Samantha Sweet Glass

Can an author blow glass? Turns out, yes—they can! It was lovely working with these ladies, helping them bring their own designs to life. Whether you work with words or something else entirely, you might be surprised at what you can create. I love showing people the process, so if you’ve ever been curious about trying glassblowing, do get in touch 🔥
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Back in the late 19th century, William Morris spearheaded the Arts and Crafts movement response to the Industrial Revolution. He believed factory items were sterile and soulless, and that the things we use every day should bring us genuine pleasure—that true beauty and utility must go hand in hand.
Those subtle colors, the distinct weight, and the unique variations? They aren’t flaws to William Morris. They’re the marks of the maker, turning an ordinary drink into a beautiful daily ritual
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A lot of people book into the East Finchley studio wanting to learn a skill, but this weekend I had two ladies come down who just wanted the quiet.

In a world where work demands pretty much 24/7, glassblowing is a brilliant way to press do not disturb. Because let’s face it—there is absolutely no way you can check your emails when you’re managing a piece of hot glass.
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Back in the late 1200s, Venice was locked in a brutal economic battle with luxury glass imports from Syria. To dominate the global market, Italian workshops needed to mass-produce impossibly thin glass beakers
An anonymous master forged this: the soffietta. It allowed glassmakers to press a metal cone against the open rim of a detached piece, creating a perfect seal to puff out the glass from the “wrong” end while it spins on the punty
The Venetian guild knew this tool was an absolute goldmine, so they strictly banned anyone from exporting it. Seven hundred years later, the tool design is exactly the same—but I’m so glad the gatekeeping is gone
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Glass isn’t always a material you think about being playful with, but boy, it can be!
This wonderful guest has done a bit of glassblowing before, and it really shows in her experimental confidence. When you have the freedom to just play with the material, incredible things happen
Honestly, the creative energy in the studio was so contagious, I didn’t want the session to end.
Ready to get creative at the furnace? Whether you want to learn the fundamentals or just get a bit experimental with hot glass, my 1:1 sessions are a safe space to try. No prior experience needed
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samanthasweetglass

I’m heading to see the “Crafted” takeover at Sotheby’s for London Craft Week. It’s the week where the “unseen” makers get the spotlight in the most glamorous rooms in London.
But let’s be real: the polished marble of New Bond Street is a world away from the heat of my studio in East Finchley. Galleries show the finished piece, but the workshop shows the soul (and the 90% sweat it took to make something)
If you’re tempted to try glassblowing yourself I run private beginner sessions at my studio - no heels required
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I bought this vintage Nazeing glass mould to save a piece of British industrial history. It’s solid cast iron and likely hasn’t seen the heat of a furnace in decades.
To bring it back to life, it’s all about the prep. I’ve stripped away the old carbon and relined the interior with fresh cork to ensure a smooth finish.
But instead of the traditional vase, I’m giving this heritage shape a contemporary twist—repurposing it into a modern drinking glass. What do you think—with all the cleaning and relining required, is it worth the effort to keep these vintage moulds in production, or should they stay in the history books? -
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nazeing

Is ceramics mainstream!?! It's fantastic to see London's ceramic scene growing and great fun welcoming ceramicists at the studio to discover hot glass too
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Testing out these vintage Nazing Glass moulds this week has been quite a physical work out, they are HEAVY! The Kempton family started a new glass factory in a converted goat shed in 1928 with nothing but grit—and while the factory has now closed, I hope I can do those glassmakers proud continuing working with their moulds
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