How to Etch Glass: Personalized Pyrex Dishes

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How to Etch Glass: Personalized Pyrex Dishes

This fun etching craft makes the perfect Christmas, holiday, birthday or wedding gift! We've moved around a lot in the last 19 years and that means getting rid of things repeatedly. I nearly got rid of everything in my kitchen once, but guess what?

The Pyrex dish with my name on it, stayed...through all the moves. It's so nice for potlucks or taking a meal to a neighbor, because your name is permanently on the dish--so it will get returned! Again, it's a great gift idea!

Supplies Needed:

Pyrex (or other glass) Dish
Vinyl--could use Contact Paper too (to fit inside the dish)
Transfer tape (optional)

Cricut Machine (Could use hobby knife and alphabet stencils)
Glass Etching Cream
Dish Soap and Paper Towel

Begin by cutting the desired names out of the vinyl. I used my Cricut Maker, but again, this could be done with a hobby knife and stencils on cheap contact paper.

Then pull the inside (or positive space) of each letter out, so the vinyl (or negative space) can be used as a stencil.

Glass Etching for Beginners on a glass baking dish

Then remove the vinyl backing and stick the vinyl inside the dish. I used transfer tape for an easy transition, but sticking them down like stickers works too, just don't forget the inside pieces.

I opted for the inside of the dish because there was embossed logos on the underside that would interfere with the vinyl adhesion. So for best results, place it right inside the glass baking dish.

Glass Etching for Beginners on a glass baking dish using Martha Stewart etching creme cream from Plaid Crafts

Then use a scraper or big paint brush and goop a lot of etching cream all over the top of the letters. I've done etching in the past with very little cream and it leaves a cloudy look instead of crisp etching. So be generous! Let the etching cream sit on the glass for 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes, use a scraper to remove the etching cream. Awesomely, this etching cream can be scraped back into the bottle and used again!

Scrape it as clean as possible without pushing cream under the vinyl. Etching cream will etch anything with a glossy surface, so you don't want this in your sink. Of course, working time is 15 minutes for this, so it's probably not going to do too much...but it's better to not have stuff like this going down the sink anyway.

Carefully peel off the vinyl sticker and throw it in the garbage.

Then use a damp paper towel to remove the rest of the etching cream residue.

Then, go ahead and scrub up the dish in the sink with soap and warm water. Dry it off and admire the fabulous etching! I love it! It's so nice to have things labeled...plus it's just so fun.

Then quickly look around the house for anything and everything that is glass and think about all the possibilities of things you could etch! Haha. Repeat the process for all the glass dishes within a 5 mile radius. I did my next door neighbors dish after she brought us some Peach Cobbler. ;) Win-win!

This is the perfect handmade touch to a holiday gift! Add the newlyweds last name to their serving dishes...or just mark your own dishes to keep them coming back! Easy to care for too, just dish wash as normal.