Cut it Out!

Though the weather has decided to turn rather dull and wet I am not saying it shouldn't rain, believe it or not the ground needs it (even if the dogs don't really like it). No when I say "cut it out", I'm referring to my cut handled bowls which I do along with two larger sizes and my cut handled platters that you can see in my older blog on the last firing.

I know it looks a little strange and it takes a bit of time to get used to throwing on a square bat but apart from the fact that they are just halved man made roof slates which makes them considerably less expensive than pottery wooden bats they make lining up the handles of these pots much easier. (One draw back is you have to learn not to hit the edges with your wrist when getting more water!)

You can make up a pad of clay by throwing it flat, then scraping the surface water off with a wooden tool then make a spiral in it to stop too much suction.

I use a pointer to give me the height and diameter of the pots once I have the size of the first one.

If you put a nail in it you can stop any touching accidents. (The other end is just held in a lump of clay at the edge of the wheel box.)

This is the cut handled bowl shape before cutting. This can be done when the pot is just softer than leather hard.

I use things that come to hand for marking out, a credit card works for the size of the handles.

And an old bottle top for a nice round shape.

If you know someone with an inhaler you could ask for their old one.

That's the shapes impressed, just cutting and finishing to do.

Cutting out is best done boldly rather than being timid.

Confident and clear with the knife (best not to have too sharper knife).

Cutting the hand holds.

Rounding off the edges to make it look like a thrown rim here too.

Sponging off to make it cleaner looking.

You do have to be able to reclaim your clay easily (we have a dough mixer and pug mill and blend our own clay).

I don't mind there being a bit of variation in these as we don't often sell sets of six of cut handled bowls. (They cost £25 each).

And this is the finished product.

Great for a Chinese take away.

Went to a wee Ceilidh (Scottish music and Dance) just along the road in Benderloch on Saturday, the Band and the dancing was great. (Wasn't too sure about some of the have a go your self bit though, maybe I hadn't had enough to drink?)