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?

Speed Craft #2

If you missed my previous post about Speed Craft, please scroll down.

Our second table was ceramics.  The tutor was Katie Almond who we've taken two classes with before - the first at Debbie Bryan where we made plant pokes and brooches and another in Leicestershire where we made a cake stand.  I collected my cake stand when we went to collect these little bowls, so I must show it to you soon.

I can't believe I managed to make this in just 45 minutes.  Rollling out clay, stamping it to make the impression, stamping and cutting out the letters and painting it all with glaze is a time consuming process!

I'm going to use it on my dressing table to keep my rings in.  The motif is a bit off-centre but that doesn't bother me.  I wish I'd been able to paint the outer ring of motifs, but I just didn't have time.  I stuck to the red/blue/navy combination again!

As you can see, it's just a shallow little bowl, around 4" diameter, so cute!  Once again, I really enjoyed working with the porcelain clay.

Next up: Hand-built robin

experiments in crochet

My name is Wendy and I'm a crochet addict.  There, I've said it.  Since I learnt to crochet last November, I just can't stop.  I spend hours looking for free patterns and tutorials and then trying them out - with mixed results!

Do you want to see what I've been crocheting?

I found this great tutorial, here, for a crochet bowl.  It's made using two strands of yarn.  Now please ignore the colours as I wanted to use up so yarn I had in case it didn't work.  I love the shape!

Then I used this pattern to crochet this cute little baby hat.  I used a Sirdar snuggly yarn with sparkly bits in it that you can't see on the picture.  Love the little flower!

My final experiment wasn't so successful.  I found this pattern for crocheted slippers and had to give it a go.  I have so many pairs of slippers, I have to have them scattered around the house so there's always a pair convenient, but some off them fall off all the time and have caused me to fall downstairs!  I thought that if I was making them, I'd be able to make sure they fit.  The pattern gives different sizes.  I started with a 5-6 as I'm a 5 and I think that's a 6 in the US so I thought I'd covered all bases.  The resulting base was so tiny a three year old would have struggled to fit it - OK, so I'm exaggerating, but it was tiny.  So I tried the size 9 pattern.  This is it.  I can't get my foot in it.  It's tiny.  I must be crocheting far to tight as I'm using the right yarn and hook.  I'll try again with a larger hook.

I've gone wrong on the toe bit.  I realised I had after I'd done the final row, that's why it's so misshapen.  Ah well.  It's only made using budget DK yarn (£1.50 for 100g) and the pair I make for myself will be from some Sublime Merino wool I have in a lovely blue.  I've just got to get the size right first so I'll try again with this yarn and a giant hook!

I've got my eye on a lovely hat pattern and I'm waiting for some yarn to arrive so I can crochet a fab bag I've found.  More crochet coming this way very soon!