Buying a pottery kiln for home use is very exciting. But making the right choice is important and there are some key things to consider. In this guide, I’ll walk through my experience of buying an at-home kiln. I will flag up any essential things to bear in mind when you are choosing, installing, and…
One way to recycle your clay is to spread the wet clay over an absorbent surface. I’ve found that the best surface for reclaiming clay is a plaster slab. Making a plaster slab for drying clay is very simple. This is the process that I use, step by step. How to Make a Plaster Slab…
Using lettering on my pottery is one of my favorite things. Over the years, I have tried out various different letter stamps for clay, with varying results. To save you money and frustration, I thought I would review some of the letter stamps for clay that I’ve tried, and let you know what I think…
If you are starting out making pottery, it really helps to have a selection of essential pottery tools. You have probably noticed that you can buy bundles of tools, but it’s not always clear what each of these tools is for. So, I’ve put together this list of tools that I use almost every day…
The only way to get better at making pottery on a wheel is to practice as often as you can. The best way to do this is to buy your own pottery wheel. And, if you are starting out, you probably don’t want to spend a fortune. But is buying a cheap pottery wheel a…
I love adding texture to pottery clay and there are countless ways to do this. However, one of the simplest and most satisfying ways to add some interest is to use texture mats for clay. These are pieces of flexible rubber that have a texture on them. They can be pressed onto your clay to…
If you want to start firing your own work, one of your first questions will be how much does a kiln cost? Buying a kiln is a bit like buying a car as there is a big price range depending on the size and power of the kiln. Kilns range in price from small tabletop…
Rolling a nice, even slab is essential for slab building pottery. However, a common problem when learning to roll slabs of clay is to find that they stick to your work surface. This problem can usually be solved by rolling on the right kind of surface. But what is the best surface for rolling clay? …
The best way to improve your wheel throwing skills is to practice every day. Practicing every day is a lot easier if you have a pottery wheel at home. And buying a used pottery wheel can be a great way to save yourself some money. Here are some top tips on buying the right used…
If you’ve caught the pottery bug, you may well be thinking about setting up a home pottery studio. There are two unavoidable facts about making pottery. The first is that it takes up space and the second is that it costs money. Fortunately, it doesn’t need to take up loads of space, and it also…
Buying a pottery wheel is very exciting, but it can be scary too. There are a lot of pottery wheels to choose from, and if you’re a beginner it can be hard to know which will suit you best. So, which is the best pottery wheel for beginners? In this article, I will outline 14…
If there is a potter in your life, and you are struggling to find a gift, you have come to the right place. Pottery is full of gadgets, doohickeys, and thingummy bobs that can make perfect gifts for potters. If you are not into making pottery yourself, it can seem like a minefield. So, I…