Sunday, April 25, 2010

Time to Turn....

Isaiah 45:9 "Woe to him who quarrels with his Maker, to him who is but a potsherd among the potsherds on the ground. Does the clay say to the potter, 'What are you making?' Does your work say, 'He has no hands'?




I started turning pots about 6 years ago. I love it so very much but I don't make time to turn , according to my children, as much as I should .grin*
Most of our dishes and cups were made by me or one of my children. Although I have made a variety of things , the bowls are what the children likes the most , so was about time to turn some.





To make a bowl , I make what I call a * cake* first. It is a ball of clay that is center on the wheel.
Then I open in the center to start and smooth the bottom....


Here you you can see me getting my *walls* ready to be raised...



It takes time and patience , too fast will not work ...also the right amount of water is needed... it is a *feeling thing*.... too much water will make the clay too soft am lumpy




This picture is showing basically my beginning ...this will be large bowl.... it is not the one in the bottom... I have actually turn up as much as i could and now it is covered with plastic to keep the moisture in ... I will finish it early in the morning....*grin*


silly me.... it was nice that kate came in with the camera ...unexpectedly, you can SEE!











few of my crazy tea pots.... these were made in both wheel and with clay slabs. the gray one is one of my favorite.... it is called " if I only have a heart"...mmmm.... I am wondering if you know why? *grin*







7 comments:

Castles Crowns and Cottages said...

Oh, the wonder never, ever ceases ma belle, when I visit you. This is awesome. You have to be the only Jack of All Trades and Master of ALL that I have ever known!!!!! And that you use the ones you make....I really don't know how you do what you do!!!! LOVE IT ALL!!! And I might add, you are so pretty!!!Nita

Woolytales Miniatures said...

hahaha Nita.... everyone knows by now that you are my dear friend!!Only you to say those things...
Nita ,I LOVE functional pottery because I can bake,freeze and serve a dish beautifully. I shall post when I have all these fired and glazed. ((( thank you)))) *grin*

Eva said...

Wow, you are so talented. I would like to learn how to turn pots...it is one of my pending issues of a long, long list ;)
Un beso

Angelsdoor * Penny said...

Oh Pat! This is what I call a real ka wink e dink!!! hee...
I am taking a cermaics class with Connie, my sister.. Something I always wanted to try was the wheel.. WELL, two weeks ago we finally had a turn at the wheel.
The first bowl I attempted FLEW OFF THE WHEEL... ( heavy foot on the peddle) I pulled a Lucy for sure! It gave everyone a real laugh..
I am so very impressed with your work on the wheel.. Now that is what my bowl should have looked like.. I love your tea pots..
Blessing dear friend.
Penny

jerilanders said...

I love the little pot on the end with the birdie and what appears to be cabbage leaves, maybe? I never got into making pottery but since I have many friends who create with clay, I guess I am lucky to know them. You could make teapots all day long and never make the same design twice, love em. Of course, one can drink only just so much tea....

Woolytales Miniatures said...

Dear Penny~ there is a great satisfaction behind turning pots... I can't explain... also when one fire last... I mean , after is glazed and final... openning the knil is either like Christmas or halloween.... and teh feeling when everything is good is just unbelievable.
Turning is all about centering right.... if you have access to a wheel and you practice you will get it and will learn the speed too... to center you must turn the wheel full speed and learn to close your shoulders.... to raise the wall must be slow and with patiences.... I am selftought and I got my first centered piece after 2 weeks of practice. My daughter Kate did with in 1 week .
You can do it too!!!! hugs~

Woolytales Miniatures said...

Hi Jeri~ Good to see *you* again!!!*grin*

Yes, you got it right... it is cabbage leaves and a little bird on top. i made a series of blue birds as top handles once and I still have some... maybe next time I show a pictures. If you click on the pictures you can see enlarged.
Like you , I enjoy tea and tea pots but they require a lot skills and more time ... all parts are turned separated and it needs to go together as soon the clay gets to the stage called * leather dry*.

I can never make any thing the same... I am not good at it ... I am talking about skills... grin... and I also get bored if I would have to turn lots of the same thing.... I think is because I do this as a hobby ....

I will be spending a lot of time turning pots every evening this week and hopefully I will be glazing in couple weeks... come back when time allows you to see the finished crockery!Smiles~

 
Design by Lawnydesigns