How to Read a Stained Glass Pattern

A stained glass pattern looks like a lot of information at once: numbers, lines, sometimes a separate sheet of color codes. It's not complicated once you know what each part is telling you. This is the same pattern language used across the six-step stained glass process, so getting comfortable here makes every later step easier.

The Four Parts of a Pattern

Most beginner-friendly patterns, including every Sunlit Pane pattern kit, are built from four pieces working together.

The color mockup. This is what your finished piece should look like: every shape filled in with its intended glass color. Use it as your reference image, especially if you're choosing your own glass rather than following a suggested palette exactly.

The numbered cutting template. This is the working document. Every piece in the design has a number, and those numbers exist so you never lose track of which piece of glass goes where, especially once you've cut a dozen pieces and they're all sitting on your worktable at once.

The color legend. A simple key that matches each number to a glass color name. Piece 1 might be "sky blue," piece 2 "sunflower yellow," and so on. Keep this next to your cutting mat, you'll refer to it constantly.

The cut list. A written list of every piece by number, sometimes with approximate dimensions. This is your shopping and prep checklist, useful for confirming you have enough glass in each color before you start cutting anything.

Why Piece Numbers Matter More Than You'd Expect

It's tempting to think of the numbers as just labels, but they're doing real work. On a pattern with 15 or 20 pieces, it's easy to lose track of which traced shape belongs where once they're all cut and off the template. The number is what lets you reassemble the puzzle correctly, especially for pieces that look similar in shape but need different glass colors.

This is also why beginner patterns are deliberately kept to fewer, larger pieces. Fewer numbers to track means fewer chances to mix something up on your first project.

Reading the Template Before You Trace

Before you trace anything onto glass, take a minute to look at the whole template. Notice which pieces share an edge, these are the seams that will eventually be foiled and soldered together. Getting a feel for the overall shape helps you catch mistakes early, if a piece looks like it doesn't belong where the template places it, it's worth double-checking the legend before you cut.

Once the pattern makes sense on paper, you're ready to trace. Full walkthrough of that step here: how stained glass is made, the complete beginner process.

Where to Start

If you haven't picked a pattern yet, browse the pattern collection for beginner designs under ten pieces, each one built with this same four-part kit: mockup, numbered template, legend, and cut list, so you always know exactly what you're working with.