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Clay Pottery Craft Projects

Making Slab Pottery

Not everyone can afford or get the hang of using the pottery wheel. Luckily, beautiful and unique pottery can be crafted with little more than a pair of hands. There are several techniques for hand building, one of the most common being the use of clay slabs. Here are a few tips for hand building pottery.

Slab pottery project at the Stumptown Pottery Studio

In neighborhoods all across America there are pottery shops and Cafe's to help with the clay, glazes and all your firing if need be.










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Spreading Clay for the Slab Pot

Begin with a smooth flat surface. Place newspaper or cloth over the surface to prevent the clay from sticking to your work surface. Spread the clay out by patting it with your whole hand. I than placed a towel over the clay and rolled it out with the rolling pin.
This in return gave me a nice texture on the clay to begin building with.

Placing yards sticks down on each side of your slab and rolling between them will give you a workable thickness for the slab pottery project.

Cutting Slabs

Cutting the slab for pottery project

Use a ruler to help you cut a straight line.

Let Clay Firm Up

After you cut out your bottom and sides, let them sit until the clay is leather hard. For most clay's this will take about an hour.


Score Or Scratch Edges

When your clay is leather hard use a needle or sharp pencil to scratch the edges of the clay where the clay will be joined together. A crisscross pattern works well for this.


Apply Slip To Edges

Apply slip to slab pottery project

Mix some slip to be used as the cement to join the slabs together.
Stir up a little extra clay with water until the mixture has a smooth, paste-like consistency. Spread the mixture on all areas of the clay that have been scored.

Joining Pottery

Begin joining the slabs together while the slip is still fresh.
Gently place the scored edges together using a slight side-to-side sliding motion until it feels like the slabs have fixed into place.
Always keep your other hand against the sides for additional support.

Putting sides on the slab pot

Use a damp brush (or your fingers and a little bit of water) to smooth out all corners and seams.

Smoothing the side of slab pot

Once the piece is constructed and smoothed to your satisfaction, keep it in a safe place where it can dry thoroughly.


Success in life comes not from holding a good hand...but in playing a poor hand well.

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Have you ever come up with a good idea while working with your handmade pottery or ceramics and thought that you would like to share it with others? You have? Well, why not send it to us and we will add it to the tips page for all to see.

Handmade pottery can be a very gratifying hobby that produces fun and satisfying results. For many people it's an enjoyable release that is created by working an inanimate mound of clay into a beautiful work of art that you made through your artistic abilities.

The best way of starting out is to take a few lessons. You will probably waste quite a bit in materials when you first get started. Figuring out how to truly make handmade pottery correctly and shape into what you want it to be can be quite an ordeal. The different tools that a normal shop will have can be fun to try. You will soon see which ones you like to use the most and then when you are ready you will know which ones to buy.

When you get all set up, just enjoy the hobby and have fun at it. Some people get pretty serious and start selling their creations at craft fairs and small stores, but others just like to create items for themselves, relatives, and friends. Whichever kind of handmade pottery you desire to endeavor, enjoy the hobby and have fun doing it.

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