Glossary - R

Rayon
Made from cellulose, has many of the qualities of cotton, an natural cellulose fibre. Rayon is strong, extremely absorbent, comes in a variety of qualities and weights, and can be made to resemble natural fabrics. Rayon does not melt but burns at high temperatures. The word 'Rayon' is a man-made word. Kenneth Lord, Sr., coined the phrase in 1924 during and industry sponsored contest to find a name for what was known as artificial silk.

Ribbing
Tread pattern element which joins two pattern blocks or two beads. It is generally less deep than the grooves and thus looks like a hump on the base of the groove.

Ribbons
A ribbon is a thin band of flexible material, typically cloth but also plastic or sometimes metal, used primarily for binding and tying. Cloth (esp. silk) ribbons are often used in connection with dress, but also applied for innumerable useful, ornamental and symbolical purposes; cultures around the world use this device in their hair, around the body, or even as ornamentation on animals, buildings, and other areas. Ribbon is also sometimes used as a package sealer, on par with twine.

Rivets
A rivet is a mechanical fastener consisting of a smooth cylindrical shaft with heads on either end, the second one formed in position. The heads are somewhat larger than the diameter of the hole into which the rivet has been inserted. Generally one head is factory formed. The other is formed by clenching metal after the rivet has been inserted.

Rotary Cutter
A tool used to cut fabrics, looks a bit like a pizza cutter. Consists of a handle and a thin round blade, which is razor sharp. Must be used with caution and kept out the reach of young children. For safety reasons and to extend the life of the blade it should only be used with rotary cutting mats and rulers. There are several manufactures with different handle styles and sizes. They come in 3 sizes, small, medium, and large.

Running Stitch
Large loose stitch sometimes used for basting. Often used in a decorative way for folk art looks, when stitching is part of the design.