Jan 31 – Feb 12: pieces #43 – #58

Posting weekly updates is turning out to be harder than I expected! The last two weeks were verrrrry busy with finishing pieces and figuring out my display and logistics for the market with maum. The market was my first craft show/market experience! More details about the market after a little recap on my most recent pieces.

I theoretically know throwing off the hump is supposed to get easier and more efficient with practice, but I don’t know… it’s just not clicking for me! I had an idea for an espresso cup design so I wanted to try throwing off the hump again to make a bunch of small cups at once. I can’t figure out a good way to take the pieces off the wheel. These cups were promptly squished for the clay to be reused for other pieces.

Since throwing off the hump was a bust, I went back to throwing one piece at a time on the wheel. I ended up making the first piece much bigger and wider than I planned so I used the piece as an opportunity to try a new tool that is a coiled wire that creates a lined texture. I decided to not keep the piece because the bottom is too thick and heavy.

I tried another method and made the espresso mugs using the pinch pot method, and I finally had success! I made 7 espresso mugs and 3 bowls in one evening while watch several episodes of TV. Next time, I won’t make as many because I had hand pain for a couple days from the repeated pinching motion.

After a busy week of making pieces, glazing pieces, and picking up/dropping off pieces at the studio, I spent the following week preparing for my first market. I had never sold at a market before so I had to figure out how to set up my booth, accept payment, package pieces for customers, transport pieces, and price pieces.

I had a great time at the market meeting other vendors, especially my tablemates from Moon Jar Design, and the attendees. I really enjoyed meeting so many people and was really touched by the nice things people shared about my work.

I was pleasantly surprised that the items people gravitated towards in person were very different than the items that sell well on Etsy and that I get DMs about.

I’m itching to get back on the wheel, but I also need to spend some time this week getting my remaining pieces up on Etsy.

There’s always so much to do in the never ending cycle of pottery! I love how I will never get bored of it.