Acid etching
This is a technique for decorating glass. First the glass is covered with an acid-resistant layer. Then a design is scratched into the protective layer. Finally hydrofluoric acid is applied to "etch" the pattern into the scratched areas. The area covered with the protective material will not be affected by the acid.

Acid polishing
This technique gives glass a polished surface when dipped into hydrofluoric acid.

Air twist
This technique was developed in the 18 th century. It is a method of producing a stem with a bubble of air trapped inside. Metal prongs are used to make and indentation in a solid mass of clear glass. The prongs are rapidly removed and the space is quickly covered with more glass thereby leaving a pocket of air in the middle. The longer the stem is drawn out, the more elongated the bubble. Twisting while elongating the stem makes a spiral pattern.

Annealer or Cooling Oven
When the glass is finished in the workshop, it is ordinarily 500 degrees Celsius (932 degrees Fahnrenheit). All the glass must cool slowly and under supervision to eliminate possible breakage or stress. The glass is cooled in an annealer or cooling oven. This is an electrically heated "tunnel type" oven with a rotating conveyor belt where the glass may slowly cool to room temperature. This may take anywhere from 3-20 hours depending upon the thickness of the glass.

Application
The applying of preheated colored glass bits to the piece currently in progress on the blowing pipe.

Ariel
Ariel - The name Ariel comes from Shakespeare’s "the Tempest." It is a technique developed by Edvin Öhrstrom. Ariel is much like the Graal technique in that its core is formed by layering colored glass. The motif is sandblasted and then additional layers of clear glass are added trapping air bubbles in the pattern.

Aventurine
This technique involves adding gold flakes or coppery crystals to give an added luster to the glass.

Batch
This is the mixture of ingredients placed into the crucible or pot to melt into glass. Some of what is placed in the pot is known as cullet or broken glass.

Blank
This is the glass before it is blown into shape.

Canes
Thin glass rods (clear or colored) used for making millefiori glass.

Cased Glass
Cased glass is made up of two or more layers of different colored glass. Patterns are cut into the outer layer so that the layer beneath is visible. This was produced by the Romans initially.

Cristallo
Cristallo is Italian soda glass and is usually pale yellow or clear. It was made with a plant called barilla which grows in the salt marshes. The barilla made the glass very malleable and could be formed into a large variety of shapes. It was thin and brittle and suited only for diamond point engraving. It was popular in the 15th and 16th centuries until lead glass took over. Today chemical soda has basically taken the place of the plant in glassmaking.

Crucible
Glass is melted in crucibles, or melting pots, in the ovens. The crucibles are made by hand of Chamotte clay and must dry out 12 months before they can be used. Before a crucible can be placed in a glass oven, it must be warmed slowly to 1100 degrees Celsius (2012 degrees Fahrenheit) which takes about one week. The crucible weighs approximately 500 kilograms (1100 pounds) and can hold up to 750 kilograms (1650 pounds) of molten glass. Under use during the day, the crucible reaches a temperature of approximately 1200 degrees Celsius (2192 degrees Fahrenheit). The rest of the time the temperature is increased to 1420 degrees Celsius (2588 degrees Fahrenheit) to melt the raw materials into a workable mixture for the next day. The crucible can be used only 3-4 months after which it is discarded and replaced with a new one.

Crystal
In the past, glass of high degree of brilliance achieved by adding lead, or referring to cut glass. Today, the term "crystal" can refer to the molten colorless glass which lies in the ceramic pot inside the furnace. We also speak of "eco-kristall". A brilliant glass which does not contain lead. Crystal, full and lead - Full lead crystal or crystal superieur contains 30% lead. Half lead crystal contain 24% lead.

Cullet
Usually one quarter to one half of a batch of glass contains cullet or broken scraps of glass. This saves on heating because it melts faster and ingredients.

Decals
Where a colored logo or detail rich design is desired, a colored decal is burned in to the glass. The original should be color separated.

Driven glass
Blown glass which is transferred from the blowing pipe to a pontil (iron rod) in the blowing-room, and the opening then reheated and finished. Driven glass has the "pontil mark" on the bottom where it has then been removed from the pontil. For example Alster GlasStudio glass is freeblown and driven (as opposed to being blown into a mold and the edge ground and polished).

Engraving
Glass can be engraved with numerous patterns. Our glass is engraved freehand -- a task which requires precision, an eye for proportion, and a steady hand. The design is produced step by step. The proper bit must be chosen for each detail in the design. This means that a complicated design requires the use of several different bits. Because the design usually consists of flowers, leaves, bows, and so forth, the process is sometimes called "blomslipning" or "floral engraving" in Swedish.

Fabel Graal technique
Astrid Gates own invention. The graal becomes more like a sculpture. With more than four layers of clear glass on the graal embryo and in between the layers, frit in different colours and sometimes dichroic stringers is making a three dimensional impression. If the frit covers the outside, a window is cut and polished open so you can see the pattern inside.

Flux
Flux is an ingredient added to the batch in order to stabilize it. Soda is added to Venetian glass, potash is added in Bohemian glass, wood ash is added in forest glass and lead oxide is added in lead crystal.

Fazzoletto
The Fazzoletto is a shape which resembles a handkerchief held up in the centre and allowed to hang down in the corners.

Filigran
Ornamental work of fine colored strands arranged in patterns originally used to create the famous Murano Fazzaletto bowls.

First Gather
The first dip of the blowing pipe into the melted glass.

Flashed Glass/Intarsia
(In Sweden-"Graal technique")
A core of glass (either clear or with an underlay) is encased in one or more layers (flashes) of colored glass, and formed on the blowpipe with the aid of wooden tools and iron table. It is cooled and may be subsequently worked on by engraving, cutting and/or sandblasting to achieve a decoration. Thereafter it is reheated and reblown to a shape of preference.

Freeblown glass
Glass blown with the aid of e.g. a folded wet newspaper in the palm of the hand as opposed to with the aid of a mold.

Glass fusing
Glass fusing is a method, where glass is put together as it is required in wanted cold design. It is then put into a kiln and melted together at app. 840 C. The whole melting and fusing procedure is in the kiln. Forms like bending, slumping or sagging of the glass needs a little lower temp, 680 to 700, depending on the size of the piece.

Graal
Graal comes from the Latin word "gradalis" which means bowl or cup. According to the legend, "graal" was the bowl that was used to collect Christ’s blood when he was crucified - the holy grail. The Graal technique was developed from overlay glass by Knut Bergqvist technically and Simon Gates artistically in 1916, both of Orrefors Glassworks. In addition, Fritz Blomqvist and Albert Ahlin contributed to the development of graal glass

The first step is to produce the core. It consists of two or more layers of colored glass. After cooling, the core is worked by etching, grinding, polishing, or engraving. Another method is to paint the motif with asphalt paint and etch away the unwanted colored layers as with Fish Graal. The core is heated again to 400-500 degrees Celsius in order to fasten the core to the pipe and dipped in another layer of clear glass in order to preserve the design. Then it is blown into its final shape.

Grinding or Finishing
The grinding or finishing or larger products (such as bowls, vases, and so forth) is accomplished in various stages: coarse grinding, fine grinding, and polishing. Coarse grinding is done with iron discs and carbourundum sand. Fine grinding is done with sandstone (a natural agent). Polishing is done with cork discs and ground pumice. If the surface is to be extremely smooth, it is polished yet again with a felt disc and iron oxide. Water is as a cooling agent in all stages.

Inspection
Appearance of a product falls into one of two categories: PRIMA = first rate or highest quality selection and SEKUNDA = second rate or the next level. Every employee who partakes in the production of glass inspects each piece that passes through his or her hands. Not only is each piece sorted by every employee who handles it but it also passes through an inspection station where all products are examined. Those that are of the highest quality or PRIMA are signed on the bottom. Glass is a "living" material. The hands-on work methods we employ ensure that each glass is individual or unique. We firmly believe that this uniqueness is evidence of the art of our trade.

Kick
An indentation at the bottom of a glass or bottle which strengthens the object

Murinas
A technique originating from Murano used for making "Millifiori" pieces where small, multicolored glass beads (murinas) are placed side by side in great numbers to create "a thousand flowers."

Overlay
A small piece of concentrated glass colour is placed on the pipe and covered with clear glass, shaping it like an egg. In the meantime, another glassblower makes the overlay colour --the colour that is meant to be on the outside is put on the pipe. Then one colour is placed on top of another, clear glass is added on top and the blank is blown to a rather thin bubble. After reheating the underlay is attached with the overlay. The overlay is placed on top of the underlay (like a stocking) and shaped like a vase or whatever the desired form. A pattern is made by drawing on the sandblaster tape, cutting out the pattern and placing it on the vase. The piece is sandblasted around the tape thereby removing all the different layers of colours. Finally all the details on the piece are engraved.

Potash glass
Potash was used as flux in Germany and Bohemia. You could obtain it by burning the residue of wine or by burning beechwood. Because it was harder than soda glass (Venetian), it could withstand engraving and was more brilliant. It is still used and an ingredient in lead glass.

Ravenna
Sven Palmqvist at Orrefors developed this technique. Patterns are cut into colored glass. These patterns are then filled with colored glass dust or fragments and the piece is reheated. An additional layer of clear glass is added and the piece is then blown into shape.

Relief
Cerain products, for example plates and dishes, can be produced in relief. Produced after desired original.

Removal of the Piece and Polishing the Rim
The top or bowl of the glass is removed from the pipe by first etching a line with a diamond bit around the glass at the desired height. Then the glass is heated with a gas flame which causes expansion of the material and the glass breaks off around the cut. A grinder with a water supply is then used to grind down the sharp and somewhat uneven edges around the lip of the glass. To make the edge round and smooth, it is reheated in a special furnace, usually called a glory hole, that heats or melts the glass to a temperature of approximately 1200 degrees Celsius (2192 degrees Fahrenheit).

Sandblasting
The products are blasted from an original with images, patterns or designs of differing dephts. Used on a wide range of products.

Sculpturing
To form the glass while hot into massive sculpture (that is, not hollow) with the aid of wet newspaper and glassblower jacks. This is a difficult technique, it is not to be confused with processes involving casting.

Seeds
Seeds are tiny air bubbles trapped in the glass. They can be caused by either impurities in the glass or an underheated furnace.>

Soda glass
Soda glass (Venetian) contains soda instead of potash. It can be yellowish or brownish and is more malleable than lead glass.

Tear
A tear is an inverted drop-shaped bubble enclosed in the stem of the glass.

Underlay
Two-layer or multi-layer glass with the colored layer inside the blown piece, coated with a layer of clear glass. The concentrated coloured glass is cut directly on the pipe. And then it’s overlaid with one or two layers of clear glass. Then it’s blown to the desired shape, often to a more open shape, that allows room for a pattern inside e.g a bowl.

Workshop
Blowing glass takes teamwork. A team works at each glass oven or workstation. Three to six team members work together in a well-practiced tempo where each stage demands professional skill and precision. It takes 10-12 years to be a skilled and experienced glass worker. The first step is as an apprentice where one receives more difficult tasks incrementally as one's skill, experience, and practice increases. The hand tools used today are, in principle, the same as hundreds of years ago. We blow our glass in forms we make out of wood from the alder tree, graphite, or, in some cases, iron.