Pottery Kids Tea Set Tutorial Attaching handles.

Decided to make a mini tea set to surprise my granddaughters for Christmas. They love to play tea time with grandma.We sit at their little table, and pour our tea from the tea pot to our little small cups, and eat our cookies. The tea set was on the thick side, so it couldn't be broken easily.See how to paint pottery


I had to change the way I was use to throwing pottery since I had been making large bowls, and extra large cups.  I decided to try throwing off the hump, which means you use a large lump of clay, and throw off the very center top. In this session I will give a tutorial on how to I make the cups.

After the cup base is thrown on the wheel, the trimming part is next.  Wetting the wheel to create a bit of a suction between the wheel, and clay. Place a leather hard cup on the wheel till is sticks. Using a sharp tool begin to trim all the excess clay. Always hang on to the cup, I lost a few thinking that I had stuck them on secure, only to find it slipping out of my hand.

This is the cup after it has been trimmed.

Making the handles requires patience. Pulling clay with down ward motions, and a lots of water. The first time I tried to pull a handle I pulled to hard , and had thin, and thick places, or I would break off the handles.


Allow to dry to leather stage, that means when you rub your finger against it, it doesn't tug across the clay.

Allow cups, and handles to dry to leather stage, that is when finger is rubbed across it doesn't drag.

Cut handle to size.

Make sure the angles cut fit the angles of the cup.

Scratch the handle.

Add slip, which is watered down clay. I also use vinegar with the slip.

Scratch the cup.

Smear the cup with slip, and vinegar.

Press the handle to the cup. Make sure you hold the inside of the cup as you press on the outside of the cup.

Using a paint brush , clean the outside of the cup of all marks of slip..

Let it dry.

Go on an finish the rest.