Lesley

  • What Can Kids Make With Clay? 18 Clay Ideas for Children

    What Can Kids Make With Clay? 18 Clay Ideas for Children

    You may have one of those crafty, artistic children who like to make things all the time.  Or perhaps you have a long school vacation stretching out in front of you.  Either way, if you have been wondering what can kids do with clay, you are in the right place.  Here are some great ideas…

  • 4 Ways to Make Pottery Without a Wheel – Hand Building Clay

    4 Ways to Make Pottery Without a Wheel – Hand Building Clay

    The Pottery Wheel is supported by its readers. If you click one of my links, I may earn a commission. I’m also a participant of the Amazon Affiliate Program and will make a commission from qualifying purchases. This helps me keep the website running. Thank you, I really appreciate your support! When you think of…

  • 20 Ingenious Ways of Transporting Greenware Pottery Safely

    20 Ingenious Ways of Transporting Greenware Pottery Safely

    Bone dry pottery is extremely fragile.  In particular handles on mugs and jugs, and other fine details can be broken off easily.  But many potters, particularly in the first few years of making pottery don’t own their own kiln.  Instead, they rely on finding a local kiln service to fire their work.  This raises questions…

  • When to Apply Terra Sigillata? – On Bone Dry or Bisque?

    When to Apply Terra Sigillata? – On Bone Dry or Bisque?

    Making terra sigillata takes time and effort.  Combining the ingredients is simple.  Reducing the thin slip to a usable consistency takes quite a long time.  So, it’s important that when you use this liquid gold, you use it well.  This raises the question of when to apply terra sigillata to the best effect. Terra sigillata…

  • How to Make Terra Sigillata | Easy Peasy Terra Sig

    How to Make Terra Sigillata | Easy Peasy Terra Sig

    There are a lot of different accounts of how to make terra sigillata available.  Some of these methods seem more precise than others.  There also seems to be quite a bit of conflicting information.  So, I did some research into the various recommendations made by different potters and cherry-picked the best suggestions.  I tested these…

  • How to Make a Raku Kiln – An Easy Step by Step Guide

    How to Make a Raku Kiln – An Easy Step by Step Guide

    This article is a step-by-step guide on how to make a raku kiln.  I had made raku pottery in workshops and under the guidance of other potters.  But I had yet to take the plunge on my own if you’ll pardon the pun.  I decided it was time to take that step, so I only…

  • The Difference Between Oxides and Stains in Pottery

    The Difference Between Oxides and Stains in Pottery

    The terms oxide and stain, or ‘ceramic stains’ are often used interchangeably by potters.  If you are new to the exciting world of ceramic pigments, you may have wondered what oxides and stains are.  Perhaps you have pondered on the difference between oxides and stains and been left none the wiser.  This article is all…

  • How to Attach a Burner Torch to a Propane Tank for Raku

    How to Attach a Burner Torch to a Propane Tank for Raku

    There is quite a bit of information online about how to make raku pottery.  However, I recently built my first raku kiln.  And in the process of planning my first raku firing, I realized that there were practical things I didn’t know.  For example, I’d never used a propane torch before.  So, I found myself…

  • Can You Leave a Kiln Unattended – Is it a Good Idea?

    Can You Leave a Kiln Unattended – Is it a Good Idea?

    To state the obvious, firing pottery takes a long time.  A bisque fire can take anything from three to eight hours, and a glaze fire takes about 8 hours.  In addition to this, it can take another 12 hours for your kiln to cool down.  So, it can take the best part of 24 hours…

  • Is Pottery Glaze Toxic? Facts Versus Myths Explained

    Is Pottery Glaze Toxic? Facts Versus Myths Explained

    Learning to use glaze is an exciting and creative time.  Glaze can create an unending number of effects and finishes.  However, you may have come across alarming information that glaze can be toxic.  You may be handling glaze in its powdered form or a liquid state.  Either way, it’s important to ask the question, is…

  • How to Clean Up Clay Dust – Keep Your Pottery Space Safe

    How to Clean Up Clay Dust – Keep Your Pottery Space Safe

    Pottery clay starts to dry out as soon as it comes out of its plastic bag.  As it dries, clay particles form clay dust.  It is unavoidable that if you use clay you will be exposed to some amount of clay dust.  As potters have become increasingly aware of environmental hazards, they have wanted to…

  • Dry Hands from Pottery Clay – 10 Tips for Skin and Nails

    Dry Hands from Pottery Clay – 10 Tips for Skin and Nails

    There is no way around it, pottery and clay are hard on the hands.  The other day as I gave my toddler’s cheek a playful tweak.  And I noticed how red and dry my skin was compared to her alabaster face.  This is partly due to life wear and tear.  But it’s definitely made worse…