Using clay that’s in good condition makes pottery making a lot easier. To keep it in good shape it’s important to know how to store pottery clay. Here are some essential tips on storing clay, so it’s in tip-top condition. You can store pottery clay either in a dry state or a moist state. If…
If you have bought some pottery clay you may be wondering whether it will go bad and if it has an expiration date. Well, the answer to that question is good news. No, pottery clay does not go bad, in fact if you store it well, it can last indefinitely. Clay can harden, or go…
Buying clay from a pottery supplier is easy, but learning to make clay from dirt is incredibly satisfying. If you have ever been curious about how to find and process your own wild clay, this article is for you. How to Make Clay from Dirt For ages, I thought that you could only harvest natural…
Before you heat something in the microwave, it’s always a good idea to check if the dish is microwave safe. But what about stoneware? Stoneware is one of the most commonly used ceramic materials for kitchen and dinnerware. But is stoneware microwave safe? The short answer is ‘yes’, commercially made stoneware that has a ‘microwave…
It seems to me that everything tastes better when you eat or drink from handmade ceramics. But how do you look after it and is pottery dishwasher safe? In this guide, I’ll be looking at some of the dos and don’ts of washing your pottery. But first, to quickly answer the main question about dishwasher…
One of the terms that you may hear applied to clay is the word ‘greenware’. But what is greenware and what exactly can you do with it? The term greenware refers to clay that has been shaped into its desired form but that has not yet been fired in a kiln. Greenware consists of 3 different…
There is no way around it, clay is messy and sticky. That’s part of its fun. But it is less fun trying to get clay out of clothes. Perhaps you are a potter who uses clay at work or as a hobby. Or perhaps you have a kid who is making a clay project at…
Clay is dug up from the ground and processed so it can be used to make pottery. Often it is manufacturers who mine the clay and transport it to a processing plant. Sometimes it is individual potters who want to be self-sufficient. But this raises the question, where is clay found? Good clay for pottery…
Earthenware pottery is everywhere. It is used to make everything from roof tiles, building bricks, plant pots, and dinnerware. So, what is this amazingly versatile material called earthenware? And exactly what is earthenware made of? Here is your answer in a nutshell: Earthenware is traditionally made from ‘red earthenware’ clay or ‘red terra-cotta’. However, some…
Usually, clay is fired two times. The first time is the bisque fire and the second time is the glaze fire. Clay undergoes changes during both of these firing processes. And this article is all about what happens to clay when it is fired in a bisque and a glaze fire. In essence, when clay…
Finding that your pottery clay has gone moldy is very common. Clay needs to be kept moist to stay workable and it contains organic matter. These are perfect conditions for the growth of mold. So, what can you do if you open up your bag of clay and it’s growing green and black mold? Here…
If you are making pottery without a wheel, you may be wondering about the best clay for handbuilding. Pottery clay for handbuilding needs to have certain properties. In this article, I will look at what those properties are and which clay you will find them in. The best clay for handbuilding is stoneware or earthenware…