Color choices and pattern placement.

Cutting patterns is an important part of process, and it requires a steady hand and an eye for colors to blend for art's sake.  Finding the best part of the glass for each piece of your design really makes a difference in the finished piece. In addition to the glass you're working with and the pattern itself, the tools for this process are pattern shears and double-sided tape.  

Before I begin, I number all areas of the pattern, and make a copy of the numbered pattern for reference. I carefully label the entire pattern, so that each individual part has a number and letter for color.

I use pattern shears to cut out the individual pieces of the pattern. Unlike regular scissors or a razor, pattern shears cut a 1/8" space in the pattern, which allows room for the copper foil and keeps your piece true to the size and dimensions of the pattern. Yes, there are tiny strips of paper all over when a big pattern is cut, but this is a small price to pay for an accurate piece

The next step is to use double-sided tape to adhere the paper pattern to the back or smooth side of the glass. An adhesive spray like 3M Super 77 can be used instead of tape, but some folks don't like the way the aerosol sprays smell.

As you place the pattern pieces on the glass, look for natural shades and textures in the glass that will complement the design of your finished piece, and place the pieces of the pattern in a way that maximizes this effect.  Pay attention to the flow of any shading in the glass. If your pale blue sky glass has wispy white, you'll want it to flow horizontally throughout the sky, not a section of clouds jetting up-and-down while the rest of the sky is a perfect left-to-right swoosh. 

Obviously, it's also important to make sure pattern pieces are placed correctly for color continuity of the piece. One blue square in the supposed-to-be clear spot and it becomes an OCD trigger instead of an art piece. 

In the pattern I chose here there are nine shades of stained glass so the cutting and placement took about 45 minutes to an hour.  Thanks for stopping in and have a beautiful day!