A beautiful cake stand that we recently finished, excited to get it glazed! What do you think? 🤩🤗
How To:
Prepare the Clay: Gather your scrap clay pieces and wedge them together to form a cohesive ball. This ensures that the clay is free of air pockets and will be easier to work with.
Roll Out the Clay: Use a slab roller to flatten the clay ball into a slab. Aim for a thickness of around 5 centimeters. Depending on how large you want your cake stand to be will determine the thickness. Thicker bases will be stronger and more sturdy. Especially if your adding a glass top
For more on specifics on hand building such as preparing your clay, wedging, rolling out your clay & some tools you may need, check out our previous blog post “How to make a pottery tumbler part 1-2“
Shape the Stand: Once you have your slab, use a potter’s knife to cut it into a round shape. This will be the main surface of your cake stand. You can use a large plate as a template or make your own from plastic sheeting, Smooth out any rough edges.
Add Decoration: Get creative! You can use a pattern roller to add decorative designs to the outside of your cake stand. This is your chance to personalise it and make it unique. Even press in some leaves!
Let it Rest: Place your cake stand under a plastic bag and let it rest for 48 hours. This allows the clay to evenly dry out a bit, making it easier to work with in the next steps.
Trim Excess Clay: Now it’s time to refine the shape of your cake stand. Place it on a potter’s wheel and use a carving tool to trim away any excess clay. You can also take some thickness out of the base to reduce weight but not too much to hinder stability.
Allow to Dry: Let your cake stand dry completely for 4-5 weeks. This ensures that all moisture is evaporated from the clay, which is crucial for the firing process. Allowing it to dry evenly as you can can help reduce warping so don’t have it in a crafty area, Once fully dried, your cake stand is ready for bisque firing. This is the first firing process that hardens the clay and prepares it for glazing.
Do you have any questions feel free to comment below! We would love to help. 🤗
Watch this transformation from raw clay to Art Piece in seconds
Try this DIY Pottery Bottle Vase project at home.
You’ll need a few basic clay tools and some clay to get started.
For more on specifics on hand building such as preparing your clay, wedging, rolling out your clay & some tools you may need, check out our previous blog post “How to make a pottery tumbler part 1-2“
Notice how the Bottle Vase comes alive after applying a deep blue base glaze and cover glaze.
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