Beginner Pack: four beginner patterns in one download

Cut pattern for Diamond Lattice: 32 pieces of glass separated by lead lines on a square panel. — Diamond Lattice, the first of the 4 patterns in this pack, drawn at 14 in square: 32 pieces in 4 glass colors, the narrowest piece 0.8 in across and the tightest interior angle 45 degrees, both clear of the 0.375 in and 30 degree limits every pattern on this site is checked against. Every pattern in the pack is checked the same way at every size in its range.

Beginner Pack bundles all four beginner patterns in the collection: Diamond Lattice, Sunrise Fan, Ridge Line, and Crescent Moon. Buying the four separately would cost $36; the bundle is $24.

Because the bundle is generated as one size for all four patterns, the panel width you choose has to fit every pattern's own range at once: the shared range is 10 in to 24 in (Crescent Moon's 10 in minimum is the tightest constraint once combined with the others).

The download is a single ZIP with one folder per pattern, each folder holding the same full set as the individual products: full-size tiled outline, numbered piece map, color reference, cutting-margin pattern, and glass and supply list.

What the four teach, in order

Diamond Lattice: the straight score, repeated enough times to build muscle memory
Sunrise Fan: radial layout and working accurately from a single reference point
Ridge Line: sharp points and relieving scores, plus value control between two ranges
Crescent Moon: the first ground curve, on a gentle convex radius

One size for all four

The bundle is generated at a single panel width, so the width you pick has to sit inside the shared range of all four patterns. That is narrower than any single pattern's own range. If you want one of them noticeably larger or smaller than the rest, buy that one separately at its own size and take the other three in a bundle.

Price

$24 for the four, against $36 bought individually. Each pattern arrives as its own complete set: pattern sheets tiled for home printing, numbered pieces, cutting margin applied for your technique, glass list by color and a cutting order.

Set up the files before cutting

Print one pattern first and check the scale before printing the rest of the folders. A 1 in test square should measure within 1/32 in on a steel ruler. If it is off by more than that, turn off printer scaling and print at 100 percent. Small scale errors become visible when four panels are compared side by side.

Use one cutting surface for all four panels if possible. A flat bench of about 30 in by 36 in is comfortable for a 24 in panel, because it leaves room for the printed sheet, the glass, a ruler, and a scrap area. For a 10 in to 14 in panel, a 24 in by 24 in bench is enough, but keep the same lighting and ruler for the whole set.

Before you cut glass, mark three paper copies for each design: one clean master, one copy for glass selection, and one copy for cut order. If you work from only one paper copy, pencil notes, oil, and glass dust can hide narrow points and small reference marks.

Keep a 12 in steel ruler, a 24 in ruler, a fine permanent marker, running pliers, grozing pliers, pattern shears or a knife, and a square within reach.
Use fresh cutter oil and test the wheel on scrap glass before the first real score of each session.
Sort glass by thickness before cutting, because a difference of about 1/32 in can change how small pieces sit against the pattern.
Store each pattern in its own tray or envelope, because similar beginner pieces can be confused after grinding.

Work order for a clean first build

Start with the pattern that has the most repeated simple cuts, then move to the pattern with the most reference alignment, then to the pattern with the sharpest points, and finish with the curved work. This order keeps the hardest motor skill for last, after the hand has warmed up on straight scores.

Cut no more than 20 to 30 pieces in one session if this is your first stained glass set. After that, accuracy often drops because the grip tightens and the score line becomes heavier. A practical pace is 60 to 90 minutes for layout and paper preparation, then 2 to 4 hours of glass cutting per small panel, depending on glass texture and the number of recuts.

For each piece, score once, from edge to edge where the shape allows it. Do not trace back over a weak score. If a score is too light, break it as well as possible, then correct the edge by grinding or recutting the piece. A second score beside the first one usually creates a flake that travels into the wanted area.

Leave grinding until a complete color group is cut. This gives a better view of whether the error is in one piece or in the whole group. If three adjacent pieces are all too wide, do not grind them one by one. Recheck the paper pattern, because the problem may be printer scale, paper stretch, or cutting outside the line.

Reference figures for sizing, time, and tolerance

Item to check	Useful figure	What it prevents
Printer scale check	1 in test square, within 1/32 in	Panel parts that drift out of alignment after several seams.
Working border around the panel	At least 3 in on every side	Glass being lifted over tools, scraps, or the bench edge.
Beginner cutting session	60 to 90 minutes before a break	Heavy pressure, uneven scores, and rushed breaks.
Acceptable dry fit gap for practice work	About 1/32 in to 1/16 in between neighboring pieces	Overgrinding and loss of the printed shape.
Recut trigger	A missing corner deeper than 1/8 in	A weak repair at a point or an obvious flat spot on a curve.

Use these figures as workshop limits, not as product specifications. Glass type, cutter pressure, and foil or lead method can change the final fit. If you use a thicker assembly method, keep a slightly larger gap during dry fit. If you use a very narrow method, reduce grinding and keep the paper line visible longer.

Frequent mistakes and special cases

If the first panel prints correctly but later sheets do not align, check that all pages came from the same printer setting. Mixed settings such as fit to page on one sheet and actual size on another sheet can move a seam by 1/16 in or more. Reprint the affected pages instead of trimming the paper to force a match.

If a long straight strip breaks toward the wrong side, shorten the next score and use a relief break from the scrap side. For narrow strips, score the long line first, then remove small waste sections. Trying to snap a long narrow waste strip in one move often twists the wanted edge.

If a point chips during running, do not grind the point until the neighboring pieces are present. A chipped point may still disappear under the assembly line. If the chip reaches past the future seam, recut the piece rather than changing the shapes around it.

If a curve develops flat spots, cut the curve in smaller arcs on scrap first. On the actual piece, keep the cutter upright and move the glass under the hand rather than forcing the wrist around the radius. Grind only enough to remove high spots, because repeated grinding changes a smooth curve into a series of facets.

For questions about downloading, printing, and file handling, use the site FAQ before cutting glass. Solving file and scale issues on paper is faster than correcting four panels after the glass has been marked.