Etch Wine Glasses to Measure a Pour - Using a Cricut and Glass Etching Cream
- Malyna Geiger
- Dec 31, 2023
- 4 min read
Updated: Jan 21, 2024
**This blog post includes Amazon affiliate links and I will earn a commission for qualifying orders through these links.
Have you ever noticed lines etched on the side of wine glasses at a restaurant? These lines are there to measure the wine pour - usually of 6 or 8 ounces of wine. Restaurants do this to make sure they have a consistent pour of wine for customers and profit margins. There are also good reasons to do this in your own home as well.
For me, when I decided to very accurately count my calories - I didn't want to totally give up wine - but it was important that I measure my pour accurately. An ounce of wine has about 20-25 calories, so being off an ounce or two can really add up. (See my post How I created a healthier, happier me in 2023... to read more about accurate calorie counting.)
Wine glasses can be so varied in size and shape, that having a marker on the side of the glass can help you know how much wine you've poured for you or your guests for various reasons - calorie intake, health reasons, or just divvying up the bounty ;-)
There are many available to buy online, but if you already have a cabinet full of wine glasses - you can break out your creativity and tag some of your existing glasses yourself!
You can learn how to make them by following the steps below. I've also included affiliate links to Amazon, and design links to Cricut if you would like to use similar materials and designs that I did. Primary materials are a Cricut and glass etching cream.
Have fun creating!!
Unveiling the finished product!
Steps to make this project
1
Select a wine glass to etch. In my other post about wine glass etching I recommended to pick one that has a flatter surface towards the top. For a larger etching design like the one in that post, if the bulb of the glass is too rounded, you will have a hard time keeping the sticker and stencil edges down. These ounce markers are smaller, so a round in the glass might be ok. Just be very sure to adhere all edges. If they pop up, your glass etching cream will get underneath and cause fuzzy edges.
2
Measure your glass
You'll need to measure where 6 and 8 ounces (or whatever measurement you choose) are on your glass to know how large of a stencil you will need. I used the 'precise fill' feature on my fridge to fill the glass with water to 6 ounces, then used washi tape to mark that level. I then used the 'precise fill' to add 2 more ounces and marked the 8 ounce level. Then I measured the size of stencil I needed.
3
Design your stencil
I used my Cricut Maker 3 to design and cut out the ones you see in the picture gallery. Links to patterns I made can be found here:
My size was pretty small at 3/8 inch so I chose to have the measurement be 6 ounces at the bottom of the image, and 8 ounces part way up the design. For example, it's 6 ounces to the bottom of the bunch of grapes and 8 ounces to the top of the grapes, not all the way up to top of the stem. For the two wine glass shapes, the bottom of the glass is 6 ounces and the top of the wine in the image is 8. I did that because otherwise they would have been too small. You could also choose to put a line and number on the glass also.
4
Be sure to thoroughly clean the outside of the glass. If there is any residue from labels or stickers on the outside, Goo Gone works really well to remove them. Once all residue is gone, rub down the outside of the glass with rubbing alcohol. This will get all dirt and oils off so your stencils stick really well.
5
After you have your design, cut your stencil, weed it, and place it where you measured. I actually put water in the glass to 6 ounces, let the water totally settle, then placed the stencil on. It was a bit nerve racking! I think my one wine glassed shaped stencil is set a little low, so I'll have to remember that when using that glass.
Make sure that the edges of the stencil have no air bubbles by using a scraper. You can flip the glass over and look from the other side to see you have any bubbles.
If you're new to using a Cricut, there is a good training video on how to do this step here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2l4QNAa0SY
6
Once you have your stencil on the glass, use a small paint brush to dab glass etching paste onto the open areas inside the stencil. You can pour some of the paste in a separate container first - but I just dipped my brush into the paste container. You can use the paste over and over again, so if you put in another container, put in back in the paste jar after use.
There are several brands of etching cream to choose from. Can get at any craft store or on Amazon. It does seem a little expensive, but it lasts a very long time. I have had the same 10 oz bottle for several years and many projects. The brand I used is Armour Etch:
Link to cream: https://amzn.to/3r4UDWB
With two paint brushes: https://amzn.to/3NTDCYw
7
Unveil the finished product!
After the etching is complete, rinse off the paste with soapy water and peal off the stencil. Enjoy your newly marked glasses :-)
Recap of Materials Needed:
Wine glass. Be sure to pick one that has a flatter surface towards the top. If the bulb of the glass is too rounded, you will have a hard time keeping the sticker and stencil edges down. If they pop up, your glass etching cream will get underneath and cause fuzzy edges.
Glass etching liquid. Several brands to choose from. Can get at any craft store or on Amazon. It does seem a little expensive, but it lasts a very long time. I have had the same 10 oz bottle for several years and many projects. The brand I used is Armour Etch:
Link to cream: https://amzn.to/3r4UDWB
With two paint brushes: https://amzn.to/3NTDCYw
Stencils. You can buy stencils at a craft store or make your own using a Cricut or other dye cutting machine.
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