Video: Pulling a Clay Pitcher Handle

Clay pottery requires patience and detail and pulling a clay handle for a pitcher from a slab of clay is a great detail to learn. Learn this clay forming tip that you will need from an expert to create a pitcher in this free video clip.

Video Transcript

So our handle's attached and we're ready to actually pull that into the final form. You're going to take your pitcher and hold it almost upside down over your bucket of water. You have to get this very wet. You do not want friction in this process or you will pull it right off. And then you're just going to, almost like you're milking a cow? You're just going to squeeze and pull down. And if you want, I like to put a ridge in the middle for when you're holding the pitcher, a place for your thumb to go. So I actually do that as I'm pulling. I make a little ridge. It's important to pull from several different directions so that you keep it nice and even. If you try to do it all just the same way you're going to end up with lopsided and one side of the handle will be thicker than the other. Which isn't the greatest. And this does take a little time because you do have to be patient. You can't pull too much at once or you'll pull the whole handle off, part of the handle off. And you won't like that and you'll have to start completely over. So be patient with it. Gentle with it and just keep pulling until you have the length that you need. And you'll notice the end piece is a little thicker and that's okay because it's going to come off. Okay so now I have pulled it and I will turn the pitcher right side up. Support the handle so that it doesn't fall down. Push it right into the place where you've already scored and prepared and smooth it in. And then you just give it a final shaping and voila, a pitcher.

Pulling a Clay Pitcher Handle

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