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Tuesday, 25 October 2016

coiled bowl which isn't coiled

In the summer, mum and I went to a workshop with Katherine Fortnum.  I still wasn't very well but managed to do OK that day.  We were the only people in the class!  We were to learn a coiling technique to make a decorative bowl.  I couldn't roll the required sausages.  I tried and I tried but then I realised if I carried on, I would start to get upset and frustrated so asked if I could do mine by rolling the clay flat and cutting out shapes.  Katherine, very kindly, said yes and helped me to build a bowl in that way.  

 I'm not sure that clay is for me, but if it is, I'd rather use the porcelain clay that we use with Katie Almond as I find it so much easier to work.

We used moulds to build our bowls in.  I cut some hearts and began to build it up.  I've just realised that I didn't take a photo of mum's bowl - I would have been able to show you what a coiled bowl looks like (it's not just one long "sausage" that coils round, it's small coils stuck together). 

As each part was built in, It was important to ensure the inside joins were all nicely blended in, to give the bowl some strength.

I added in some smaller hearts, I think I'd cut them out of the middles of the bigger ones, but I don't quite remember.

Turning the bowl out of the mould was nerve wracking!  It could have easily have collapsed...

A bit of painting - we couldn't do much as we weren't able to dry it out between coats, it would have cracked.  This is what I find off-putting about this kind of clay.  It's actually really fragile.

I painted my heart bowl in the same bluey-green I used for my heart windchimes - very predictable!

And here it is all fired!  It's about 6" in diameter, and maybe 3" high.

I can't really think of much more to say about it, but I have some more photos, so you'll just have to look at them!

Are you still looking?




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8 comments:

  1. Rachel25 October 2016 at 21:02

    What a great way of sidestepping the problem you were having that day, and creating something delightful! Well done!

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  2. Pamela26 October 2016 at 04:34

    I haven't seen this technique before. It turned out very nice!

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  3. margaret26 October 2016 at 05:49

    this is so creative and makes a much nicer bowl than sausages! well done your creaivity certainly blossomed when you made this

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  4. Jane26 October 2016 at 06:14

    I like the cutwork effect. It looks pretty spectacular when you see it upside down

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  5. Anonymous26 October 2016 at 10:11

    The cookie-cutter effect is lovely. I'm really impressed that you managed to think out of the box and come up with something equally as attractive but more do-able for you!

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  6. Janice / Dancing with Sunflowers26 October 2016 at 12:18

    It's a very pretty little bowl. It still looks quite fragile though... is it? Very creative way of overcoming your frustrations and it would be nice to see your mum's finished bowl too. :)

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  7. Chris of UK City Crafter27 October 2016 at 07:47

    I think your inability to roll coils did you a favour as your bowl is so pretty. The hearts look great - like lace.

    ukcitycrafter@live.co.uk

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  8. Sarah in Stitches28 October 2016 at 20:38

    It looks amazing! I've never heard of the coiled method, but your solution has turned out really lovely :D

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