Copperfoil Snow Hare and Polar Bear
From: £55.00
- No dates scheduled, please contact us to register interest
CoURSE Description
Evening workshop — no experience required
Mince pies on arrival, Christmas music in the background, and an afternoon spent soldering your own stand-alone glass animal — this one’s built for getting into the festive spirit. Choose your creature at checkout — a snow hare or a polar bear — then spend the afternoon learning to copper foil and solder under Karen Mallinson’s guidance, piecing your animal together until it’s ready to stand on its own.
There’s something rather satisfying about copper foiling: you wrap each piece of glass in fine copper tape, then solder the seams to hold everything together. It’s precise but forgiving, and by the end of the session you’ll have a finished, self-standing piece to carry straight home — no kiln, no waiting.
Settle in with a hot drink, take your time over the soldering, and enjoy a properly wintery few hours. Whether it’s a gift for someone else or a treat for your own windowsill, you’ll leave with something handmade and entirely yours.
The Skills
- Copper foil taping — wrapping glass pieces cleanly and precisely
- Soldering — joining pieces into strong, tidy seams
- Building a self-standing piece — assembling glass to hold its own shape
- Finishing touches — the details that make it ready to display
What You’ll Take Home
One self-standing copper foiled glass animal — your choice of snow hare or polar bear — approximately 16cm x 10cm. Complete and ready to take with you the same afternoon.
Who It Suits
- Anyone wanting a festive afternoon out with something to show for it
- Complete beginners — no glasswork experience needed
- Christmas gift-hunters after something handmade
- Small groups of friends fancying a wintery afternoon together
Worth Knowing
With a maximum of six people per session, this is a small, relaxed class with plenty of one-to-one guidance from Karen throughout. Copper foiling is a lovely technique to learn even if you’ve never touched glass before — the results look far more intricate than the process itself, and you’ll pick up skills you can carry into other stained glass projects.
Your Tutor: Karen Mallinson – Copper Foiling Specialist
Karen brings a warm, patient teaching style to her copper foiling classes, helping students of every skill level create something they’re proud of by the end of the session.
Please use the calendar above to select the course date and book
Can’t make the date? Please email us to register your interest at jen@cheshireschoolofglass.co.uk and we can let you know when further dates are added
FAQs
Q: What should I wear?
A: Just comfortable clothes you don’t mind getting a bit dusty, and closed-toe shoes (nothing open like sandals or flip-flops). Avoid loose sleeves if possible, but we have elastic bands if needed.
Q: What's included in the course price?
A: Everything you need – all glass, tools, kiln firing, safety equipment, tea and coffee throughout the day, and biscuits. You just need to bring yourself! The only extra would be if you want to make additional pieces beyond what’s included in the course.
Q: Do I take my finished pieces home the same day?
For fusing courses, no – your pieces need to go in the kiln, so you can collect them when they’re ready (usually a week or so later) or we can post them to you but we really don’t recommend postage because glass is easily broken in the post. You can choose postage at your own risk, we charge a minimum of £8 (depending on the size of the piece) to cover postage cost & packaging.
For stained glass, copper foiling and other non-fusing courses, yes – you take them home at the end of the course.
Q: What if I don't finish my piece?
A: Don’t worry, we build in enough time for everyone to complete their projects. Jennifer keeps an eye on everyone’s progress. If you’re a bit slower, that’s fine – we’d rather you do it properly than rush.
Q: Is lunch provided?
A: We provide tea, coffee, and biscuits throughout the day, but not lunch. You’re welcome to bring sandwiches to eat in our comfy break area or outside if the weather’s nice, or there are plenty of nice pubs & cafes approx 1 mile away in the centre of Frodsham.
Q: How do I find you?
A: We’re pretty easy to find – just off the main road between Frodsham and Kingsley. We’re upstairs in the Barn at Bradley Farm Stables (look out for the horses 🙂 )
Our studio address is
Bradley Farm,
Bradley Lane,
Frodsham,
Cheshire WA6 7EP
Google Maps Link: https://share.google/Rs5h7PbS4m6ZmvNE9
There’s parking on the road right outside the barn and on the large grass verge just around the corner from the farm.