I hope to bisque fire these tomorrow.
I threw these using some clay I bought on sale at Hobby Lobby. I hope I’m not disappointed………
I have some glazed pieces ready to fire also, but I’m not sure they will fit into kiln. Keeping my fingers crossed. 🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞
B
Hello! Yes, I am an insomniac and a potter. I’m starting this blog to share some of my middle of the night projects and see what other middle of the nighters are working on. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy thia post.
Here’s what I pulled from the kiln this morning –
Bowl and tumbler set
Amaco White Clay
Duncan Blue Berry Spice Glaze
Mixed Clay pot
Low Fire Red Clay
Bisqueware
That wraps up this first post. I hope you enjoyed it!
B
Here’s a look at what’s come off my pottery wheel these last few days. I’ve been practicing this particular shape, which finally jelled a couple of days ago. I hope you like them.
#1
Low fire red clay
#2
Getting more comfortable with shape, still
needs practice but coming along🙂
Thanks for reading!
Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter. Martin Luther King, Jr.
B
Do over 279 stitch i-cord cast on is in my rearview mirror. Finally. On to short rows!
Goals are the fuel in the furnace of achievement. Brian Tracy
B
Despite my vow to myself that I’d not start anything new until my WIPs were finished, I found I could’t exist one more day without at least casting on the Abella Pullover from Knitpicks Sunday Morning patterns and so caved. A word to the wise – Beware the 279 stitch i-cord cast on. 🤪
Pick battles big enough to matter, small enough to win. Jonathan Kozol
B
Here are a few of the projects I’m working on at the moment –
Clockwise from left: Whatever Socks, Malabrigo Sock, Indiecita colorway for me. These are a variation of Hermione’s Everyday Socks using (I think) a linen stitch, Sunburst Lichen Cowl, in a really pretty blue mystery yarn and last, a pair of Simple Skype Socks for Babydaddy using Fingerpaints Supersock Self Striping from Cherry Tree Hill Yarn, in the Java Jive colorway.
From the pottery wheel
Unfired pots, using low fire red clay
A couple more days of drying time and then they’ll be ready to bisque fire, the first step toward a finished pot.
NEWS FLASH – Unfortunately, the darker, larger pot didn’t make it through the first firing. ☹️
Don’t compromise yourself. You are all you’ve got. Janis Joplin
B
I’m finished with the Christmas gift knitting which, unfortunately, was started way later than it should have. Yay anyway because she loved it and didn’t mind giving it back to be finished right after opening.❤️❤️❤️
DETAILS
Malabrigo Rios
Ravelry Red
Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude. Zig Ziglar
B
A QUICKIE
Something fast, something that gives (almost) immediate gratification. I’m in the middle of a sweater, a huge crocheted shawl, a pair of socks, a dog sweater and the cutest flag garland ever. I’m not counting my Christmas knitting — it’s not the last minute yet and I don’t want to let the cat out of the gift bag. Anyhow, despite my vow to not start anything new until the WIPs are at least a little bit under control, I caved. I needed a project that offered some immediate gratification. Rav served up the perfect pattern, Leafy Washcloth. I knit up the first one last evening and it’s blocking as I type this.
I used some Sugar and Cream cotton that I had around and size 7 straight needles, filling the immediate gratification bill perfectly. Feels so good to have a FO!
The odds of hitting your target go up dramatically when you aim at it. Mal Pancoast
B
ON MY WHEEL
I’ve been throwing up a storm this past week, with about a 50/50 satisfaction rate, which is about par for the course. Unless I’m really really happy with the finished pot, it goes into the reclaim bucket. My mug handles are definitely getting better — they should be with all the practice!
I’m running a full bisque kiln this morning and have ordered a few new glazes. Hopefully by the end of this week they will have come in and I can get the newly bisqued pots glazed and into the kiln for the final step. Several have gift potential, so I’m anxious to get them finished.
ON MY NEEDLES
I’ve made a pact with myself that there will be NO NEW STARTS until I finish my current WIPs. That’s all I want to say about that, as several of these also have definite gift potential. 🤫 Anyone else who will be working down to the wire on holiday gifting?
A goal without a plan is just a wish. Larry Elder
B
CALENDAR FREAK OUT
After getting home from bell rehearsal last evening, I updated my calendar practice and performance wise and took stock. Yikes! Between today and 12/16, I have three practices and five performances. OK, I’m retired and with a bit of juggling, this is totally doable. So, now, I think if I (temporarily) put all my WIPs on the back burner, I can just about have all my gift knitting finished and ready to go by Christmas Eve. 🎶🎶
BAPTISM BOY
Shepherd William Lee Coleman
Baptized December 2, 2018
Is he an angel or what????
OFF THE WHEEL
I finished this pot late last night, now just waiting for new glazes to arrive. Here are the ones I ordered –
I’m SO happy to have my own little pottery studio set up. The winter break in class is the longest – eight weeks, give or take a few days and I tend to get pretty bored, especially if the weather is nasty. It can get pretty cold out in my garage studio, but my little space heater does a good job warming it up.
Life is good!
Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eye off your goal. Henry Ford
B
ON MY NEEDLES
I seem to be caught in a startitis vortex, convinced that every new project start magically completes the WIP above it in the Everlasting Endless Knitting Queue, except it doesn’t. The tabletop next to my knitting chair continues to become more and more crowded and is developing a layered look, sort of like what you’d find in an archeological dig with recent stuff on top and progressively older stuff underneath that. Here’s a few off the top-
Freak Flags
Sequences
Mason-Dixon Knitting Field Guide No. 5
Freak Flags has progressed to this –
I’ve recently fallen in love with banners and such so when I saw the Freak Flags in MDK Sequences it was all over but the knitting. The plan is to make a set of seasonal set for my mantle, with this particular set in fall colors. Winter will be next using blues, grays and whites.
I’m making good progress on my Simple Skype socks –
Enlarged to show stitch detail
Fingerpaints Supersock Self Striping
100% Superwash Merino
Java Jive
RINGING
Have I ever mentioned that I’m a handbell ringer? Advent is upon us, a busy busy time for musicians, with extra rehearsals and the butterflies that go hand in hand with ringing in public,but it’s a labor of love. Aren’t they beautiful?
THROWING
Here’s a look at the first pot out of my very first glaze kiln –
Multiuse Pot
B clay with grog
Mayco Jungle Gems Peacock Green on outside and Blue Azure on the inside
I like the inside better I think.
BIG DAY TODAY
Hit the ground running this morning…..Baby Shepherd will be baptized at 10:30 mass this morning and we’re having a Baptism/Birthday/Belated Birthday chili supper this evening to celebrate. I’ll do my best to get photos of the Baptism Boy and Birthday Boys up on the blog in the next few days. Busy with blessings!
Wherever a man turns he can find someone who needs him. Albert Schweiter
B
Here I am, attempting to jumpstart what used to be so easy, the habit of knocking out a blog post a couple of times a week and following the blogs I particularly enjoy, of which there are many – keeping up with what others are reading or knitting, baking or making music and/or just what’s going on outside the realm of Casa Coleman. I don’t know if you’ve missed me, but I’ve missed you and it feels good to be back.❤️
FIRST THINGS FIRST
The newest grand — then and now:
and we can’t forget big sisters…
OK everyone! It’s time to stop growing and changing – at least for a little while – I’m not finished loving this stage yet!
Now for the Bangkok branch update:
As you can see, they too are growing and changing much, much more quickly than I want!
NEXT INSTALLMENT – Knitting and throwing, ringing and reading and whatever else catches my fancy!
Whoever is happy will make others happy too. Anne Frank
B
A little about knitting and a lot about nothing...
Exploring the world one fiber at a time
Food Photography & Recipes
The Cricket Pages
Raku pottery, vases, and gifts
Just a little crunchy.
Playin’ with mud after midnight.......
...and sewing, quilting, painting, and a whole lot more
Celebrating life, literature, and the persuit of fiber-y goodness.
yeah right.
Yarn Collecting and Occasional Knitting
A geeky creator just making through the days
Enjoying the little things in life.
Welcome to the world of cats!
mud&string 