Blow Your Own Bauble

About this experience

Experience first-hand and close up, the extreme temperatures required to transform sand into glass and learn some of the 2000 year old skills first developed by the ancient Romans.

During this experience, you will work one-to-one with a glassblower who will tutor and support you through every step of the creation of your own multicoloured crystal bauble. This is a truly unique and educational experience during where you will work with glass at 1200 degrees centigrade.

 

What happens during the experience?

Your tutor will demonstrate the making of a bauble so you know what to expect and then invite you into the hot seat.

 

You will select the mixed colours you wish to use, and with the assistance of the tutor, melt them into the glass on a blowing iron. You will shape the glass using a wooden block before blowing down the iron to create your bauble. You may repeat this process a few times in a special reheating chamber to get it right.

 

Metal hand-tools called jacks are then used to shape the glass & prepare it for separation from the blowing iron. Once separated your tutor will apply a hook, formed from liquid glass, and once cooled it can be taken home to be hung and admired.

 

Do I take my bauble home straight away?

 

Your bauble must cool slowly in an annealing overnight which prevents it from breaking if it cools too quickly. You can usually collect your glass within one to two days, however we are happy to arrange postage if it is not possible for you to return within one week. If you require postage, a small fee will be required to pay on the day of your experience.

 

To ensure a safe working environment a maximum of four participants per hour may enter the glassblowing area, with a maximum of four non-participants. When you are not actively blowing you will be seated, enabling you to watch and take photographs in safety. Your hands-on experience will last around 15-20 minutes.

 

Participants must wear clothing that covers their legs and feet. Shorts, short skirts, sandals, stilettos etc. are not allowed. Only one person will blow glass at a time. Your safety is our paramount concern so you will enjoy extremely close supervision & tuition. The minimum age for this experience is 8 years. 

 

Terms and Conditions please note, our 10% welcome code is not able to be used when purchasing glass blowing experiences.

 

Do you want to book for a large group, maybe a family birthday or a work away day? Feel free to email on shop@cumbriacrystal.com to arrange.

 

RECENT REVIEWS

 

"What a fantastic bauble making experience. Really clear guidance, friendly people and super inclusive of the elderly, infirm and nervous - we loved it."

 

"My daughter and I went to a ‘blow your own crystal bauble’ session. Annie-Rose explained everything very clearly and demonstrated how we should handle and use the tools. We were able to watch some of the other stages involved in the glass making process once our baubles were finished. Staff were all friendly and enthusiastic - excellent ambassadors for your company."

 

"Thoroughly enjoyed the bauble glass blowing experience. Anna-Rose was really informative and patient as she took us through the process. Watching the incredibly skilled craftsmen/women was really interesting too - they make it look so easy but having had a go we can really appreciate the amount of work and skill that goes into every piece."