Making a Glass Bead on a Mandrel — Lampwork Beadmaking

Lampwork is the art of shaping glass in the flame of a torch or oil lamp. A glass rod is heated until it flows, then wound around a steel mandrel coated in bead release to form a bead. By layering colours, pulling trails, and pressing with simple tools, the beadmaker creates intricate patterns in miniature. Glass beadmaking dates to at least 1500 BCE in Mesopotamia and Egypt, and lampwork beads have been trade goods across every continent. This blueprint covers the core technique of winding a single-colour round bead — the foundation for all lampwork.