Repurposing a Broken Wine Glass Stem into a Vase
I’m not sure why it happens, but 9 times out 10 when we drop a wine glass the stem remains intact and the bowl shatters. It’s such a waste, especially if the glass is full. Over the years we’ve had a few of those oopsies, and I’ll always salvage as much of the broken bits as I can to make wine glass planters or these dreamy candleholders. Today I’d like to share how we repurposed a broken wine glass stem into a vase.
It turned out so pretty and it’s got quite a few compliments from our guests.
Most of them don’t believe me when I tell them it’s homemade and only took less than an hour to cobble together.
It’s perfect for displaying small mixed bunches of flowers….
…. And you can customize it to suit your home décor.
In this quick repurpose tutorial, I’ll show you how to turn a broken wine glass stem into a vase. But, before we get there, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or Instagram. And don’t forget to subscribe so you’ll never miss a post!
What you need
- Stem of a broken wine glass
- Clay
- Cardboard
- Hessian (optional)
How to repurpose a broken wine glass stem into a vase
Turning the broken glass stem into a vase was pretty easy once I figured out how. From start to finish (including baking time) it took me just over 30 minutes.
Making a cardboard vase support
Use a plate or compass (the one from the school math sets) to draw a ½ circle on a piece of cardboard. The bigger the ½ circle the taller the vase portion will be.
Cut the ½ circle out using a sharp craft knife or scissors.
Roll the ½ circle into a cone shape. The tighter you roll the cone shape the slimmer the vase will be.
Break off a small piece of clay and roll it into a ball. Squish the clay ball on top of the broken wine glass stem.
Place the tip of the cardboard cone on top of the ball and secure with a little more clay.
Making the stem vase
Break off a handful of clay, knead too soften and use a rolling pin or glass bottle to roll it out.
You want to make a long, flat clay blob that looks something like the picture below.
Just make sure the blob is wide enough to go around the cardboard cone with some overlap. If you want to get fancy you can add some texture. I used a piece of hessian to create a woven effect.
Silly move, BTW. That hessian left little hairs in the clay that took me forever to pull off.
Maybe use a different fabric if you want to do something similar. You can also embed napkins into the clay before baking. Anyhoos, once you’re done, fold the clay around the cardboard cone and squish the bottom of the clay cone onto the bottom of the clay ball.
Press and seal the overlapping clay edges together. Make sure the vase portion is aligned with the stem and doesn’t topple over. Bake the wine glass stem vase upside down in the oven according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Leave to cool down completely after baking.
Gently remove the cardboard cone. It should slip out pretty easily. If you struggle, wet the cardboard before removing.
Check the vase for cracks. I had a small one towards the bottom of my vase.
You can just smoosh some unbacked clay into the crack and bake again. I found this detailed tutorial to fix clay cracks really helpful .
Painting the wine glass stem vase
I was in two minds about painting my repurpose vase. The raw clay looked so pretty against the glass stem. I finally decided to paint the outside and leave the inside as is. Before painting, check that the vase doesn’t leak by filling it with water. Just make sure the vase has cooled down completely so it doesn’t shatter.
Paint or decorate the vase to suit your décor. I used a beautiful blue-green mica powder on mine. Just dab it one with a paint brush and seal with a clear spray paint sealer.
And that’s it.
Add your favorite flowers.
Not bad for something that normally gets chucked in the bin when we have an oopsie.
Have you repurposed any wine glasses? What did you make?
If you like the idea of repurposing a broken wine glass stem to make a vase, don’t forget to pin it for later.
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And if you prefer to buy rather than DIY, then maybe these beauties will appeal.
And as always, wishing you a wonderful, crafty week filled with laughter and love Thank you for popping in for a visit.
I love the way you repurposed a broken wine glass stem and created something so beautiful.
Thank you, Steph. Broken wine glasses are one of my favorite things to repurpose.
It’s a great save! It’s a unique vase and a thrifty upcycle, plus it’s super pretty!! You picked a great color, it’s perfect for spring, which is just about ready to roll into my hemisphere!
Thanks so much, Kim. Summer on this side of the world is starting to fade away. It’s still crazy hot during the day but the leaves on some of our trees have started turning and the nights have cooled down.
What a fun way to repurpose a broken wine glass. I love the texture and how it wraps around.
Thanks so much, Linda. I’m really happy with how she turned out.