May, 1910 



AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 



189 



Pottery Making 

 for the Amateur 



By Mabel Tuke Priestman 



LAY suitable for making pottery can be 

 found in all parts of the country, but for 

 a beginner it is best to purchase a potter's 

 clay, usually sold in the neighborhood at 

 a store that supplies equipments for the 

 use of artists and craftsmen. These pre- 

 pared clays cost one or two cents a pound 

 in the dry and only require the addition of water. Take an 

 equal quantity of clay and water, and allow the clay to 

 soak for a day. Then thoroughly knead the moistened clay 

 until all the air bubbles are worked out. It is most import- 

 ant that the kneading be thoroughly done so that there may 

 be no disappointment later when the pottery is fired. 



The best-known clays are the blue or ball clay and fireclay, 

 though some prefer mixing these two together. Some potters 

 buy their clay in cake masses and pound into powder form. 

 They then put the powder through a sieve and add the pul- 

 verized clay to the water. This does away with the neces- 

 sity of a great deal of kneading. If clay is too wet, water 

 can be poured off after the clay is thoroughly mixed, or it 

 can be spread upon plastered slabs and left in the open-air, 

 when the plaster will absorb the superfluous moisture. The 

 clay can be kept ready for work in an earthen vessel con- 

 taining a little water. Deep holes are made in the clay into 

 which the water is poured. It may then be covered with a 

 damp cloth and an earthen lid. If some time elapses before 

 the clay is used and it dries out, it can be easily re-mixed. 



The preparing of the clay is very much like bread mak- 

 ing. A lump of moist clay, about ten or twelve pounds. Is 

 laid upon the table and kneaded. Then it is divided with 

 string into halves or quarters and each piece separately 

 worked. It will be found that clay that is to be used on the 



wheel will require more kneading than the hand mold or 

 coiled pottery. 



Many tools are sold for making pottery, but fingers or 

 tools that represent fingers, answer the purpose although 

 incisions for decorations will have to be made later with 

 some sort of tool. Some find the boxwood modeling tools 

 very useful. Among the tools will be found a pointed one 

 like a pencil and another pointed and flattened, sharp at 

 one end and blunt at the other. A tool with flattened ends 

 is useful for cutting away the background, when low relief 

 is needed. 



In looking at the tools sold for potters they so resemble 

 a crochet hook, lead-pencil and an orange stick that no 

 potter need delay because of not being able to get the 

 special tools. A loop of wire can be used for scraping oft 

 superfluous clay if it is too large. 



The easiest piece for a beginner to make is something in 

 a bowl form. Take a piece of clay, the size of an apple and 

 hollow it with the fist until It is the shape of a bird's nest. 

 Then add to this, small pieces of clay with the fingers. One 

 hand must be placed inside the bowl to support the edges, 

 while the right hand adds the clay. Strive to preserve a 

 uniformity of thickness, as it must not appear clumsy. Care 

 must be taken not to allow the wall to become too thin 

 in parts. The clay will have a tendency to sag but this 

 must be guarded against. While the bowl is being built up 

 the clay must not be allowed to dry out. Moistened cloths 

 must be laid over the parts not being worked. 



When the necessary size is reached turn the bowl up- 

 side down and scrape it with a piece of cardboard or a tool, 

 to the desired form of the base. If the walls of the vessel 

 have become weak from building too quickly it must be 



Vases and jars 



