Autumn glass
How a glass pumpkin is made.
Each of Caroline Abbey’s glass pumpkins is made by hand from molten glass, one at a time, in her studio in Chagrin Falls, Ohio. In this 40-second film she gathers glass from the furnace, reheats it in the glory hole, shapes it at the bench and finishes the details with a torch.
Key moments
Step by step
- 1. Gather
- Molten glass is gathered from the furnace on the end of a steel blowpipe, then turned so it stays centered.
- 2. Reheat
- Glass stiffens within seconds, so it goes back into the glory hole, a reheating furnace, many times while it is worked.
- 3. Shape
- At the bench, Caroline rolls the pipe along the rails and shapes the glass with hand tools, forming the pumpkin’s round body.
- 4. Finish
- Details are finished with a torch, which lets her work small areas without reheating the whole piece.
- 5. Cool slowly
- Like all blown glass, the finished pumpkin cools slowly in an annealing kiln so it doesn’t crack.
Adding the stem
The stem goes on last. Caroline brings a gather of hot glass to the top of the pumpkin, then pulls and curls it by hand while it is still soft. A torch finishes the details on the stem and leaf.
29 seconds, no sound.
Where to find them
Caroline’s glass pumpkins are carried at Patterson Fruit Farm, 11414 Caves Road, Chesterland, Ohio, with a suggested retail price of $49. Every piece is one of a kind.
Want a pumpkin in your colors, or a set for a table or a gift? Ask Caroline about a custom pumpkin ↗
Common questions
How are glass pumpkins made?
Molten glass is gathered from a furnace on a blowpipe, reheated in a glory hole again and again, shaped by hand at the bench, finished with a torch, and cooled slowly in an annealing kiln. The film on this page shows each step.
Is each pumpkin made by hand?
Yes. Caroline makes each pumpkin by hand, one at a time, so no two are exactly alike.
Where can I buy one of Caroline’s glass pumpkins?
At Patterson Fruit Farm, 11414 Caves Road in Chesterland, Ohio. You can also contact Caroline through the commission form.
How much does a glass pumpkin cost?
The suggested retail price is $49.
Can I order a pumpkin in custom colors?
Yes. Send your colors, size and timing through the commission form. Only your name and email are required.
How do I care for a glass pumpkin?
Display it indoors or somewhere sheltered, dust it with a soft dry cloth, and avoid sudden temperature changes, such as moving it from a cold car straight into a hot, sunny window.