Window Patterns

Window Patterns

Stained Glass Window Patterns - Five Ways to Find Them on the Internet
By Sue Spire - Ezineartilces

Knowing where to find stained glass window patterns is difficult, especially if you have just recently started doing glass work. Let me guide you to a variety of ways to find them, with the added bonus that most of the patterns are free.

The search will be a bit easier if you know what theme/type of pattern you're looking for. However, browsing through patterns to come up with a theme can be fun, plus you'll get ideas for future projects.

If you are just starting to work with glass, I would suggest keeping the pattern simple. Look for something with easy pieces to cut. Depending on the size of the window, the pattern should have no more than 30 to 50 pieces for a window that's over 1 1/2 square feet in size, or 15 to 30 pieces if the window is smaller. To determine the square footage of a pattern or window, multiply the width times the height, in inches, then divide by 144. To convert metric to square feet, multiply width by height in centimeters, then divide by 930.25.

1. There are several thousand free patterns available. Search for your theme by typing in "free xxx patterns for stained glass". Make sure you replace the x's with whatever theme you are searching for, such as flowers, angels, dogs, etc. If you don't know what theme you want, leave out the x's all together so that it says free patterns, instead of free xxx patterns.

2. If you can't find any free patterns that suit you, leave out the word "free". That will bring you results that include patterns for sale. There are many patterns on the internet that cost just a few dollars, which is far less than buying a book. Some web sites will even custom design a pattern for you.

3. There are many forums online, with people very willing to help you find a pattern, or to share one of their original patterns with you. Many of the forums have a picture gallery where people display their work. Have a look through the pictures. If you see something you like, ask on the forum, where the pattern came from. You can search for forums by typing in "stained glass forums".

It is against copyright laws to copy patterns from books to share with someone else, so please don't ask anyone on a forum to do that for you. You're likely to get a virtual slap on the hand! Most people on the forums are aware of copyright laws and shy away from openly copying and giving you a pattern from a book, but they will be very happy to tell you what book that pattern came from.

4. Search for quilt or stencil patterns by typing in "free quilt patterns" or "free stencil patterns". Many of them seem to be ready made for stained glass window patterns. Mosaic patterns are another possibility.

5. Finally, you could design your own patterns from photographs, magazine pictures, coloring books, and pictures books (especially children's books). I have found great pleasure in taking pictures of flowers, then using the pictures as the basis of my design. Designing your own can be fun as well as rewarding. You will have your own one of a kind original. There are several designing tutorials available that can be found by doing a Google search for them.

Another way to design your own patterns is to buy Pattern Wizard or Glass Eye 2000. Both programs have free trial downloads. You will get quite a few patterns, as a bonus, with the free trials, as well as a fair length of time to try out designing your own stained glass window patterns before you make a decision to buy.

Window Patterns