How to Widen the Opening on Wheel Thrown Pottery

After centering the clay to make a pot, you need to make an opening in the center of the spinning clay. Widening the opening is a delicate process that requires patience and a steady hand. After the opening is sufficiently large, you can pull the walls of the pot.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Electric potter's wheel
• Clay
• Vat

1. Turn the speed of the wheel to high. Hover your hands over the spinning wheel, then place both thumbs into the center of the clay and press down. Make sure you don't press all the way to the vat. Press down until you have about three-quarters of an inch for the base.

2. Reposition your hands as they first were when you started centering the clay. Take two fingers of your left hand and stick them into the opening you made, then drag them out toward your right hand. Tuck your right thumb over the top to keep the pot from unraveling. Once your hands have created a cylinder, you're ready to start pulling the walls of your pot.

3. Use two fingers on the inside and two fingers on the outside of the opening and move a little bit of clay upward with each pull. Start at the bottom and drag both hands up until you come to the top. Go slowly. Turn down the speed once you've started to thin the walls out.

4. Level the top out after each pull by placing your forefinger flat across the top of the lip. This will keep the thickness even with the base.

Tips & Warnings

• Remove any jewelry from your fingers and wrists.
• Trim and buff your fingernails to avoid making nicks and cuts in the clay.
• If you don't move fast, the clay will begin to dry out. Watering while pulling can be tricky, so pull quickly but carefully.