"To get the beautiful milky, moonstone color, I form the rounds [10-12 mm in back, 7-8 mm up front] in a neutral flame and let them cool a bit before striking. Because this glass melts fast and clear [like white], it’s really difficult to figure out how long to strike them. By the time, they’ve taken on a yellow glow, they’re most likely a puddle underneath my torch. Instead I strike the bead and pay attention to my turning mandrel more than the bead. As soon as the mandrel on both sides of the bead begins to glow, I move the bead out of the flame, let it cool slightly, and check results which take a few seconds to show up. If I want a milkier bead, I repeat the process until I’m a satisfied customer."