Unicorn Studios - Glossary

Glossary

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Annealing (metallurgy),

a heat treatment that alters the micro structure of a material causing changes in properties such as strength and hardness. Silver and Gold are annealed after soldering.

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Bugle beads

Long, tube-shaped seed beads which come in many sizes. Super for fringes, or as spacers in necklaces – can also be used in loom worked pieces (with care!).

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Charlotte Seed Beads

one cut, or facet, is ground into the bead to create sparkle.
2 cut: sides are cut or faceted in two places, creating a more reflective surface.
3 cut: sides and ends are cut or faceted, creating the most reflective surface.
Triangle: three-sided bead, creating a triangular seed bead
Hexagon: six-sided seed bead

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Delica Beads

The Miyuki Company in Japan manufacture Delica beads. The beads are distinct from seed beads in that they are cylindrical and have very thin flat walls (as opposed to the rounder, thicker walls of seed beads). They are perfect for off-loom stitches such as brick or peyote because of their uniformity and the large holes allow for multiple thread passes through each bead. Delicas give curved stitches such as a Spiral or Rosette a more angular shape and give a good definition to Herringbone weave projects.

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guttering

When painting silk it is necessary to use a resist if the colours are to be kept separate. Guttering is the process of marking out the design on the silk in the resist. The resist comes in many colours and can be used to be invisible or to create the "leading" effect of stained glass.

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Lamp Work
History of Lampwork Beading
The "lamp" in lampwork came from the oil lamps and blowpipes used in seventeenth century France and Italy. Blowing by mouth or bellows into an oil lamp flame with a small pipe makes just enough heat to soften and form this type of glass. It's amazing the great work the early lampworkers were able to do with so little equipment. Hot glassworking skills originated from the Syrians around 1700 BC, the Egyptians 1450 BC, the Chinese around 550 BC, the Romans at the turn of the first millennium. Today lampworkers usually use an oxygen torch, but the technique to form and decorate the glass hasn’t changed much for thousands of years.

Choosing Lampwork Beads
As usual with handcrafted items, the quality is equal to the expertise of its maker. Choose beaded jewelry in a style you like, but remember that style isn't the only thing you must consider when buying handcrafted glass beads. Air bubbles should not normally be visible in the bead – although some beadmakers use these as design elements, but they are normally round or positioned in specific areas. The bead hole should be free of nicks or burrs. Jagged edges around the hole produce a wobbly bead that can eventually cut through beading wire. Check that the shapes of beads. They're handcrafted, so expect some variations, that’s part of their charm, but the overall look should be attractive.

How are Lampwork Beads actually Made?
Lampworkers use a torch to melt the tips of glass rods, and then wind the molten glass around a mandrel, a narrow stainless steel rod. Later, when the bead is removed, the space occupied by the mandrel becomes the hole used to string the bead. Glass cools from the outside in and the outer layers shrink as they cool. Bringing a bead out of the flame and leaving it in the open air allows the outside of the bead to cool rapidly around its molten interior. However, a stress point develops between the cool shrinking glass and the hot center, which can cause a bead to crack immediately or at a later time. To prevent cracks, the beads are soaked in a kiln to make sure that all glass within them is the same temperature. After soaking the artist reduces the kiln’s heat over several hours to bring the beads to room temperature.

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Magatama

a teardrop-shaped seed bead

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Parure

A collection of jewellery of matching design. By convention a parure comprises at least three pieces. These are chosen from an anklet, a bracelet, a broach, a pair of earings, a necklace, and a pin - either hat or lapel.

Pre-guttered

When painting silk it is necessary to use a resist if the colours are to be kept separate. Guttering is the process of marking out the design on the silk in the resist. A pre-guttered design is one already prepared for novice painters.

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Resist

A resist is a substance that keeps silk paints separate by blocking the weave of the silk. It is most commonly used to mark out the design on the silk. It come in many colours as well as a some with no colour for invisible boundary markings.

Rocaille

the term "rocaille" (pronounced "roh-kai") originally described a round, silver-lined seed bead with a square hole, but today the term covers all round seed beads with either a round or a square hole. Frequently rocaille seed beads are not perfectly uniform, which adds to their interest and appeal

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Seed Beads

Small round beads in various sizes, and finishes. Seed beads are sized in ‘aughts’, rather than in millimeters. Aughts are denoted by a slash and a zero, or a degree mark, following the size (e.g. size 11 is written 11/0 or 11º). The rule on sizes is the higher the number the smaller the bead.

Also See - Delica, Charlotte, Magatama

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