Jade Vortex

The "Jade Vortex" is created by first rolling up jade green rods of glass over a bubble and then twisting the bubble to make a spiral of green and clear in between. Then, by poking a hole in the side of the bubble and placing a new blow pipe in the hole, the bubble is turned so that the spiral is on the side of the glass and not the bottom. The bubble is blown out and flattened with large thick cork paddles. Once the bubble has cooled the bottom is flattened, another metal rod with a little bit of glass on the end is attached to the bottom of the bubble, and the glass is broken off the blow pipe. The neck is stretched out by heating it in a 2000 degree oven. When the vase is finished, it is put into an oven to cool slowly overnight to room temperature.