Carol Milne, an artist in Seattle, knits glass.
Let’s just reflect on that accomplishment for a moment.
These incredible sculptures have every appearance of being translucent yarn wrapped around knitting needles. How does Milne do it? Christopher Jobson of Colossal summarizes her technique:
First, a model of the sculpture is made from wax which is then encased by a refractory mold material that can withstand extremely high temperatures. Next, hot steam is used to melt the wax, leaving behind an empty cavity in the shape of the artwork. Pieces of room temperature glass are then placed inside the mold which is then heated to 1,400-1,600 degrees Fahrenheit depending on the type of glass. Afterward, the piece is slowly cooled over a period of several weeks, followed by a careful excavation process, where Milne delicately chips away like an archaeologist to reveal the final piece.
-via Lustik