Glass Blowing Classes

Get hands on experience in the art of glass blowing at JJ Gaffers.

Classes at JJ Gaffers make wonderful gifts for birthdays, holidays and all milestones of life. Or, just treat yourself and come try something new! Certificates for classes and gift cards are available for sale at our studio or online in our shop.

Thanks for your interest in our glassblowing classes! We offer classes 5 days a week. We are closed on Mondays and work on orders and gallery pieces on Tuesdays. Class times are from 10-5 Wednesday-Saturday and 10-4 on Sunday. Weekends, especially Saturdays, fill up the quickest. They usually are booked 3-4 months in advance. Classes take approximately 20-60 minutes per piece, depending on what gets made. Each class is a one on one experience, unless you want to collaborate with another person or people to create a piece together.

HOW TO SCHEDULE- We do not have an online calendar so the way to schedule is through email - info@jjgaffers.com. Send us the days/times you're available and what you want to make or what class certificate you plan on purchasing for the class, and we'll get you on the schedule. You can also text the shop at 515-745-3319, but email is best. Email and texting is preferred since we can't always get to the phone. We also like to have a paper trail of the class reservations for everyone's benefit.

We require class certificates to be purchased for what's being made to confirm your spot. Write in the notes section the day and time of your class so we know what it's for. Bring the certificate(s) with you to your class as they are your form of payment.

Class prices are per piece, not per person. Prices range from $40-$300 per piece. Price depends on what you make, what colors you use and what design you choose. The coloring and design pattern affects the price almost as much as the shape. Example - a large, simple vase can cost less than a complex drinking glass.

Multiple people can take a class and collaborate to make one piece, or we can make one piece per person. Each person would go one at a time for individual pieces. Each piece can take 20-60 minutes, depending on what you decide to make. Most people choose to make something they're going to use such as drinking glasses, bowls, olive oil pourers, paperweights, vases, light shades and more. You can look around the gallery to get inspiration. The piece needs to cool slowly overnight in an annealer, and you can usually pick it up the next day.

We don't have age or physical requirements or restrictions. We've given classes to people ages 3-97 with all types of physical capabilities.

Gift cards/class certificates are available for purchase through our website or in the shop.

Weekdays usually fill up 4-8 weeks in advance and weekends fill up 2-4 months in advance.

We're currently scheduling classes for weekdays in October. Weekends are scheduling into January.

We don't schedule many classes in December as we'll be busy working on holiday items and orders. If you'd like to schedule a class to make holiday gifts, it's best to schedule those classes early.

If you can't make another month work and need to schedule a class for December, it would be for a premium price of 25% more since we'll be working overtime with the holiday orders and gallery pieces.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CLASS CERTIFICATE OPTIONS -

Price tiers of class certificates let you decide how in depth you want to get with your class. The more you spend, the more options you'll have when creating your piece. The higher priced gift cards also gives you the option to have other people join in the fun.

$40 - This tier class card lets you create an ornament or an egg.

$50 - This tier lets you make a $50 piece, or it can also be used as a gallery gift card.

$60 - This tier lets you make a $60 piece.

Tier 1 - $75 - This tier class card lets you make a medium sized piece at the $75 price point. Class time usually runs 35-45 minutes for this tier.

Tier 2 - $110 - This tier class card lets you make a more artistically complicated piece. You can add intricate designs and you have more color options. These steps are some of the most fun in glassblowing. Or, you can make a couple smaller pieces, if you choose, or make a piece that totals $110. Class time usually runs about an hour.

Tier 3 - $180 - This tier class card lets you make a couple bigger pieces or multiple small/medium pieces that total $180. This tier is what people get when they want to make drinking glass sets, a couple pendant lights for the house, or if you want to bring friends, this tier lets a small group make multiple small pieces. Class time runs about 80-90 minutes.

Tier 4 - $300 - If you're not sure what to get someone, this tier class card gives you two full hours of immersive glassblowing. Options are almost unlimited for this tier. You can make multiple items to update your house (example: light pendants, lamps, wall art, etc.) You can split the time up into several sessions, do it all at once, or bring a group of friends and enjoy the experience together. This is a good option for a team building event, couples on a date night or families.

Please reach out to us at info@jjgaffers.com for available class times and to schedule a class. Let us know what days/times work best for you and what pieces or class certificates you plan on purchasing.

Prices are for basic/simple pieces. Intricate

designs/shaping are available for an extra cost -

$40 - Ornament

$40 - Egg

$50 - Drinking Glass

$50 - Wine Glass

$55 - Ring Holder

$60 - Cupcake

$60 - Large Yard Ornament (Hardware would be extra)

$60 - Beer Glass w/o Handle

$75 - Beer Glass with Handle

$50 - Small Paperweight