Tuesday, November 25, 2014

A Tall One with a Stopper

For some reason I'm drawn to make towers. The other day I built a tall one with a stopper. The ruler is 18 inches which is about how tall something can be and still fit in my kiln. I decided to make a stopper. I coiled up some clay for the stopper. The square piece in front of the tower is an armature which will hold the stopper when it's fired.

The paper keeps the stopper from sticking to the armature while it dries. Hope this works for the firings. We shall see.

I'm still sorting a few boxes in the studio and I discovered some bisqued pendants I made in Florida. I'll have to decide what to do with these. Also I was trying to think of a nice display I can make for hanging pendants. Do you have any ideas about that?

I was trying to think of something I can make in clay when I'm working at ArtWorks. I figured if someone sews, crochets, or knits clothing they might like a handmade button to embellish their work. What do you think? Thanks for reading and for all your comments.

8 comments:

  1. Hi Linda that's an interesting tower hope it fires well. I have made buttons and find they sell slowly. They would do better in a mixed show where there are knitters or such I think.

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  2. I make raku fired buttons, have a sold a few. I think I mostly make them because I like them :-)

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  3. When I was building five to six foot towers I learned to do them in sections. Each section was fired on a base that matched top of the piece it would seat into. Does that make sense?

    I'm sure it will fire just fine.

    Happy Thanksgiving to you and Gary.

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  4. Hi Anna, thanks, there are several fiber artists in my group so I thought some of them might like buttons and there are lots of them up here in the mtns.

    Hi Michele, thanks, if I still sewed I'd put some on my own clothing, we shall see.

    Hi Suzi, thanks, do you have any photos of any of your towers, would love to see some? I thought about making a totem in the past and was debating with myself on how to make the sections, have yet to come up with my own solution. Ha.

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  5. A potter friend used to make buttons for us. We asked him because we knew he could use the business. He used the end of a 36mm film can for a mold; he pushed the clay in and got it out, somehow. A shank formed of the clay through the spindle holder part of the end. He pierced that with a toothpick for a hole to sew. Some he decorated with a flower and I don't recall the other decorations he used. I realized the other day I have some left; would you like me to send you one?

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  6. If you put a string on them you can hang them on your ornament stand.

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  7. Hi Sue, thanks, I am trying think of how to glaze it.

    Hi Joanne, thanks, oh that would be wonderful to receive one of those buttons, yes please. and I am still trying to think of the best item to send to you.

    Hi Lori, thanks, yes I could put them on that display but I want to separate them because I don't want folks to mistake them for ornaments, you know how things go like that. Ha.

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I love suggestions, questions, critiques, thanks for your comment