Easy Homemade Pottery

December 7, 2020
Kiln-firing isn’t the only way to create pottery, advises blogger Stone in this encouraging debut, a guide to craft decor in any space. Stone writes that many crafters who work with clay are confronted with issues of space, time, and expense; it can be difficult to set up a pottery studio, and firing clay in a kiln is expensive. In response, Stone offers 50 projects that use polymer and air-dray clay and are small enough to fit into any home oven for finishing. The author starts with a list of necessary products and tools (“Popsicle sticks make great smoothing and blending tools,” she writes, as do old makeup sponges) and an overview of basic techniques such as rolling, shaping, smoothing, and joining. The projects range in difficulty—a “Stone-Effect Spoon Holder” is fun and easy, the “Wall Hanging Pocket Planter” is for intermediate crafters, and there’s a more advanced “Snail Mail Letter Holder.” Throughout, Stone urges crafters to experiment and not to despair when they inevitably make mistakes. New and experienced crafters looking to create pottery at home will want to give these projects a look.

November 20, 2020

Stone's first book explores pottery making using air-dry and polymer clay. Unlike working with traditional clay, hand-building or on a wheel, polymer clay requires less time and space, and no expensive outlay for tools and equipment. Crafters can use a home oven and other tools that can easily be found in the house. Forty projects are covered step by step. These attractive and creative pieces are suitable for crafters with little or no experience making ceramics. The techniques are basic to pottery making, and are simple to follow and reproduce. The featured projects cover a wide array of functional and decorative pieces including planters, bookends, incense holders, and jewelry or soap holders. Many items would be suitable to make as gifts, and a number would be appropriate for supervised children to try. VERDICT Stone gives good coverage of a fun new medium to explore, especially as people spend more time at home. This book will appeal to a wide audience of clay artists, both beginning and more experienced. It is a good basic, instructional resource.--Deborah A. Broocker, Georgia Perimeter Coll. Lib., Dunwoody

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