How to Trace Stained Glass Patterns with Marker (Then Cut and Sand Like a Pro)

There are two common ways to get a pattern onto glass: stick a full printed sheet directly onto the glass, or cut the pattern apart into individual pieces and trace each one on with a marker. We covered the label paper method in an earlier guide. This one covers the marker method, which many stained glass artists prefer once they've got a few projects under their belt, because it accounts for the width of your cutting tool and keeps your paper pattern reusable.

This guide walks through the full process: printing your pattern, cutting it apart piece by piece, tracing each shape onto glass, cutting along the marked lines, and grinding the edges smooth. If you're working from one of our beginner pattern kits, the numbered cutting template is built for exactly this workflow.

What You'll Need

• A downloaded pattern kit (numbered cutting template, color mockup, and cut list)
• Regular printer paper
• A printer
• Pattern shears or sharp craft scissors
• A fine-tip permanent marker
• Glass cutter and running pliers
• A glass grinder or hand sanding stone
• Safety glasses and cut-resistant gloves

Step 1: Print Your Pattern at Actual Size

Print the numbered cutting template on regular paper, not the color mockup. Set your printer to 100% or "actual size," never "fit to page." Check the printed page against the scale reference in your kit before cutting anything, so you know your finished piece will come out true to size.

Step 2: Cut the Pattern Apart, Piece by Piece

Cut each numbered shape out of the paper pattern individually. If you have pattern shears (three-bladed scissors made for this exact purpose), use them here. They remove a thin sliver of paper as you cut, which leaves a small gap between pieces once they're separated. That gap accounts for the width of glass your cutter and grinder will remove, so your finished pieces fit back together at the right size instead of running slightly large.

If you're using regular scissors, cut just outside each line rather than directly on top of it, to build in a similar allowance by hand.

Keep every paper piece labeled with its number as you separate them. It's easy to lose track once you have eight or nine small shapes on the table.

Step 3: Trace Each Piece onto Glass

Lay out your glass, matching each paper piece to the color noted for it in your glass legend. Place the paper piece on top of the glass and trace around it with a fine-tip permanent marker, tracing right along the paper edge.

Write the piece number on the glass as well, off to one side where it won't get ground away. This matters more than it sounds like: once you have several traced pieces sitting on your worktable, it's easy to mix up two similarly shaped pieces if they aren't labeled.

A few things that make tracing easier:

• Use a fine-tip marker, not a broad one. A thick line adds imprecision exactly where you don't want it.
• Trace on the side of the glass you'll be cutting from, and keep that orientation consistent across all your pieces.
• Work on a flat, well-lit surface so you can see the line clearly against the glass color underneath.

Step 4: Cut Along the Marker Lines

Score along your traced line with the glass cutter, using steady, even pressure in one continuous pass. Break the piece along the score using running pliers or by hand, the same as you would with any glass cut.

If a shape has a curve or notch, make relief cuts first, small straight scores that let you remove excess glass in sections before shaping the final curve. Our patterns are designed to avoid tight inside curves and narrow points, which keeps this step manageable even on your first few pieces.

Step 5: Grind the Edges

Run each cut edge along your glass grinder (or hand sanding stone if you're working without one) to smooth the rough edge from the break and true up the shape. Grind in short, light passes. Marker line still visible on the glass is a helpful guide here, since it shows you exactly how much more you have to remove to hit your line.

Wipe off any remaining marker with glass cleaner or rubbing alcohol once you're happy with the shape. Then dry-fit the piece against your color mockup and its neighbors before moving on to the next one. Catching a sizing issue now, while pieces are still loose, is much easier than catching it after foiling.

Step 6: Wash the Glass

Before you move on to foiling, give each piece a proper wash. Grinding leaves fine glass dust on the surface and edges, and any leftover marker or adhesive residue needs to come off too, since foil won't adhere well over either one.

Wash each piece in warm water with a small amount of dish soap, using your fingers or a soft cloth to work the soap along the ground edges where the dust collects. Rinse thoroughly under running water, checking the edges closely since that's where residue likes to hide.

Dry each piece completely with a lint-free cloth before setting it aside. Glass that air-dries can leave water spots and mineral deposits, which is a nuisance to clean off again once you're further into the project. If a piece needs to sit for a while before foiling, lay it flat on a dry towel rather than stacking pieces on top of each other while they're still slightly damp.

A final wipe with glass cleaner right before foiling isn't a bad habit either. Even a clean-looking piece can pick up a light film of dust just sitting on your worktable, and foil tape sticks best to a completely clean surface.

A Few Troubleshooting Notes

My finished pieces are running slightly too big. This usually means the paper pattern was cut exactly on the line instead of with a small allowance. Pattern shears solve this automatically; with regular scissors, trim just outside the line next time.

My marker line rubbed off before I finished cutting. Retrace before scoring rather than cutting from memory. A faded line is an easy way to drift off your shape.

I can't tell my pieces apart on the table. Number every traced piece on the glass itself, not just the paper. Once the paper pattern is set aside, the glass needs to carry that information on its own.

If you're deciding which method fits you better, the label paper method is faster for a first project since there's no separate tracing step, while this marker method gives you a reusable paper pattern and a built-in cutting allowance. Either way, our Beginner Stained Glass Studio and Learn library have more guides on choosing glass, foiling technique, and finishing your first piece. If you haven't picked a first project yet, the pig pattern is our most popular starting point at just six pieces.