Smooth Clay Coil Pot

How to Make

1. Firstly, make some clay slip by adding a little water to some soft clay and mix it with a fork.
2. Then tear off piece of clay and roll it into long ‘sausage’ shapes, the width of your pinky finger.
3. For the base of the coil pot, roll one of the ‘sausage’ shapes into a spiral.
4. Then using a modelling tool, smooth out the top.
5. Score and create texture around the edge of the circle base.
6. Then paint some slip over where you scored the clay.
7. Roll another coil and cut it to the right length. Do this by lining up the coil with the edge of the base. You can cut the clay with a modelling tool.
8. Once it’s cut to length, you need to bond the two ends of the coil together using the scoring and slip technique.
9. Repeat the steps but add your coils slightly further to the outer edge of the coil below to build your walls outwards and widen your pot.
10. Then when the pot is approximately halfway to your desired pot height you can then begin adding your coils to the inner edge of the coil below to bring the walls of your pot back in.
11. Blend the outside surface using water, Modelling Tools and your fingers to create a smooth surface. Then set aside to dry.
12. When the clay coil pot is dry, paint with your desired colours and patterns.
13. Lastly, varnish your pot to create a shiny finish.

Top Tip

Blending the clay in different directions will give the pot added strength.