Millefiori, also known as ‘1000 flowers is a glass design characterized by a mosaic

flowerlike pattern.  The Millefiori technique is used to make pendants, beads, paperweights

and other glass products.  

The most popular Millefiori item is a pendant.

History of Millefiori Pendants

Millefiori Pendants are made using murrine, or slender, multicolored glass canes.

Murrine are fused together to create Millefiori pendants.

The use of murrine rods can be traded back to Ancient Rome, Phoenician and

Alexandrine times though the Millefiori technique was developed in Murano, Italy in

the 15th century.

The Millefiori technique was created by altering another glassmaking method.

Until the 15th century, glassmakers were producing beads from Rosetta canes.

Rosetta canes have a center hole.

The technique involves layering six layers of glass (white, blue, white, brick red, white

then blue) over a hollow cane creating patterns of 5 concentric stars with twelve points.

Beads are created when Rosetta canes are chopped.

Millefiori was born when glassmakers produced Rosetta using a cane with no hole.

Millefiori is made using a seemingly endless amount of colors and layers.

Creating a Millefiori Pendant

To create a Millefiori pendant, glass rod is coated with layers of different colored glass.

This creates the intricate Millefiori design.

The rod is furnace heated to fuse the layers of glass.

After re-heating, the rod is pulled very thin.

The trick is to maintain the original Millefiori design.

After cooling, the rod is sliced then placed in metal rings, creating the Millefiori pendant.

Creating a Millefiori pendant is an extensive process.

Each Millefiori pendant is handmade one by one making every Millefiori pendant one

of a kind.

Millefiori pendants come in many styles and sizes.

They’re beautiful!

Whichever Millefiori pendant you buy, you’re sure to love it!

Handmade Beaded Jewellery With A Difference