Handles and Molds

I’m a huge fan of handles, I will look at a pot, and something that always goes through my head is “Where can I put handles on this sucker?”.

I am constantly spending a lot of time, not only making pots, but making handles.  Handles are just as hard to make and get right as are the rest of the pot.  I’m on a quest to get my handle, to make a handle that I’m very proud of.  It’s slow going but I’m always getting closer and closer.  Of course I sometimes look at a handle and say “Yes! I got it!”, then a week passes and I see something that wasn’t quite right with that handle, and I keep going to try to fix that on the next one.

Mug Handle

This is the type of mug handle that I’m currently working on.  I like the ‘edges’ aspect to the attachment rather than smoothing it right into the mug, it lets me put the handle onto anything (over stamps and textures) without messing up the surface.  It’s also really nice when the glaze collects in those areas.

Alternate Mug Handle

The London Potter’s Guild is participating in a mug sale at the Museum London Gift Shop.  They asked anyone that was interested to make 4 mugs that were different from what you would usually make.  I usually make the cylinder mug, with no trimming.  So I thought I would go as different as I could, I made this shape with trimming, a plate and an upside-down handle.

Oval Handle

Just an accent handle on the end of some ovals that I made.

Glaze Test

Here is a glaze that I’m currently working on.  I got the recipe from Chris Hierlihy.  It fits great, and does everything I want it to do, I’m just working on getting the colour right.  Look at that great ‘blip’ on the foot there, and the way it pools into the handle edges, yum!

Slump Mold

And lastly I’ve just started working on some really long-boat kinda dishes, with some texture in them.  This is the mold I’m using.  Hopefully I’ll get some done soon and post them! I bet they’ll have handles on them!

Mugs and Bowls

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~ by Kyle Thomson on February 15, 2010.