Sabine Little

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I work with both soft and borosilicate glass, combining lampwork and cold working techniques to create a variety of jewellery and sculptural pieces.

My range of interchangeable Alcazar jewellery showcases the strength of versatility in modern times, whereas the Wordsmith series is inspired by my love of words and the impact they have on people. Both ranges lend themselves to personalisation.

Like my jewellery, my sculptural work is inspired by words, stories, poetry, dreams and thoughts. Each piece has its own history or background, and is looking to evoke a memory or thought in the viewer.

My work has been published and exhibited through a number of outlets both in the UK and abroad. I am a qualified teacher and teach both glass bead making and sculptural lampworking from my studio north of Sheffield, just on the edge of the Peak District.

About glass bead making
Lampwork beads are made by heating glass rods in a torch and winding them around a stainless steel mandrel coated in bead release, a silica-based sludge. Once dry, the bead release functions as a barrier between mandrel and glass, to ensure the bead can be removed later.
 
Simple round beads are made using nothing but gravity, but tools can be used to achieve certain consistent shapes or effects, including presses, rakes, etc. Much of my work is free-form shaped, using the heat of the torch to connect various glass components, and manipulating the glass so it has the desired effect.
 
There are various types of glass, each with their own characteristics, such as the rate with which it expands and contracts with heat (COE) - these cannot be mixed together, since the internal stresses resulting from different expansions would result in cracks. To further avoid thermal damage, beads are annealed in a digitally controlled kiln to maximise their strength and reduce internal stress so they cope well with daily wear and tear.