Making Clay Pots on a Wheel

Getting Ready

Throwing pots is messy business, so you'll want to be wearing old clothes that you don't mind getting dirty. If you have long hair, tie it back so that it's out of your face. Take a grapefruit-sized lump of clay and knead it as you would bread dough. This process, also known as "wedging," will remove air bubbles that would cause your clay to explode in the kiln. Knead for at least a minute or two, and then pat the clay into a sphere. Prepare your pottery wheel by placing a fresh bat on it. A bat is a removable disc-shaped work surface that you put on the wheel so that you can later move the finished pot without having to try to lift wet clay. Arrange nearby your bucket of water, sponges and any carving tools you want to use.

Throw the clay onto the bat, as close to the center as you can. You may have to scrape it up and re-center it a few times before you get it right. Turn the wheel on so that it is spinning at a moderately fast speed and, using a sponge and your hands, wet down the clay so that it is slick. Place one hand on the side of the clay and another hand on top and lean into it while the wheel is spinning. If the clay is off-center, it will wobble as it spins, and you will need to press your hands into the clay until it is rotating smoothly. Place both hands on the side of the clay, and build it up to a tall tower, then put a hand on top and press it down again. This will incorporate more water into the clay, making it more workable, and will also help center it. Build and rebuild a tower several times.

When the clay is soft and smooth, begin shaping your pot. With one hand still on the outside of the clay, press the fingers of your other hand into the center to open it up. You may want to reduce wheel speed a little bit, but you should still keep it spinning fairly fast. Shape the pot with your hands and fingers and plenty of water. No matter what you want the finished shape to be, the pot should be lower and with thick walls when you begin. Use your fingers to thin the walls and to lift clay toward the top of your pot, making slow, gentle movements. The walls and bottom of your finished pot should be no thicker than 1/2 inch, or else it may shatter in the kiln. Use any carving tools you like to create patterns or to smooth out the side of your pot (you may allow the wheel to spin very slowly during this phase). Use a sponge to remove any excess water left inside the pot.

Turn off the wheel. Run a cutting wire under the base of your pot, right along the bat. This will help your pot dry more evenly and not affix itself to the bat as it dries. Remove the bat from the pottery wheel and allow the pot to dry for one day so that it is dry to the touch. Remove the pot from the bat and make any further enhancements you want, such as sanding down the sides or carving your initials in the bottom. Allow the pot to dry for several more days so that it is completely bone dry before firing it. (Moisture will damage the pot in the kiln.)