Millefiori

In jewellery making Millefiori is a glasswork technique which produces distinctive decorative patterns on glassware.

The word millefiori is Italian for thousand flowers - mille (thousand) and fiori (flowers).

The millefiori technique involves the production of glass canes or rods, known as murrine, with multicolored patterns which are viewable only from the cut ends of the cane.  Think sticks of seaside rock.  These canes are sliced thinly and pressed into the bead surface, forming mosaic-like patterns, while the glass is still hot.

Millefiori beads can be in a variety of styles, simply decorated or covered entirely with a pattern.

Beautiful and colourful beads.