Author: potteringclasses

  • Terracotta, Stoneware, and Porcelain: Choosing the Right Clay

    Terracotta, Stoneware, and Porcelain: Choosing the Right Clay

    Each clay body—terracotta, stoneware, and porcelain—has its own personality, working style, and final look.

  • How to Make a Pottery Sponge Holder: A Beginner-Friendly Project

    How to Make a Pottery Sponge Holder: A Beginner-Friendly Project

    Learn how to make a pottery sponge holder with this easy beginner tutorial. A practical clay project that doubles as a thoughtful handmade gift.

  • Beginner’s Guide to Underglazing: Everything You Need to Know

    Beginner’s Guide to Underglazing: Everything You Need to Know

    Learn the difference between underglazing on leatherhard clay vs. bisqueware in this beginner-friendly pottery guide from Potterings, a West Seattle ceramics studio.

  • The Art of Patience: Why Slow Drying is Your Pottery’s Best Friend

    The Art of Patience: Why Slow Drying is Your Pottery’s Best Friend

    There’s one golden rule that can make or break your pottery: slow drying. It might be tempting to rush your freshly sculpted masterpiece from the handbuilding table straight into a warm, airy spot. After all, you’re excited to see it fired, right? However, for beginning potters especially, understanding the critical…

  • 10 Successful Glazing Tips Using Mid-Fire Glazes (Cone 5/6)

    10 Successful Glazing Tips Using Mid-Fire Glazes (Cone 5/6)

    Glazing is where your pottery transforms—adding color, depth, and personality. But for beginners, glazing can feel overwhelming. At Potterings, we help new handbuilders find their confidence, especially when it comes to mid-fire cone 5/6 glazes. We use several glazes from Mayco, Amaco, Seattle Pottery Supply, and Tacoma Clay Art Center.…

  • How to Keep Your Pottery from Sticking to Kiln Shelves: A Beginning Potter’s Guide

    How to Keep Your Pottery from Sticking to Kiln Shelves: A Beginning Potter’s Guide

    If you’ve ever opened the kiln to find your beautiful bowl permanently fused to the shelf, or you’ve received a piece of pottery back from your community studio with kiln wash stuck to the bottom (or worse!), welcome to the club. One of the most common beginner (and experienced potter)…

  • Master the Rib: Your Best Pottery Tool for Potters

    Master the Rib: Your Best Pottery Tool for Potters

    Today, I want to shine a spotlight on one of the most unassuming yet incredibly powerful tools in your kit: the pottery rib. For many beginning potters, the rib might seem like just a flat piece of wood or rubber. But trust me, once you understand its potential, it will…

  • Why Does Pottery Explode in the Kiln? A Pottery Instructor Explains!

    Why Does Pottery Explode in the Kiln? A Pottery Instructor Explains!

    The Frustrating Reality of Pottery Making As a pottery instructor, one of the most disheartening experiences for both myself and my students is opening the kiln after a firing, only to find a shattered, exploded piece of pottery. It’s a moment that can feel like all your hard work has literally…

  • Discover the Joy of Clay with Potterings: Seattle’s Most Affordable Pottery Experience

    Discover the Joy of Clay with Potterings: Seattle’s Most Affordable Pottery Experience

    If you’ve ever dreamed of shaping clay into something beautiful with your own hands, Potterings in West Seattle offers the perfect opportunity to bring that vision to life. Specializing in beginner-friendly, small-group pottery classes, Potterings provides a welcoming and creative environment for all aspiring beginning potters. What Makes Potterings Unique?…

  • Pinch Pots, Bubble Glazing & More Potterings Studio Grand Opening

    Pinch Pots, Bubble Glazing & More Potterings Studio Grand Opening

    Potterings Studio Grand Opening May 2 & 3, 2025 – A Creative Space for Beginner Potters! Have you ever dreamed of trying pottery but weren’t sure how to start? Maybe you’ve seen beautiful handmade mugs or whimsical plant pots and thought, “Could I make that?” The answer is YES —…