Making slip for slip trailing on pottery

I've always loved adding slip trail details to my pottery.  I love the texture on the finished pots.    This is how I make my slip.  

Supplies:  

* Clay (I use the same clay body, that I use for making pots)

* A mixing cup or bowl

* Distilled water

* Immersion blender

I shred moist clay 

(helps with dust control

let it dry out completely

Put about 1 cup of distilled water in a mixing cup, then slowly add dry shredded clay until the clay stops absorbing water and a layer of dry clay accumulate above the water line.  Let the clay and water sit for 20 minutes.

Mix with the immersion blender until nice soft peaks happen.  

Store in a wide mouth air-tight container.

squeeze the air out of the slip trail bottle and submerge opening into slip to fill.

Now you're ready to rock the slip trailing.

Some of my recent slip trail work.

Hope you all are doing well!   

Love to all,

Cindy

Love Coffee and Pottery?

I've been trying several different techniques for making Pour-over coffee makers.   I'm kind of obsessed with them at the moment.

This style I trim the drip catcher

This style, I trim and then throw a drip catcher

©cindygilliland2018

Firing an Empty Kiln vs. Firing a Full Kiln / Kiln Tune-UP

My electric kiln is 10 years old and the thermocouples had never been replaced.  Last year I started making thermocouple adjustments to account for drift. So, when my elements wore-out I figured it was time for a little tune-up.

Cone results PRIOR to tune-up.

Kind of wack-a-do.

John and I replaced the elements, thermocouples, relays and 2 power terminals that had crumbled.   I ran an ^04 slow bisque to burn-in the elements.  Then I ran an empty ^5.5 slow glaze test-fire to confirm that the kiln was firing in the ballpark of my target temp.  

Cone results for ^5.5 Glaze test-fire 

of EMPTY kiln after tune-up.  

The Empty test-fire was a little warm, but still in the ballpark of ^5.5. 

Next, I fired a ^5.5 slow glaze test-fire loaded with pottery.

Cone results for ^5.5 Glaze test fire 

of FULLY LOADED kiln after tune-up.

The load fired on the hot side of ^5.5.  I'm going to make thermocouple adjustments to slightly cool all 3 sections.  Next glaze fire should be perfecto.

If you have ever asked the question.. Does an empty kiln fire hotter or cooler than a fully loaded kiln?   According to my testing, the results were very similar.

I probably should have titled this post "Tales of a Witness Cone Nerd".

Magic Water Rocks My World

Magic water is my favorite joining agent for clay attachments.

  

great for handle attachments

"Magic Water" 1 quart recipe 

- 1 quart distilled water

- 2 + 1/4 tsp liquid sodium silicate

- 3/8 (1/4 + 1/8) tsp soda ash

Mix all ingredients in a quart size jar (I use an old Ovaltine container).  Then shake it up!

For my work, magic water and slow drying are the perfect combo for successful attachments.  I use primarily porcelain and smooth stoneware clay.

©cindygilliland2016.

Inspiration

White Echinacea 

at DirtKicker Ranch

Such awesome inspiration God gives us..mot

Concrete Wedging Table - Pottery Studio Kneading Table - Pottery Studio Tip

Last year we poured a big concrete patio.  John built a slick smooth form and we poured a concrete wedging block.   

I finally retired the old plaster block.  It was very worn, plus it wouldn't let go of the red clay contamination.

Cinder blocks are a safe sturdy foundation for the heavy concrete block.  I could totally do the smack down and this thing wouldn't move at all.

The surface is just smooth concrete.  No polishing required.  It's very similar to wedging on plaster.  It wicks moisture big time, so I usually wipe the surface with a damp sponge prior to wedging my clay.   

This new concrete wedging block Rocks!  I love it.  Should have gone with concrete years ago.
  

Thanks to my Sweetheart for making it.

©copyright Cindy Gilliland 2015.