Craft News

The Orkney Chair is a type of wooden seat with a high back made from straw which has been made in Orkney since the 1700s.

Warp and weft are weaving terms that describe the two types of thread that are woven together to create cloth.

In woodworking, veneer refers to thin slices of wood that are glued on to the surface of furniture, cabinets and other wooden items.

Underglaze is the process of applying any colour or decoration to the surface of a ceramic piece before it is glazed. The decoration lies under a clear or light-coloured glaze, which then forms a protective layer.

Turning is a form of woodworking that uses a lathe to move a piece of wood while a stationary tool is used to cut and shape it.

Slipware is a type of pottery that is decorated by splashing, dipping, trailing or painting a clay vessel with slip.

Rapid-prototyping is a term used to describe a group of techniques and technologies that can transform drawings into three-dimensional objects.

Quilting is a sewing technique that joins layers of fabric together to form a padded or textured material.

Ancient Egyptians made the first paper-like substance by slicing the inner part of the papyrus plant and pounding and drying it into hard, thin sheets.

In molecular terms, oxidation is the loss of electrons when two or more substances interact, where one of those substances may or may not be oxygen.

Mokume-gane is an ancient Japanese metalworking technique that involves mixing metals to create a laminate with intricate layered patterns.

Letter cutting is a form of inscriptional lettering, practiced by artists, sculptors and typeface designers, where text is carved into stone, wood and other materials.

The kishie is a multipurpose basket traditionally made and used in Shetland to carry fuel, manure, crops and other goods. Shetland harvests were once measured in ‘kishie-fills’.

In basic terms, joinery is the attaching together of two pieces of wood to form a joint.

Inlay is the decorative technique of embedding contrasting materials into an object, usually flush with the surface.

Hand building is the earliest method of forming clay into shapes and objects.

Green wood craft is the skill of carving and fashioning wood in its original, untreated and unseasoned state.

Felt is a fabric made by rolling and pressing fibres together through the application of moisture or heat.

Enamel is often applied to jewellery, but can also be found on glass, ceramics and other decorative objects.

A distaff is a stick on to which fibre such as flax or wool is wound for spinning.