The document summarizes the process for making glass beads in Ghana. Broken glass bottles are crushed into small pieces and placed into clay molds of different shapes and sizes. The molds are fired in a kiln, melting the glass into beads. The beads are then shaped, polished, strung onto threads, and either displayed in shops or delivered to customers. A second type of bead involves pulverizing glass into powder before placing it in molds, then hand-painting and refiring the beads after cooling.

1. By Tanja Galetti May 2010 Bead Making

2. Did you ever wonder where the beautiful beads for these bracelets and necklaces come from? Bead Making

3. Bead Making Glass beads have been produced in Ghana for a very long time. Today we are visiting a Ghanaian bead producer on the outskirts of Accra.

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5. Bead Making The bottles are broken and then crushed into small pieces of glass.

6. Bead Making The small pieces of glass are put into clay moulds. There are many different shapes and sizes of moulds, depending on the bead you want to make.

7. Bead Making The moulds are carefully placed into the kiln. Under the heat, the glass begins to melt.

8. Bead Making The moulds are carefully removed from the kiln. The beads are allowed to cool down for a little while.

9. Bead Making With special tools, the beads are shaped until they are round. The beads are allowed to cool down completely.

10. Bead Making The beads are placed on a grinding stone. Water and sand is added. The beads are polished.

11. Bead Making The beads are strung on thread.

12. Bead Making The beads are ready to go in to the shop for display or to be delivered to customers.

13. Bead Making Powder glass beads: The glass is pulverized before being filled into the moulds. After the cooling process, the beads are hand-painted with ceramic dye and then put into the kiln a second time.

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15. To Mrs. Florence Martey Asare for allowing me to take photos of the production process on her premises. You can contact Mrs. Asare through [email_address] Bead Making