A Sausage Pot? I think not!
Hi there!
Thanks for popping in.
Just got back from the Wednesday pottery class.
Thoroughly enjoyed it, although at first, when the teacher said I was going to learn how to make a coil pot, I thought, “mmm. boring. I want to go on the wheeeeeel!” You can’t help the thoughts that come into your head, but like a well behaved class participant, I smiled and said, “that’s great.”
Then she said i had to use the dark brown clay instead of the light grey clay. “Rats,” I thought, “that stuff dries out really fast and the pots looks like they’ve been discovered in an archeological dig.” But what i said was, “Oh. That clay’s not as soft as the grey clay, right?”
So there I was, using the shit clay and doing the shit coil pot. Great. But teacher knows best, right?
Can I tell you? An hour in, and I was really beginning to FEEL the pot. I was really enjoying the brown clay, the way it held together, and the way the clay rolled.
So I learned how to build up layers of coils, and make the pot go outwards….
I learned how to keep it nice and evenly thick, and symmetrical…
I learned how to smooth the clay so you can’t see the sausages – err I mean coils.
and I even learned how to come back inwards with the coils and change the shape of the let’s call it vessel.
The secret of the coil pot as I understand is perfect coils. I learned how to roll really good sausages – but it isn’t as easy as it looks! Check out the length of that perfect sausage!!!!
There was a sausage making machine in the corner of the studio. You can literally push the clay in the top, and perfect sausages come out the bottom. One of the other students was using it and knocking out perfect coils like you know what. So I just happened to pipe up with , “I think I may just have to try out that sausage making machine…”. “NO” called Eunice the teacher from the other side of the room,“You need to learn to roll coils”
Whatever, I thought.
“OK, Fair enough.” I responded with a smile. Obedient child I was too, although my parents might question that. And my maths teacher would certainly disagree. I couldn’t abide her, and I didn’t care what she thought of me – which is never a great basis for a good relationship, isn’t it. Eunice on the other hand I really, really like.
I’ve made a friend at the class too. Her name is Magda. She is wonderful, I bet she was a handful as a kid!! Honestly, she is so funny.
The teacher says, “let’s make a round base, and build up on the round.” Magda immediately decides she wants to shape hers like a boat. Teacher says that won’t be easy. Magda? DGAS. She gets impatient with rolling out sausages, and they’re not very good either to be honest. So she just nicks mine! Which is why I got so good at it! We spent the afternoon laughing, getting our hands dirty, and having quite meaningful conversations, too.
Turns out this lady has a beautiful little gift shop/café in Forest Row, called ONE The Square. I have bought many things there over the years. Ironically, ceramics mostly! And when we got talking, it transpired that she was doing the pottery class for the self same reason as me: to step away from work and calm the mind.
She also has a banging little business. She also works and worries, just like me, about the same stuff as I do.
Listening to Magda open up about her busy business was like listening to myself talk about Clarity. So it was ironic indeed that we were both assigned coil pots today. It was as though Eunice knew we should work together.
So there you have it. And I highly recommend Magda’s shop. It is superb, bang in the middle of Forest Row, very classy, and very much the hub of the village. She sells real unique and special things. Not the stuff you can buy in any shop along the high street. They have a little café, and they run intimate little arty workshops too. So it is a real destination place.
The web address is
If you are looking for beautiful and different, that’s the place for you. And say Barbara from Pottery class sent you!!!
Love & Hugs,
Barb
xxxx
19 thoughts on “A Sausage Pot? I think not!”
So glad you are enjoying your pottery class and being a good girl for the teacher! I bet your Mum and Dad will love one of your bowls. Glad you have found a fellow business pal to chat to, sounds like you are both having fun together. Xx
Evening bloggy friends, happy Wednesday to everyone. Xx
Hi Donna,
Hope you and Phoebe are ok. It will soon be half term! Love and hugs,Alison xxx
Evening Barbara… Sounds like you’re really enjoying this pottery class. Can’t wait to see your creations once they are fired and finished.
Colin did a class where he made his own bonsai pot. I paid for him to do it for his birthday. I know he enjoyed it and once he got his pot back after it had been fired he was so proud of it…. He just needs a tree to go in it now!
Hope you have a good evening. Love and hugs xxx
Hi Barb.
I’m so pleased that your pottery class is going so well after the dodgy start and also that you’ve got at least one person talking to you now. Magda sounds lovely and great that you have so much in common with each other. Love and hugs, Alison xx
Hi bloggy friends,
Hope everyone is as good as possible. Gilly, I hope Neill is making good progress – thinking of you both. Really getting chilly up here now . Managed to get a card done today with the Art Nouveau dies and am really pleased with it.
Sounds like you are having lots of fun with your pottery and new found friend. Good for you and thank you for sharing with us.
I am still coming down from the ceiling after the local Ford dealer serviced our car but missed a couple of things which had the potential to kill us if they went kaput. We took the car to a local garage for a minor thing which was not covered under the service and during the MOT the faults were identified. They have done a brilliant job at 2/3rds the price of Fords, but it does mean I will be short of crafting cash for a while.
I need to chill out now, a nice meal and a glass of wine will do it I hope.
See you all tomorrow. Have a good evening.
Aren’t some things just meant to be ? Seems you meeting Magda was and getting together over your sausages ! Glad you’re enjoying your pottery ! Will take a look at Magda’s shop! Xx
Sounds like serendipity to me,just what you needed xx
Hi Barb,
Wow, you’d never know how new you were to this pottery malarkey. Some folk would try for years and never achieve what you have in such a short space of time. Glad you’re enjoying the process, and having fun making new friends too.
Aye, nothing happens for no reason, you and Magda were meant to meet. Glad you’ve found a kindred spirit. As for you being a good wee girl for the teacher, can’t imagine that’s going to last for long, eh…!!! 😉
Me being me, I took what you were saying literally. Sausage pot? What’s a sausage pot? Must be some kind of cooking kitchen thing I guess. Wasn’t until much further down that the penny dropped – ah, pot made from clay sausages!!!! And that was well after you’d spoken about rolling your sausages too… Nae hope for me!!!
As for your ability to roll good sausages, I bet you just had more practice as a kid with your play-doh!!!!
Hope today’s class has reset your washing machine head for you xxxx
What fun, Barbara. I went to pottery classes when the three little ones were young – bit of a reprieve. I learned about coiled pots etc and built a castle with toilet rolls etc. It still has pride of place in the lounge. Maybe when I retire I will revisit a very worthwhile pastime. I am sure it will detract you away from the business for a few hours and give you satisfaction and fill your house with masterpieces. Well done that girl. x
Sounds like you are having great fun with your pottery.
Posted a message earlier but it seems to have gone astray, everything has gone wrong today so I’m going to chill with a glass of wine and my groovi.
Have a good evening.
Am totally impressed with what you manage to create! Took some quiet time for myself this afternoon as well, and managed to make some one handed Christmas cards using the lovely Christmas window dies and my Gemini. Helped me start to absorb the news that I’ve actually broken my shoulder in three places not one – am seeing a shoulder specialist next Tuesday but think this will be a long haul.
Sounds like a great fun afternoon great to hear you have found something as a release and someone who also knows the pressures of runing a buisness so you bothcan have fun together xxx
Hello Barbara
I am so pleased you are enjoying your pottery classes and have found someone who understands where you are coming from.
It is lovely when you meet someone who, although hasn’t walked a mile in your shoes, has certainly walked a mile in very similar shoes.
Love, Roz xxx
I love your coil pot Barbara, and have been to Forest Row but a very long time ago so don’t remember Magda’s shop there. It is great you have a lot in common with running your own businesses and all the good things that come from that but also all the stresses and strains so this pottery class is really good for you. It is also very good that you are being so restrained and are doing what the teacher wants without questioning which must be quite difficult…lol. x
Hello Barb, I can see you are coming on in leaps and bounds with your pottery, I think the pot is going to look great when done, and glad you have found a friend and kindred spirit at the class. There were comments on this post that really made me laugh this morning. Will give Magda’s shop a visit if ever down in that area. Take care all. Bx
So glad you are enjoying your pottery class and have found someone who seems to have similar everyday business concerns. I would certainly pop in and take a look at Magda’s shop if I lived closer. You should come Oop North and try the Wedgwood Experience sometime, I bet you’d love it!
Sounds like you’re having a lot of fun while learning…great way to do things! Magda sounds full of fun and would love one day to see her shop but it’s a bit far to travel for a cuppa. Looking forward to seeing your future makes once finished… oh yes and hearing further tales of Magda and your other ‘classmates’. xx