Tag: Kiln

pottery

Go Big or Go Home

mud&stringLeave a comment

Anyone else ever have kiln envy?  Not me…..at least not until about 30 minutes ago or so.

So.  Here I am, at home, minding my own business (sort of) and remembering that another potter friend told me about her new kiln that she bought off Craigslist.  I go to Craigslist – just to scope out if there are any kilns listed, mind you and find this:

 

B10F1219-F65A-4464-82F0-572E909F2EC0

No, I’m not Memphis bound with a wad of cash, but someday I’ll want need a bigger, fancier, shinier kiln and you can just bet I’ll be looking at Craigslist more often from now on! 🙂

He who talks more is sooner exhausted. Lao Tzu

B

Advertisement
Knitting

Better Handle

mud&stringLeave a comment

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

Knitting

As Promised – A Bit of Knitting, A Bit of Throwing, A Bit of Ringing

mud&stringLeave a comment

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

Simple Skype Socks

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

Knitting

Raku

mud&stringLeave a comment

POTTERING AROUND

Today was the next to last pottery class for the Spring quarter and we tried our hand at raku for the first time, a really neat technique that uses special glazes, a special kiln and the coolest thing of all, putting the pot into a container right out of the kiln lined with newpaper or sawdust so that it flames up and completes the firing.   You have to wear special gear, gloves and something like a welder’s mask to protect yourself from the kiln’s heat, about 1800 degrees F.  You have to use long tongs to handle the pots after firing.  Can you tell I have a little firebug in me?  Here’s my first raku pot –

First Raku, 06/03/13

I’m retaking the Basic Handbuilding class this summer, just to have a good handle on the basics, hopefully to try the pottery wheel in the fall.  So loving this!

It is art that makes life, makes interest, makes importance, for our consideration and application of these things, and I know of no substitute whatever for the force and beauty of its process.  Henry James

B