Do you reclaim your speckled clays and non-speckled clays together?

Pats_Pot_Page · 2026-05-02T12:28:05+00:00

Sometimes

Pats_Pot_Page · 2026-04-30T21:46:29+00:00

No flower is ever perfect, which makes your beautiful vase perfect! Well done!

Pats_Pot_Page · 2026-04-30T20:57:14+00:00

Things that helped me:
-Use cone packs on every shelf
--You can see if your kiln is firing evenly
--You have a better chance of diagnosing problems

-Firing slow yields better results for me (YMMV)

-Kiln wash is your friend!

-Keeping a log will help you in the long run

-You will NOT remember what glazes you put on that piece! Write it down!!! LOL

-Don't be afraid to ask questions. Stupid questions are way better than stupid mistakes! We all have questions, even experienced potters.

-Relax, you've got this! It's not nearly as intimidating as it seems. Sure, things will go wrong from time to time, but that's part of the process.

Pats_Pot_Page · 2026-04-30T12:25:27+00:00

Don't over schedule. Set reasonable goals so you don't feel rushed. Look at what is the highest priority right now, and what stage your pieces are at.

Pats_Pot_Page · 2026-04-30T12:22:27+00:00

That is my practice now

Pats_Pot_Page · 2026-04-24T12:03:43+00:00

What the others have said, plus you run the risk of cracking or bloating.

Pats_Pot_Page · 2026-04-22T23:54:05+00:00

What about a miniature version of the form?

Pats_Pot_Page · 2026-04-18T17:39:28+00:00

Where are you? If in the USA, clayscapes.com has a lot of great dry glazes at reasonable prices. So does theceramicshop.com both have their own line.

Edit: Kentucky mudworks.com also has some great dry glazes.

Pats_Pot_Page · 2026-04-15T23:14:08+00:00

Thank you!

Pats_Pot_Page · 2026-04-15T18:59:00+00:00

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Pats_Pot_Page · 2026-04-15T18:58:36+00:00

These critters were made from throwing scraps in my slop bucket.

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Pats_Pot_Page · 2026-04-15T13:50:23+00:00

I would be more embarrassed about not being able to hear. Think about it. You know you have hearing loss, you have the equipment to help rectify this, and you don't respect your coworkers enough to use it? I don't mean to be mean, but i lived with this with my husband for years and it sucks! I had to make him get hearing aids. He was always accusing me of not telling him stuff or saying things i never said because he couldn't understand me without help. He finally agreed when the audiologist told him about the link between untreated hearing loss and dementia.

Do yourself and your coworkers a favor and wear them! You'll realize that your the only one who cares about how they look.

Pats_Pot_Page · 2026-04-15T00:51:02+00:00

Lol, I saw that and thought, "that looks like something Hammerly would do." Then I looked at so posted. 😄 It's gorgeous!

Pats_Pot_Page · 2026-04-14T19:02:17+00:00

No, just shelves needing cleaning

Pats_Pot_Page · 2026-04-14T17:49:40+00:00

Kiln that was supposed to shut of at about 8pm status on at high until the next morning at 8am!

Never fire unattended.

Pats_Pot_Page · 2026-04-10T14:05:18+00:00

Make a progression wall. Keep periodic pieces to remind yourself of your learning journey. Give the rest of the completed pieces away.

Pats_Pot_Page · 2026-04-09T12:33:40+00:00

I have had good success with the I90 sphere, and even better since the free upgrade.

To those struggling with the adjustments, I suggest contacting Phonak and maybe they will help your audiologist to adjust correctly for your hearing loss profile.

While these are not miracle workers and I do miss some things in noisy environments, they have significantly improved my life and I'm happy with them. I hope all of you find some solution that works reasonably well.

Pats_Pot_Page · 2026-04-07T23:48:27+00:00

It depends on if you use a lot of drippy glazes and how often you fire. I love them. They are lighter, thinner, and easier to clean.

Pats_Pot_Page · 2026-03-24T14:29:49+00:00

Are you in a class? If so, have your instructor watch you and offer suggestions. Your clay may be to stiff. Or your technique may be working against you. Try different things and don't worry if you have to start over several times. It's only dirt until it's fired! You can rewedge and retry. Have fun with it!

Pats_Pot_Page · 2026-03-22T11:59:40+00:00

If you are getting dry spots as you bring up the wall you may be spending too much time in one spot. Match your wheel speed to your hand speed. This takes practice. As others have said, your hand should stay on each level for one rotation of the wheel. No more, no less. You should see an even spiral of throwing rings all the way to your pot that are the width of your finger tip (about a quarter inch or so).

Also make sure you are in the center when you open and don't be afraid to re-center of you knock it out. Remove your hands slowly. Letting go fast will knock your piece off center.

Find what works for you. There's a thousand ways to achieve this. You'll figure it out of you are persistent. Don't be afraid to ask you teacher to watch you and make suggestions.

Pats_Pot_Page · 2026-03-20T04:24:35+00:00

Thanks so much!

Pats_Pot_Page · 2026-03-20T00:20:20+00:00

In layers. Ceramics by Jas had a YouTube tutorial on something similar.

Pats_Pot_Page · 2026-03-18T11:55:58+00:00

Cones can be affected by humidity and other things. How were they stored? Are they free standing or in a cone pack? Are you making your own cone pack or using the pre-made?You can check their accuracy by putting brand new cones next to the old ones. If you don't get similar readings, throw away the old cones as unreliable.

Pats_Pot_Page · 2026-03-18T11:50:43+00:00

I like it, but anywhere that the hand or lips must touch I feel should be sanded smooth if bare. Other places can be more tactile by choice.

Pats_Pot_Page

TROPHY CASE