There are many names for this technique; spun glass, lace work, loop stitching, crocheting, glass loops or knitting (knitting or loop stitching usually refer to a wool knitted look)
I have tried to do loop stitches but am very slow & my quality sucks.
So developed my own style – glass loops.
2 x 4mm clear rods (I’m using boro, you could use soft glass)
Any colour stringer
Marble mould, 32mm diameter for this demo.
Graphite push (8mm dia smaller than marble mould)
Make a small maria 7-10 mm
Using a very small flame, keep the maria hot (not melty) - very close to the flame, but not in the flame. Melt tip of second rod, keeping it in the flame. Move the melted tip to touch the side of maria, pull back into the flame, rotate maria a little & repeat. Note, don’t move the maria from next to flame, just rotate it.
After 2-3 rotations around the maria, check the curve against the graphite push.
If curve is too small, heat the loops to a soft red colour (don’t melt!!!) & push onto graphite to enlarge curve.
If curve is too large, heat the loops, press the loops against side of marble mould, using the graphite push to form a nice curve.
Add more loops (repeat above) until you have half a sphere.
Evenly heat half sphere (don’t melt).
Melt tip of stringer, touch it to inside of sphere to make small dots – you may need to flame cut thin strings.
When you have enough dots, melt back the stringy bits.
If using soft glass, keep returning what is made to cold part of flame, so it does not crack.
Add more clear loops (so their curve is a little bigger than the curve of the ball).
Add more colour dots.
Heat open end of ball & use marble mould to push it into sphere shape.
Repeat above, until ball is closed
Evenly heat the whole ball to a dull red (don’t melt).
Grab ball with claw grabbers & make a bail.
If soft glass, place in a hot kiln & anneal.
With boro, I put under a thermal blanket to cool & batch anneal latter.
I make 4 sizes, 20, 25, 32 & 50 mm.
Small ones are good for earrings, larger for necklaces & Christmas tree decorations, they really sparkle when light hits them.
Then I though other uses & shapes.
Peter