Pinch Pot Vase With a Lid — Pottery Tutorial

Pinch pots are a classic beginning project in ceramics, but this tutorial shows how to take them a step further by combining two pots into a vase with a simple lid. For this project you will need clay, simple ceramic tools, glaze, and underglaze.

The complete tutorial is below or check out this video of the same process.

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Step 1: Make 2 Pinch Pots

Starting with a small ball of clay, stick your thumb in the center and then pinch the walls to an equal thickness.

As you are making the pinch pots, try to keep the walls an even thickness and keep the rim flat.

To help even out the rims, which we will be joining in the next step, you can turn the pinch pot upside down and tap it against your work surface.

After your first pinch pot, make a second. Try to keep the diameter of the two pinch pots roughly the same.

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Step 2: Join the Pinch Pots

After making the two pinch pots, it’s time to join them. Make sure the rims somewhat match up, but it’s ok if your pinch pots are varied shapes. Spherical, egg shaped, cylindrical—all will make a nice vase.

To join the pinch pots, first score with a serrated rib or fork, paint on joining slip, and then press the two pinch pots together.

Not pictured here, but it’s great to take a rib or other tool to really smooth the joint of the two pinch pots

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Step 3: Add a Foot Ring

This vase benefits from a small foot ring. To make one, first roll a thin coil and form it into a circle.

Then, score, slip and press the foot ring to the base.

A wooden modeling tool can help join and clean up the foot ring.

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Step 4: Cut and Shape the Lid

Now that you have a footed vessel, it’s time to make the lid.

Start by cutting the opening in the top.

Using the circle of clay you just cut out, you can pinch it a bit wider than the hole you just made. Add a curve or keep it flat.

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Step 5: Add a Bumper and Knob to the Lid

To help the lid stay in place, make a small ring with a coil of clay, and join it to the underside of the lid. This will help it sit and stay in place.

You can also add a small knob to the lid, as shown in the picture.

When you have finished this step, you can let the piece dry, and then bisque fire it.

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Step 6: Glazing

For this example, I glazed the lid with just underglaze by painting on 3 coats of an orange underglaze. I like to have a contrast between matte and glossy, but you can do whatever you want with your piece.

Using a clay shredder to clean up the outside rim.

For the vase, I layered two glazes to get the drippy blue and white effect. The first glaze was a white crawl glaze, which I poured inside the vase and painted on the outside. I applied a few layers to get it extra thick. Then, I painted a blue glaze on top of the blue crawl glaze.

Excess glaze was wiped away from the mouth of the vase, but I fired the vase and the lid separately.

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All done!

Here’s the final results, a small lidded vase with an orange lid and drippy, blue and white glaze on red stoneware.

There are so many variations that you can do on this, and if you try it, you will find your own way to make a lidded vase. Have fun.

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You might also enjoy:

Make a Pasta Plate from a Slab pottery tutorial

Sgraffito Decoration on a Large Bowl tutorial

Make a Slab Plate on the Pottery Wheel tutorial

Make a “Phil Mug” pottery tutorial

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Press-molded Pasta Bowl from a Clay Slab — Pottery Tutorial

Using a woven wood salad bowl as a pottery slump mold is a great way to easily make plates, bowls, or pasta plates. This tutorial will cover how to use this technique, including rolling out the slab, cutting, and shaping the pasta plate

For this process, you will need a wooden salad bowl. A plaster form will also work, but do not use plastic or metal bowls as clay will stick to them. This tutorial uses a 14-inch wide wooden bowl which costs around $15, but you can do this technique with any size or shape wooden bowl.

You will also need a canvas or slab mat, and a large rolling pin (or a slab roller).

Here’s a video of the process and a full tutorial with pictures is below.

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Step 1: Make a Slab

Pounding the wedged clay to begin making a slab.

To make a slab, either use a slab roller and roll out a slab about 3/8 of an inch thick, or roll it by hand as shown here.

To roll a slab by hand, I first start by pounding or punching the wedged clay down on a canvas mat. A double layer of yardsticks is already set up to be ready to roll.

Pounding the clay roughly into a circle.

As I continue pounding it down using the bottom of a fist, I try to work the clay into a roughly circular shape.

Next, I throw the clay from the side at an angle, to stretch and thin the slab even more.

Throwing the slab at an angle to thin and stretch it.

When the clay is about an inch thick, then I will start rolling. I will first roll it evenly with the double layer of yardsticks. Then, to get the slab thinner, I will take away one yardstick on each side and roll the slab again until it is even.

Rolling the slab with a large rolling pin.

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Step 2: Cut Slab Using Bowl as Template

Using the woven wood salad bowl as a template to cut a circle of clay.

After preparing your slab, invert the bowl and use it as a template to cut a circular slab. I cut right along the edge of the bowl, but you could cut it bigger if you want to make a taller bowl.

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Step 3: Flip Slab and Shape Into the Mold

Preparing to flip the slab and bowl using the canvas.

After cutting your circular slab and removing excess clay, fold up the canvas on top of the bowl and use the canvas to help flip the slab and bowl right side up.

If done correctly, the slab should sit on top of the bowl or begin to drop in to the bowl. It may be a little bit uneven, but this is ok because you are going to cut off extra clay later.

Using the canvas to flip the slab into the bowl.

After flipping the slab, press it gently into the bowl form. You can use a sponge to aid in this process, or even tap the bowl against the table so that the slab drops in against the sides.

Gently forming the slab into the bowl shape. Don’t press too hard or you will make a bunch of fingerprint marks.

To tap the slab into place, hold both sides of the bowl and tap it against the table a few times. The slab will drop in and take on the shape of the wooden bowl.

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Step 4: Refine and Smooth

After your slab is in, you can use a sponge or a rib to smooth the inside, make sure everything is even, and make any adjustments to the slab.

Smoothing the inside of the bowl with a sponge.

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Step 5: Cut Off Excess Clay and Smooth Rim

Cut off excess clay with a clay knife.

After smoothing and organizing the inside of the bowl, you can cut off excess clay and clean the rim. For a plate, cut close to the base. For a pasta plate, leave about an inch for the wall. For a shallow bowl, leave about 2 inches for the wall. But it’s totally up to you! Make a shape that looks good to you.

Cleaning the rim.

After cutting off the extra clay, clean and smooth the rim with a sponge.

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Step 6: Dry Overnight, then Flip Bowl Out of Mold

Flipping the pasta plate out of the wooden bowl.

After drying a few hours or overnight (you can leave it uncovered) you should be able to flip the pasta plate out of the woven wood bowl. Take care! Leather hard and bone dry ware can be fragile.

Using a clay shredder to clean up the outside rim.

Smoothing the rim and removing tool marks.

Then, you can further refine the rim by using a clay shredder tool, a loop tool, or a rib.

After shaping the rim, it’s a good idea to smooth the rim with a damp sponge. But don’t work it so much that you “sand” away the finest particles. Just try to smooth it out.

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All done!

The pasta plate immediately after being removed from the kiln.

After cleaning the bowl, you can let it dry fully, bisque fire, and then glaze.

This pasta plate was glazed in a satin white glaze.

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Tutorial Recap

If you need a wooden bowl for this process, here are links to a single bowl ($15) or a 4 pack of the 14” bowls. These bowls are actually about 13.5 inches wide, but work great for making a plate that is around 11 to 11.5 inches wide.

You may also need a canvas, slab mat, and large rolling pin. I prefer a solid maple rolling pin.

You might also enjoy:

Best Small Slab Rollers for Personal Studios

Best Loop Tools for Trimming Pottery

How To Make a Metal Pottery Rib

Make a Wide Rim Bowl tutorial

Sgraffito Decoration on a Large Bowl tutorial

Make a Slab Plate on the Pottery Wheel tutorial

Make a “Phil Mug” pottery tutorial

View all How To posts

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Turn a Bottle into an Oval Flask — Pottery Tutorial

Turning a bottle into an oval flask is a fun way to modify and personalize your pottery. This tutorial will cover every step of modifying a round bottle to make an oval vessel on the pottery wheel.

Here’s a video of the process and a full tutorial with pictures is below.

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Step 1: Center and Open

Beginning to center the wedged clay.

In this tutorial, four pounds of red stoneware clay was used, but you can vary the amounts based on the size of flask you want to make.

Remember that you will be cutting the form off the base, and then re-attaching a slab base in the new oval shape.

Opening the clay to throw a cylindrical form.

After wedging, join the clay to the wheel head and begin centering. Then, open the mass of clay and organize the clay into a base and walls.

For a bottle, you want a flat bottom, about 1/2 inch from the wheel head. But we will be cutting this off the bottom so the thickness of your base is not of great concern at this point, but you still want the walls to be even.

Pull the walls as high and thin as you can, but keep a good amount of clay at the top as the next step will be collaring in to make the neck.

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Step 2: Collar In to Make the Bottle Neck and Mouth

Begin collaring by using wet hands and slowly move the clay in.

After pulling the walls, beging to collar in the top to make the shoulders, neck, and mouth of the pot. This should be done slowly with multiple passes.

Bring the clay in to the desired width of your neck. You will be able to make adjustments later too.

Before putting the finishing touches on the neck and mouth, I clean up the walls as shown in the next step.

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Step 3: Cleaning the Walls and Shaping

Removing excess clay from the lower half of the form.

After collaring in the top, I like to do a quick step where I remove some excess clay from the base of the walls. You may throw perfectly thin, but I usually need this trimming to get rid of extra clay on the bottom half. I use a large trimming tool to remove clay.

Shaping the shoulder and neck with a rib.

Then, I use a rib to refine the shape of the neck and shoulder. This will also remove slip, making our next step easier.

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Step 4: Removing the Base and Pressing Into an Oval

After throwing and shaping your round bottle, use a needle tool to cut the form from the base. Pick the bottle up and set it aside. Place a rolled-out slab on your work area and return the bottle form. Then, with equal pressure from both sides, press the bottle into an oval form.

Cut the bottle off from the base.

Place a slab in your work area, the press the bottle into an oval shape.

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Step 5: Adding a Slab Base and Cleaning Up

Join the oval form to the slab base.

When you have your bottle top and base shaped just how you want them, score both sides, add slip and join.

It can be helpful to press the slab base up into the wall by running a wooden tool underneath the slab.

Then, cut off excess clay and smooth the base and wall together.

Pressing the base up into the wall with a wooden tool.

Cleaning up the base after removing excess clay.

Smoothing the walls.

Trimming the walls of the bowl.

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All done! After cleaning up, it’s time to let your oval flask dry and get it bisque fired. The wide sides of this form can provide a great canvas for decoration. Good luck!

You might also enjoy:

Best Loop Tools for Trimming Pottery

How To Make a Metal Pottery Rib

Make a Wide Rim Bowl tutorial

Sgraffito Decoration on a Large Bowl tutorial

Make a Slab Plate on the Pottery Wheel tutorial

Make a “Phil Mug” pottery tutorial

View all How To posts

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Ugetsu, the Greatest Film Starring a Potter Ever Made?

Ugetsu may be the greatest film that also stars a potter, and it’s now available for free (with ads every 10 minutes or so) on YouTube or it can be rented at a variety of sites.

Made in 1953, it’s a ghost story about a 16th-century Japanese potter who leaves his kiln and village during a turbulent period of war. Directed by Kenji Mizoguchi, this magical story alternates between reality and a dream world and brings up questions of family, attachments, and how to live one’s life.

The film includes wonderful shots of the potter throwing pots with his wife, glazing, loading and firing a wood kiln, and selling his wares. Having a potter in a main role is of interest, although in the story the character could have been any sort of profession, such as a farmer or small-town craftsman.

In a 2012 essay for Studio Potter, Sarah Archer points out that in Western movies and television, potters are often played for laughs (i.e. Ghost) but in Ugestu, “Ceramics occupies a role in this film that another sort of old-fashioned profession like farming could credibly occupy in an American movie. Ceramics is not played for laughs or meant to indicate that the character is artsy or flaky or experiencing a midlife crisis; he’s just a rural, pre-industrial man who makes and sells pots.”

Potter or not, Ugetsu is a beautiful, thoughtful film that’s worth a watch.

Watch Ugetsu (with ads) on Youtube:

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Plato on the Roll of Potters

Lucie Rie Monography by Tony Birks

Gift Guide for Potters

Best Pottery and Ceramic T-Shirts

A pottery t-shirt can be a fun way to show your love for ceramics and also makes a great gift for potters and artists. And these days, there’s a lot of custom t-shirts available at print-on-demand websites where the shirt designer also gets a small cut of the sale price. It’s a great way to support a fellow artist or designer, and to get a fun shirt.

If you’ve never ordered from a print-on-demand site, it’s easy. Simply choose your size and style, and sometimes you are able to also choose what color of shirt to print on. Some sites will have the design available on a wide variety of other products too. After placing your order, your item will be printed and shipped within a few days. There a lots of sites like this, including Society6, RedBubble, Threadless, and more.

Here are a few of our favorite shirts.

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DGoode on Threadless

Ceramics Joe t-shirt, inspired by the GI Joe logo, by Dgoode and available on Threadless.

This Reese’s Pieces inspired shirt by DGoode is available on Threadless.

Pottery Wheels T-shirt inspired by Hot Wheels by Dgoode on Threadless

Artist and designed Delvin Goode has more than 20 ceramics, pottery, and art studio-inspired t-shirts listed on Threadless at the D. Goode Artist Shop. Many of the shirts are remixes of other brand logos, such as the three pictured above. All the shirts are super fun.

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Not your typical “kiln it” joke with this one, which has a great design and killer kiln room style. By SandboxShirts and available at etsy.

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Evolution of Pottery T-Shirt

Pottery is the natural end result of pottery, right? This shirt is by the designer Maroon Boy and available on Society6.

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Retro 70s-Style Pottery T-Shirt

This bold design from Maroon Boy on Society6 says it all.

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AmacoBrent has a bunch of designs in their Redbubble shop, including this classic Brent logo, a multicolor 50th Anniversary of Brent design, and more. Check it out at Redbubble.

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Pottery Things T-Shirt

Kilns, throwing, ribs, tools… the Pottery Things T-shirt by Teequeque has it all. It’s available on Redbubble.

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Pottery Cat T-Shirt

The Pottery Cat T-shirt by Carol Epp is one of a few pottery designs listed in their Threadless store.

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Totally Kiln It

Kiln jokes never get old and you know what, you are totally kiln it! Shop this shirt by EstelleStarsShop at Society6.

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Seth Rogen Ghost Pottery Scene

Get the full Seth Rogen pottery experience with this shirt, combining pottery’s newest all star and the classic pottery scene from Ghost, except that Rogen is both Demi Moore and Patrick Swayze! Shop this design by kylemacmac at redbubble.

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Ceramic Shirts

Rocking Pot shirt, a drawing of the classic Peter Voulkos sculpture.

“POTTERY” in a classic college font.

Flaming Potter shirt, just like the Thrasher Magazine logo.

Ceramic Shirts has more than 25 pottery and ceramic-inspired shirts on Threadless including a basic Pottery shirt in a college font, a shirt featuring the Peter Voulkos sculpture Rocking Pot, and even a flaming Potter design like the Thrasher Magazine logo. Lots of fun stuff at Threadless.

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This block letter KILN design has a retro vibe but feels just right. Available at Redbubble.

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This skeleton potter will never stop! Designed by Funny Clay Potterer and available at Amazon Merch on Demand.

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Nidec, the parent company of Shimpo, keeps trying to drop the Shimpo name from its products. Never! A shimpo wheel will always be a Shimpo. But Nidec does have a cool log.

Do you have a favorite pottery t-shirt? We are always looking for more fun designs. Let us know in the comments.

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Clay weight for throwing — in ounces and grams

“How much clay do I need?” is a common question from potters. Truthfully, the amount will vary based on how you throw and if you trim a foot or have flat bottom. But these measurements are a starting point and if you keep notes, over time you will develop your own approach.

Below is a chart of suggested starting weights of clay in pounds and grams for throwing various pottery forms—adjust accordingly depending on how you throw. These weights are listed with the goal of about a 1/4 to 3/8 inch wall thickness. If you are having trouble achieving a particular size or shape, add clay and plan to trim more. Good luck and have fun.

If you need a scale for weighing clay:

Our budget pick is the $20 Accutek shipping scale (shop at Amazon.)

Our upgrade pick is the $55 Oxo 11 pound kitchen scale (shop at Amazon)

Or check out our complete guide to scales for pottery studios.

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Weight of Clay for Pottery Forms

Form	Weight (lbs)	Weight (grams)
Drinking Vessels
Mug (8 oz)	12 oz	340 g
Large Mug (12 oz)	16 oz	450 g
Small cup	14 oz	400 g
Tumbler	16 oz	450 g
Pint Glass	1 lb 4 oz	565 g
Bowls
Small Bowl (no foot)	1 lb	450 g
Small Footed Bowl	1 lb 4 oz	565 g
Soup Bowl	2 lb	900 g
Footed Serving Bowl	4 lb	1800 g
Large Footed Bowl	5 lb 8 oz	2500 g
Small Mixing Bowl (no foot)	1 lb 8 oz	680 g
Medium Mixing Bowl	3 lb	1360 g
Large Mixing Bowl	4 lb 8oz	2040 g
Plates
Saucer	1 lb	450 g
Side Plate	2 lbs	900 g
Medium Plate	4 lbs	1800 g
Large Plate	5 lbs	2270 g
Pitchers and Bottles
Sake Jar / Small Creamer	12 oz	340 g
Small Carafe	2 lbs 8 oz	1130 g
Large Carafe	4 lbs	1800 g
Small Bottle	1 lb 8 oz	680 g
Large Bottle	3 lbs	1360 g
Jars
Small Jar	2 lbs	900 g
Medium Jar	4 lbs	1800 g
Large Jar	6 lbs	2700 g

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Need a scale to weigh your clay? Check out our review of scales for pottery and ceramic studios.

You might also enjoy:

Best sponges for wheelthrowing

Best pottery aprons

Gift guide for potters and ceramic artists

Handheld Extruder Buyer’s Guide

Best Pottery and Ceramic t shirts

What weights do you use for throwing pottery forms? Let us know in the comments.

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Gift Guide For Potters and Ceramic Artists

Note: Click here for the updated 2023-24 gift guide!

The Shimpo VL Whisper, a top pick for a full sized potters wheel.

This gift guide has more than 30 ideas of gifts for potters, ceramic artists, or anyone who works with clay. Most of these suggestions are priced between $5 and $100, along with a few higher-priced items like pottery wheels and slab rollers.

When shopping, keep in mind that most potters probably already have a basic tool kit and a few others tools. But if someone is just starting, we’ve also got a handy guide to the best tools for pottery beginners, and there are many other posts on this site with reviews of tools and books we love.

Note: This site uses affiliate links for sites such as Amazon and Blick. If you click the links and complete a purchase, we may receive a percentage at no extra cost to you.

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Xiem Studio Tools BatMate

The Xiem Studio Tools BatMate.

The BatMate from Xiem Studio Tools is a 12 or 14 inch diameter piece of synthetic fabric that can be placed in between a bat and wheel head to virtually eliminate any wobble, improving the accuracy of throwing and trimming. Many potters, however, wet the fabric and place it directly on a wheel head to use when trimming pots. At around $15, this is a tool that gets used all the time once it’s in a potter’s kit.

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The Claypron

The Claypron is a split-leg apron designed specifically for working with clay at the potter’s wheel. It’s available in a variety of colors, is made with high-quality, washable cotton, and is one of the most popular aprons in ceramic studios. It has ties at the neck and waist, and generally retails for around $35.

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Weleda Skin Food

Weleda Skin Food is a luxurious, extra-thick cream.

Pottery and clay can be hard on hands and any potter will appreciate the gift of nice lotion. A favorite everyday cream is O’Keeffe’s Working Hands Cream (shop at Amazon), but a real upgrade is Weleda Skin Food. It’s a rich, luxurious cream that will help protect hands during a long studio session or at home. This extra thick cream smells great, melds into your skin quickly, and the squeeze tube makes it easy to use at home or studio. It usually costs around $17–19 for a 2.5 oz tube.

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Potter’s Skin Butter

Potter’s Skin Butter from Cara Mae Skincare is deep hydration for hardworking hands. Made by a potter for potters, this is a great gift. Available in Tangerine, Lavender, Mint and Unscented in a variety of sizes.

Cara Mae Skincare has other lotions as well, all equally great.

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10,000 Years of Pottery by Emmanuel Cooper

The 4th edition of 10,000 Years of Pottery

This lavishly illustrated book is a great addition to any potter’s bookshelf and will provide years of inspiration. It’s 360 pages long and there are full-color pictures on almost every page. Tracing the history of ceramics from the Ancient Near East through contemporary times, the book covers all parts of the globe along with the arts and crafts movement, ceramics and industry, studio ceramics, and more. Originally published in 1972, the book has been updated continuously since. The most recent 4th edition is available as a paperback for $40.

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Speedball Artista Tabletop Wheel

The Speedball Artista Wheel (top) pictured here with Speedball bats.

The Speedball Artista is a great tabletop wheel that is strong enough for most potters but is also portable and can be stored with ease. It’s the perfect option for an at-home practice wheel or for someone looking to try out pottery with a professional machine. It has an 11” wheelhead, a 1/3 horsepower motor, is compatible with standard 10” bats, and weighs just 26 pounds. It’s usually available for $450-$500. For a complete overview, check out our guide to tabletop wheels.

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Diamond Hand Polishing Block

The Stadea diamond hand polishing foam blocks.

Diamond hand pads are the perfect way to sand away burrs, small glaze drips, and rough patches on pots, sculptures, or kiln shelves and posts. Made of industrial-grade diamonds embedded in plastic, these are available from a variety of manufacturers such as Stadea as either soft, flexible pads or semi-hard foam blocks. The foam blocks are my favorite because they provide structure and support your hand, but the flexible pads are useful for sanding more complicated shapes. Available as sets or individual pads, it’s recommended to get four individual pads in the range of 50 grit, 100 grit, 200 grit, and 400 grit.

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Shimpo Banding Wheels

Shimpo Banding Wheels are available in a variety of sizes.

Banding wheels are very useful for coil building, sculpting, and decorating. Nidec-Shimpo Banding Wheels are the best on the market, made of cast iron with sealed bearings. They are on the heavy side, but this added weight gives the wheels a smooth, even spin. Shimpo banding wheels come in five different sizes ranging from $60 to about $120. For more info, read our complete review of banding wheels, but of the options on the market, there is no doubt that these are the best.

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Nidec-Shimpo Handheld Extruder

The Nidec-Shimpo Handheld Extruder comes with 5 basic dies and a blank.

A handheld extruder is one of the best ways to make handles or other shapes in a quick, efficient way. Basically a specialized version of a caulking gun, soft clay is inserted in the 2” wide barrel, a die is placed at the end, the cap screwed on, and you can pull the trigger and the plunger begins pushing clay through the die. You can also use hollow dies to make small forms that would be almost impossible to make by hand.

There are a variety of handheld extruders, which are all about the same, but the Nidec-Shimpo Handheld Extruder is compact and well built. The key is getting dies that work for. In addition to the basic dies, my favorite add on is the Scott Creek Handle Die kit, which should match up with any small handheld extruder. The Shimpo Handheld Extruder is usually around $60 and extra die kits generally cost around $40.

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MudTools Essentials Kit

The MudTools Essentials Kit.

MudTools makes innovative tools such as their beloved flexible plastic ribs, and this MudTools Essential Starter Kit includes nine of their most popular tools. A great gift for beginners, experienced potters will also appreciate this kit. Included are three flexible polymer ribs, the Mudshark cutting tool, a cut-off wire with polymer handles, a long plastic scraper/rib, a sponge, the MudTools all-in-one trimming tool, and the MudTools shredder. The kit typically costs around $70.

Note: Some marketing describes this as a 10-piece kit, but I wouldn’t classify the plastic box/holder as a “tool.”

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Speedball Underglaze Sample Pack

The Speedball Underglaze Sampler includes 12 colors in 2oz bottles.

Speedball Underglazes are studio favorites and are great way to get vibrant, saturated colors on ceramics. They can be applied by brush, sponge, or spraying. Use alone for a matte finish, or in combination with a clear glaze for a glossy finish. Sample packs are a great way to find the underglaze colors that work best, and are available from Speedball and a variety of manufacturers. The Speedball sampler pack includes 12 colors in 2 oz bottles, and typically costs around $42.

There are a lot more underglaze options. Here are a few that are recommended:

AMACO Velvet Underglazes are available in 4 different sampler sets of 2 oz jars for $52 each. Shop at Blick

Mayco has a 10 pack underglaze sampler for around $40. Shop at Amazon

Sax True Flow Underglaze has a 12 pack sampler set for around $43. Shop at Amazon

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Bluetooth Speaker

The JBL Flip 4 is our pick for an entry-level bluetooth speaker.

It’s always great to have tunes in the studio, and a portable bluetooth speaker makes it easy to play anything from your phone, tablet, or laptop. The JBL Flip 4 is slightly older (meaning it’s available at a discount) but is still a great option that sounds great, is easy to pair with devices, and comes with long-lasting build quality. For something bigger and louder, check out the JBL Charge line of speakers. The JBL Flip 4 is waterproof, available in a variety of colors, and usually retails for around $90.

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Mastering Ceramics book series

The Mastering Ceramics books are great for beginners and intermediate pottery students. The thorough, straightforward advice covers a variety of techniques in an easy to approach style. All three books are a great addition to any potter’s bookshelf.

The books include

Mastering the Potters Wheel by Ben Carter, published 2016

Shop at Amazon | Shop at Blick | Shop at Bookshop.org

Mastering Hand Building by Sunshine Cobb, published 2018

Shop at Amazon | Shop at Blick | Shop at Bookshop.org

Mastering Kilns and Firing by Lindsay Oesterritter, published 2019

Shop at Amazon | Shop at Bookshop.org

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Tote Bag for Tools

This nylon tote bag is great for ceramics, pottery, art, and craft tools.

Potters and ceramic artists usually have a variety of tools and an open-top bag is the best way to store them. It allows tools to dry out without rusting, and provides easy access to grab what you need. The JJRing nylon art/craft bag is has a variety of pockets, is available in eight colors, and is a great value, typically priced at $15 to $25.

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Revco Green Split Leg Apron

The Revco split-leg apron

This green split-leg apron is popular with many potters and has a few features that make it a nice upgrade from a standard kitchen apron. Made from cotton, it has an adjustable, clip-on neck strap and it also has clips to attach the split legs to either leg. Some may prefer a longer apron (such as the Claypron) but this apron covers the thighs and the split-leg design makes it perfect for sitting at the pottery wheel. Usually available for $20 to $25, the Revco green apron is available in 36”, 42”, and 48” lengths. The 36” will work for most, or pick 42” for someone around 6’ tall.

For our complete guide to aprons, click here.

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Xiem Studio Tools Precision Applicator

The 3 oz Precision Applicator from Xiem Studio Tools.

A great decorating tool is the Xiem precision applicator, available in 1 and 3 oz sizes. These applicators have a soft, flexible rubber bulb with a variety of screw-on metal tips. Mostly used for slip trailing and slip-decoration techniques, these bulbs can be used to apply just about any type of thicker, viscous liquid. The larger 3 oz size will be the best option for most. There are cheaper slip-trailing options that are a plastic bottle with similar metal tips, but the rubber bulb in the Xiem applicator provides steady, even pressure that is just easier to use. For around $22, this is a quality tool.

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Magna Cart

The Magna Cart.

If you work with clay, you need to move heavy stuff all the time. Whether it is boxes of clay, packaged ware for shipping, or large sculptures, the Magna Cart is an invaluable tool that folds up for efficient storage when not in use. Store it in a closet or the trunk of a car, it’s a handy tool that will get used all the time. The cart can hold 150 lbs (I’ve pushed it to 200 and that can be too much), has 5” rubber wheels, a 15” wide base and the handle can extend to 39” tall. There are a lot of folding carts on the market now in all shapes and sizes, but the classic Magna Cart is still the best option.

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Azul Board Game

Azul, a tile-based strategy game for 2-4 players.

This tile-based strategy game is fun for the whole family, but may be particularly enjoyed by fans of Portuguese ceramic tiles or azulejos. To play Azul, tiles are selected and arranged on the game board to score points. Once a player completes a horizontal row of tiles (typically after multiple rounds or 20–40 minutes of play) points are scored and a winner crowned. It’s an award-winning game that was first released in 2017. Recommended for ages 8 and up.

An example of Azul game play.

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Milwaukee M12 Cordless Drill

The Milwaukee M12 3/8” cordless drill kit.

The Milwaukee M12 compact cordless drill is a studio favorite. It’s strong enough for most jobs, but small and light so that it’s comfortable for just about anyone. Paired with the right mixer blade, this is an ideal drill for mixing glazes, plaster, or other tasks in a ceramics studio. Quality tools are always appreciated in the studio, and a cordless drill like this just gets the job done. Milwaukee also makes a wide variety of tools that fit the M12 battery. This kit typically retails for $99.

Click here to read more on cordless drills.

Recommended drill accessories for ceramics:

Jiffy LM Laboratory mixer for mixing small glaze cups.

Plastic helix mixer for mixing 1-2 gallon glaze buckets.

Jiffy ES Mixer for mixing 2 to 5 gallon bucket.

Dewalt 14 piece bit set for drilling holes and the Dewalt 45 piece screwdriver set.

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Carve Your Clay by Hilda Carr

Carve Your Clay by Hilda Carr

This recently-published book gives a lot of ideas for surface decoration including carving, inlay, scraffito, wire cutting and more. With easy-to-follow instructions and great illustrations, it’s an inspirational book. Based on Hilda Carr’s signature style but with variations and ideas for every potter, the book is available in hardcover or paperback.

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Giffin Grip Trimming Tool

The Giffin Grip in use. The tool comes with arms of various sizes.

The Giffin Grip is a trimming tool that can really upgrade a studio. It attaches to any sized pottery wheelhead, and various arms allow you to easily grip vases, tall pots, or any pot really. It sure beats trying to attach pots using small bits of a clay. It’s not cheap—typically around $250—but it lasts for ever and once a potter has one, they’ll use it all the time.

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Wooden Rollers and Stamps

Set of 5 wooden texture rollers

These sets of wooden rollers and stamps allow potters to quickly and easily add relief textures and patterns to slabs, pots, or any piece of clay. The wood is long-lasting, durable, easy to clean, and can really add that extra-special touch to elevate handmade work.

The set of 5 wooden texture rollers is available from a few different sellers and typically retails for around $30.

Set of 16 stamps with a storage box.

The set of 16 stamps typically retails for around $20-$23.

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Shimpo VL-Whisper Pottery Wheel

The full-sized Shimpo VL-Whisper pottery wheel is a top pick and one of the most popular wheel models on the market. Made by Nidec-Shimpo, it features an innovative magnet-driven wheelhead that is virtually silent. It also has a 14 inch wheel head, can center just about any amount of clay, and has adjustable legs. You can even remove the legs and have the wheel sit flat, converting it to a tabletop or standup wheel if desired. All around, it’s our favorite wheel and top pick in our pottery wheel buyer’s guide.

The VL-Whisper is reversible, has a detached foot pedal, and a removable splash pan. It typically retails for around $1,500 plus shipping.

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Small Tools

These small tools are all great additions to any potter’s tool kit. Get one or all to make a great gift.

Kemper Clay Drill

The Kemper Clay Drill

The Kemper Clay Drill is the best way to drill holes for spouts or drain holes in planters, or just to make circular holes in any piece of clay. It makes a variety of sizes, simply keep twisting and work the tool deeper for a wider hole. It’s easy to use, easy to clean, and replaces all the other drill tools in one easy piece.

Mini Ribbon Tool Set

The Mini Ribbon Tool Set

This set of 6 tools is great for detail work, decorating, and finishing a piece of pottery or a sculpture. At 5 1/2” each, the metal tools don’t take up much room but they can do a lot, especially for detail work or scraffito. For around $13, it’s a great addition to a potter’s tool kit.

Neiko Diamond Bits

Neiko diamond hole drilling bits.

Diamond bits allow you to drill through fired and glazed ceramic, and this small set from Neiko is a great introductory set. Pair it with any drill, and you are set. Just be sure to use it with plenty of water so the bits do not overheat. Ranging from 5/32” to 1/2”, the Neiko bits are a good size for tasks such as drilling cord holes in ceramic lamps or adding drainage holes for planters. At $10 or less, the Neiko bits are a cost-effective addition to any ceramic studio.

Metal Rib Set

A variety of ribs can help a pottery easily achieve different shapes on the wheel or handbuilding. This cost-effective, affordable set of 10 ribs includes a wide variety of shapes as well as two serrated ribs that are useful for creating texture or joining clay together.

Fettling Knife

The Kemper Fettling Knife.

A good quality clay knife is so useful in the studio. The best option is the Kemper F97 Hard Fettling Knife. The blade is not “hard” but is just the right stiffness for cutting or turning the knife at an angle to use for smoothing or other detail work. The F96 Soft Fettling Knife has a more flexible blade that is not as useful or durable in the studio. Both Kemper knives are way better than the various generics as it the blade is attached to the handle with high quality glue. Generic fettling knives often fall apart with even the most basic use.

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Anker Soundcore Q20 Noise Cancelling Headphones

Over-ear noise cancelling headphones can really help you focus on your work, especially if you work in a shared studio environment. There are a lot of options for this type of headphone, but the Anker Soundcore Q20 strike a balance between quality and affordability, especially considering they will probably get covered in clay at some point. These headphones have an impressive 40 hour playing time, and a dynamic sound quality that while not quite audiophile level, really deliver a lot for the $50 price tag.

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3M Respirator

A quality dust mask is a must have for anyone who mixes glazes from scratch, makes their own clay, or works with plaster. The best option is a 3M respirator. A basic model is about $15 plus the filters, but for a few dollars more you can get the “rugged comfort” mask which has a more comfortable liner and a few extra features. Pair it with P100 filters or P100 cartridges, and you’ve got high quality protection against silica and other airborne particulates.

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Zebrawood Carving Tool

The P1 Zebrawood Carver from Diamond Core Tools.

The Zebrawood Carvers from Diamond Core Tools are functional, long-lasting (replaceable blades!), and beautiful. At 5.5 inches long, they feel like a pencil and can be used for sharp, even cutting tasks such as scraffitto and other forms of decoration. Diamond Core makes these with a wide variety of cutting blades—the P1 is a great carver to start with. At $37 each, these are on the expensive side for a ceramic tool but the adjustable blade and beautiful wood makes this a great gift.

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The Ceramics Reader

This book brings together texts, extracts, and other pieces of writing on the field of ceramics. Covering past and present, it’s recommended for serious hobbyists, ceramic students, professionals, or anyone that wants to read more about this amazing medium. At 616 pages long, there’s something in there for everyone. Don’t read it front to back—just flip it open and find what interests you.

Available in hardcover or paperback for around $50.

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Shimpo Pottery Stool

The Shimpo Potter’s Stool

The Shimpo Potter’s Stool is the most versatile, comfortable, and functional pottery stool on the market. It has four adjustable legs with nine adjustable slots on each leg, with a range of 19 to 26 inches high. The legs can be adjusted independently, allowing for the stool to be set at an angle if desired. It also has a comfortable, padded seat. It’s a great upgrade for any potter.

The Shimpo Potter’s Stool measures 16 x 16 inches and ranges up to 26 inches tall. It generally costs around $90.

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Solid Maple Rolling Pin

The 24” wide solid maple rolling pin.

This solid maple rolling pin is 24” wide and 3” in diameter with handles. Pair it with a few wooden shims or rulers, and you’ve got a quick adjustable height slab roller that will make wonderful slabs. And best of all, there are no bearings, gears, or internal parts that will break down. And since it is solid, it’s easy to just wipe down and clean with a sponge. At $30, it’s a great value and is a studio tool that will last forever.

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Slab Mats

Slab Mats are great working surfaces for clay.

Slab Mats are great working surfaces for handbuilding, can be cut up and used underneath wheelthrown pots, and are also a canvas alternative for use with slab rollers. Slab mats are a plastic kind of fabric, with one smooth side and one side that is slightly fuzzy and ideal for working with clay. You can cut with clay knives on them and not worry about damaging your table top surfaces. They are easy to clean, just wipe down with a sponge, and seem to generate much less dust than canvas. They are available in a variety of sizes but the larger 22 x 50” size really allows you to spread out.

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North Star Portaroller

The North Star Portaroller.

The North Star Portaroller is an amazing machine that can instantly upgrade any studio. Designed for artists who are on the go, it’s also ideal for home studios because it quickly breaks down into three pieces that can be stored when not in use. The Portaroller has two metal rollers, a crank, and two table top pieces that fit on either side of the roller. The top roller can be adjusted for slab thicknesses up to 2.5 inches. The roller can make slabs that are 16 inches wide. It’s a well thought out piece of equipment that is backed by North Star’s impeccable record of quality. It typically retails for around $600.

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Other Gift Ideas

Pottery Wheels

Thinking of getting a new wheel as a gift? Check out our guide to table top wheels here, and our guide to full-size wheels here.

Or maybe you were thinking of a kiln? Read our guide to Skutt kilns here.

We’ve got a lot more ideas in our tool guides such as:

Scales for glaze mixing

Accessories for glaze mixing

and tools that can be used in the kitchen or the studio.

Other Ceramic Gift Ideas:

Classes: A set of classes at your local ceramics studio can be a great gift. If you can’t find a studio, ask a local clay supplier if they can recommend local studios.

Magazine Subscriptions: Magazines are great sources of ideas and inspiration. Check out The Studio Potter, Pottery Making Illustrated, or Ceramics Monthly.

Tours, Trips, or Conferences: Look for pottery-specific travel tours, retreats, or conferences.

What ideas do you have for pottery gifts? Let us know in the comments.

More Gift Guides

Gift Guide for Young Artist and Creative Kids

Gift Guide for Artists Who Paint and Draw

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