How to Make a Simple Coiled Pot
Step-by-step instructions for beginners to make a coiled pot or bowl
Coil and join clay "snakes" into a pot or bowl. A bit of patience and imagination is all you need!
Coiled Pots are created by gradually stacking and joining “snakes” of clay on top of one another. The coils can be smoothed away or can be left visible on either the inside or outside surface for aesthetic effect. What is most important is that the joins be strong so that the pot does not crack or collapse during firing.
If the clay you’re working with is very soft and moist, you can simply add a coil and then use your thumb or index finger to smooth the coil into the pot immediately. If the clay you’re working with is relatively dry, you’ll need to score and slip the contact surfaces when adding coils.
If you want a pot that has coils visible on both surfaces, it is necessary to score and slurry every coil where they join. And even then, there is no guarantee that your pot will survive the firing process without cracking or falling apart.
To make a coiled pot, you will need clay, an old toothbrush, a potter’s knife, a pin tool, a rasp, some slip, a mister or a damp sponge, some sheets of newspaper or a banding wheel, plastic sheets, and a rolling pin (optional).
Follow these steps to make a simple pot or bowl:
1) Prepare some coils ahead of starting the project.
2) To make clay coils, use both hands to squeeze out a length of prepared clay. Place this clay “sausage” on a smooth, flat surface, making sure that you have enough space on either side of you for the snake-like coil to grow. Use your hand, palm down, to roll this “sausage” back and forth on a flat surface until you get a round snake-like coil of uniform thickness approximately 1 cm ( ½ in) in diameter. Apply slightly more pressure to the thicker sections to thin them out. It is not necessary that all the coils be of the same length but they should be uniformly thick and round.
3) Remember to have a plastic sheet on hand to store each coil as it is complete to stop them from drying out. Once they are dry, they will be useless and you’ll have to make more.
4) To make the base of the pot, take some wedged clay, and pinch into a disc or shallow bowl roughly 10 cm (4 in) wide and 1 cm (½ in) thick. Alternatively, roll out some clay (like you would cookie dough) until it is 1 cm (½ in) thick and cut out your disc with a pin tool or clay knife.
5) Alternately, you can also form this base by making a tight spiral with some coils. Smooth these coils together to form a disc or shallow bowl.
6) When the disc or bowl has dried slightly and can support itself, scrape away any bumps.
7) Use a rasp or an old tootbrush dipped in water to score the edge of the bowl or disc. Then work in some slip.
8) Put the base on a banding wheel. Alternatively, put the base on a sheet or two of newspaper. This allows you to easily rotate your pot when you’re adding coils.
9) Take a coil from under the plastic sheet, and decide what you’d like your pot to look like.
10) If you’d like to build the pot up in a spiral, then directly position the tapered end of the coil on the rim of the scored and slurried base disc or bowl, and press to join. Continue building in an upwards spiral. When you get to the end of one coil, simply press the tapered end down, then overlap with the tapered ends of the new coil and keep building. Every round or two, support the pot with one hand and with the other, blend the coils together on the inside, outside or both sides of the pot. It is very important that the coils be blended well on at least one surface to prevent cracking in the kiln. This method will make a slightly lop-sided pot.
11) If you like your coils very neat, then do not join the front end of the first coil firmly to the rim of the scored and slurried base disc right away. Instead, apply pressure starting about 4 cm (2 in) from the end. Upon completing one ring of clay, gently overlap the beginning and end and gently cut through both with a potter’s knife. Remove the extra clay. Wiggle the cut ends of your coil together to form a continuous ring. Blend the coil into the disc on either the inside, outside or both surfaces. Repeat, taking care to stagger the vertical cuts in the coils. If the vertical cuts line up, this might result in a weak spot and a crack during firing.
12) If your pot starts to sag, leave it to dry out for a few minutes before continuing. Alternatively, give it a quick blow-dry with a hairdryer.
13) If you feel the pot becoming too dry, mist it or gently run a damp sponge over it. Don’t overdo it or your pot will begin to sag.
14) If you want the pot to flare out, position the coils on the outer edge of your pot. If you want the pot to narrow, position the coils on the inner edge of your pot. Regularly check the profile of your pot and adjust as needed.
15) When the pot has achieved the desired shape and height, scrape the rim so that it is level all around. Then finish the rim by smoothing out any rough edges.
16) Scrape away any lumps, add your decorations and then set the pot aside to dry until it is ready for firing.
Curious for more? Please visit the article archives and e-mail me with your questions.
