My Little Teapot

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One of our class projects was to hand build, an item of our choosing, out of three thrown slabs of clay. To create the slab, we first threw a bottomless cylinder. Before removing it from the wheel, we sometimes used our wire cutter to slice it into one, or two pieces, which would lay flat. I found two pieces easier to remove from the wheel, then one long piece.

For my teapot I used a cylinder which I did not slice, it was removed from the wheel, placed on a board and shaped like a pear to harden up a bit. The sides of the teapot are another cylinder sliced into two pieces and laid flat to dry. Once my clay hardened up a bit, I laid my pear shaped piece on top of one of the side pieces and cut around it. I scored and slipped the pieces before attaching them. I did the same for the other side. I used a wooden spatula to paddle and shape the spout area to be narrower than the rest of the body of the teapot. I used a wooden dowel to paddle the feet of the pot. I used the extra clay from the sides to make the handle, lid and spout.

Before glazing, I waxed the sides and bottom of the lid, and a small lip on the top of the teapot, and the hole where the lid sits. Along with the holes in the spout area. I used Butter Ranch glaze, and regret that I didn’t allow it to spread around the inside of the pot better. I was afraid I would clog my spout’s holes, which I should have made as one big hole instead of the several little ones I did.

I really enjoyed hand building, and I am very excited for my Functional Clay class, which starts next week.

Six Matching Mugs~Final Project

For my final project in my clay throwing class, I first attempted to make a teapot but ended up with two bowls instead. So, I decided to switch to something I knew I could make. Six matching mugs. By this time in class I felt like I knew what I was doing. I was able to center my clay without spending too much time. I has also gotten very good at pulling up my clay up to create a soldier straight cylinders, with wall that were pretty even.

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For the glaze I chose my favorite Yellow Salt. On the first mug I wore a glove to dip it. I missed a section and ended up re-dipping it. You can see the brown spots on the bottom where my fingers held it. For the rest I used the tongs to hold while I only did one dip.

On the double dipped mug, on the inside the glaze covered the throwing marks and it has more of a shine instead of the matte finish I prefer. I am glad the glaze lid would not come off, and that I took it as a sign, NOT to dip them all twice.

I really do like my fingermarks on the one, or as I dubbed them Rita’s Mark. Since my classmate intentional put them on her pieces as her signature, such an awesome idea!