paper (yes Dorothy, papers were once read) that the International Gem and Jewelry Show was opening in San Mateo. (We read this on Friday a.m.) We decided to go and see what people sold. So Friday afternoon we went to the show, looked around and inquired with the show management about exhibiting, with our thoughts on some nebulous future show date. Danny Duke, from the family that owned the show, said great, they had nothing like our goods and by the way, a vendor had cancelled and he could make us a good price if we could show up on Saturday but no commitment to future shows. We headed home to work our excel spreadsheets to price and pack our glass.

We were like the proverbial “deer in the headlights” but we sold almost all our goods even though we were in the wholesale area. Danny was encouraged and thought we would do better in the retail area for the next show, so he offered us a contract. We had a few beads and discovered that many people wanted to buy the loose beads. Who knew? Our first show we were in a booth beside the famous Picard Beads, who clearly understood we knew nothing about the treasures from Murano that we were selling.

This was the beginning of some 10+ years of exhibiting with the show.

But what threw us into this as a real career? Well it’s now 1998, and there is indeed an internet and the start-up internet over satellite where I worked as Director of Marketing – well it crashed, thanks to the thieving founder who relieved us and our investors of a couple million dollars. But the technology was still valuable and while I worked to sell it out of Chapter 13 to new owners, I began shooting pictures, you know the kind you take to the store and have put on CDs. We opened our first store on Yahoo. Well miracle of miracles within 24 hours of opening the store, we had our first order. And it was from Brazil! We were now hooked on online shopping!

Our Original Logo – A glass Gondola made by a Lampworker in Murano

Early on we worked with the Apple QuickTake Camera, which held only 8 photos, had the battery life of a twinkling star and the resolution was miniscule by today’s comparisons. Eight pictures and then you had to download! But it was a start!

Since we needed more products for the store, I began shooting pictures of the few loose beads we had on hand. They sold immediately and customers asked for more. Fortunately this was just before Christmas and we had already planned to go back to Venice in January. This time we bought BEADS! and lots of them along with our blown glass.

Why I Work!

So If I am Here, Is it really Work?

Our amazing selection of Venetian/Murano Glass Beads, you can find on our webstore at: VenetianBeadShop

You can find our blown glass on our sister webstore: VenetianGlassArt

Making a Boro Tube Necklace

Blowing Boro Tubes

These are very popular in Venice, and combining both traditional Murano Glass beads for the center piece and Borosilicate Glass, commonly called “boro” for the curved tubes. The tubes are curved working in the flame.

Here are some suggestions for center beads. You will need a bead that is at least 20mm to command the center, or you could add a pendant which is suspended between the two symmetrical tubes. Click here or on the picture for the Free Design page and list of components needed.

Choose the Focal Bead You Like – at least 20mm

Make no mistake, each and every piece is slightly different. Our blowers are the best in the business, but like all artists, they create each piece one by one. In fact, I had to beg to get the blower to make the symmetrical. He said “mi non piassi” – Venetian dialect for I do not LIKE them!

With these necklaces it is best to begin with the center beads and work out. The wire will follow the curvature of the boro tube and will easily come out the hole, but you may need to give it a couple of tries. Larger wire is better because you want to be sure you can secure the necklace.

We use inverted bead caps to fit like a socket into the holes of the tubes which gives it flexibility. Again, each hole will be slightly different, but the inverted beadcap will its seat against the hole, whatever the size or shape of the hole. (The holes are made while the glass is glowing red hot by inserting a metal mandrel into the hot glass, so the holes will never be perfectly round. This is not a defect, just how it’s made.)

Our organic shapes like pebbles and nocce are naturals for the enter pieces and matting the beads is a great contrast. We’d love to see what you do with these exquisite boro tubes.

About Boro:

Boro is a type of glass with silica and boron trioxide as the main glass-forming constituents. Borosilicate glass is known for having very low coefficients of thermal expansion (~3 × 10−6 /°C at 20 °C), making them resistant to thermal shock, more so than any other common glass. Boro was invented by the German Otto Schott, and is similar in composition to the US was patented by Corning under the name of Pyrex, yes like the Pyrex you use in the oven (only it is much thicker than our jewelry beads).

Lampworkers enjoy working with boro as it is more forgiving, easier to work more complicated pieces, like ornate wine glasses or sculptural designs and can be reheated so you have a chance to “re do” any mistakes, something we can not do with Murano Glass.

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