The curved segments of the outer rim of a wheel which are typically made from elm for flexibility.
Braid
Braids are made by obliquely interlacing three or more elements that cross one another diagonally. They can be flat or three -dimensional, functional or decorative and are produced by various techniques including using foam or card discs, braiding stands and gripfids, as well as just people’s hands.
Mandrel
metal spike which tapers and is used as a former for making stone settings, ring shanks and bangles.
Bombarder
Also known as an “Electron Bombarder” or as a “Neon Bombarder” which is misdescriptive. It is a machine used in the processing of neon tubes and cold cathode tubes, to clean the inside of the tube on a molecular level and then fill the cleaned tube with very low pressure inert gas, for example 100% neon. The machine is made up of two distinct parts: An ultra-high vacuum pump with a manifold and a controlled high voltage transformer (20kV), which has a variable current output ranging from 0 Milli-Amps (mA) up to usually 1000 Milli-Amps (mA).
Orts
Orts are the leftover bits of thread when you are done sewing or stitching.
Crumb
The tiniest bits of fabric you trim away when squaring up to achieve precision pieced patchwork.
slath
The centre of a basket base where the bottom sticks cross each other. ‘Tying in the slath’ is the start of a basket where the bottom sticks are secured with willow weavers. Most baskets in the UK will use either an underfoot slath where the base is formed without splitting the sticks and is held down with the feet, or a split slath where the rods are split.
upsett
When making a basket using the stake and strand method, willow rods are inserted into the round base and then ‘upsett’ to create the sides of the basket. To do this they are pricked up (bent) using a bodkin or a knife. The lower rows of the basket are then woven to secure the rods.
Slype
A sloping cut on the end of willow rod, used in basket making. You would cut a slype in order to more easily insert the rod into the weave of a basket.
Wadding
A thick fabric used between a top and bottom layer of fabric to form a quilt. Layers are stitched together using hand or machine stitch.