How to Add a Handle to Pottery

Adding a handle to handmade pottery is an easy task that requires only a knife and some slip. Scoring the handle and pot, then applying some slip causes them to adhere to one another. Your handle can give your pottery a signature look if you use an extractor to specially form the handle.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Knife
• Clay slip

1. Make one clay coil, either by using an extractor or by hand-rolling. An extractor lets you make varying shapes, whereas hand-rolling provides for a uniform circle handle. Make sure the coil is long enough. Form the coil in the shape you desire, and allow it to harden to a leather-hard state.

2. Check to make sure your pottery piece is leather hard. This might take one to two days of drying to achieve. Check the pottery piece gently. If it moves easily, it's not ready. If you can knock on it and it seems rock hard, it's too dry and you've missed your chance to add a handle.

3. Decide where the attachment points of the pot and handle should be and score them with a small knife. Apply slip to all four points.

4. Press the handle to the pot and allow it to dry. Prop the handle into place while drying if it won't stay put by using books, styrofoam or other things you have available.

Tips & Warnings

• Make the coil on the same day you make your pottery piece.
• Don't try to add the handle until the clay has had a sufficient amount of time to dry.