Glass makers have used the "millefiore" technique for hundreds
of years. Italian for "thousand flowers", it refers to a bundling
of colored segments placed to form floral (or other) patterns.
Much care is needed to place the segments in order to build up a design.
These pattern-forming lengths are called "canes".
When fused together and stretched out, the glass bundles become longer
and thinner, reducing the scale of the design. Slices from these cane,
called "murrini" are affixed to other glass pieces in a decorative
way to make beads, paperweights, and more.
This technique is also used with polymer clays.
To see how it's done, click on the following links.
Cane Building
Cane Reduction
The 13 Lb. Cane Saga
Moon and Sun Face Canes
send email to: Sarajane@polyclay.com
