The kids and I made these pinch pots today. Clay is such a pleasant medium to work with, squeezing and squishing it can be very therapeutic! The pots are a lot of fun to make and can be done by just about anyone. The baby was the only one who couldn't really do it. She played with the clay, the slip and the tools and was very happy.
I'd highly recommend purchasing a vinyl flannel backed tablecloth if you are going to be doing a lot of crafts, especially clay or watercolors. I put mine on the table several times a day and I am really glad I bought it. I don't care what they get on it and don't have to worry about them scratching the table with tools or staining it with paints.
This summer, when buying school supplies for the upcoming year, I purchased a couple boxes of this clay from the craft store.
As you can see, it comes in five pound boxes which will easily make a couple of projects, depending on your family size. It is self hardening clay that cannot be fired in a kiln. We used about a third to a half of a box today on the pinch pots.
Here are the directions if you'd like to make them yourself.
- Take a bit of clay and knead it until it is soft and pliable.
- Form into a ball by rolling on the table under firm pressure (it should be about the size of an golf ball and should have no cracks).
- Stick thumb in ball.
- With thumb still in ball, use fingers to gently widen the hole by "pinching" the pot all the way around until the walls are the thickness you desire.
- Trim off top to make level, if desired.
- Decorate the outside with designs using a sharp tool, if desired.
- Let dry until hardened (timing depends on the size and thickness)
- Paint or shellac if you'd like. The clay is not waterproof when hard/dried.
Have fun!
