Day one - left handed potter

Yes, it's day one of the 28 day challenge - for me at least. Remember you can join the challenge any time between now and 2nd April. The aim is to have all challenges completed by the end of April. For more details click here.

So what did I do today? I went to class of course! (Is that cheating?) I was planning on doing an hour at home as well, but by the time I got home I was exhausted!

Firstly, there was a coiled pot/vase that I was working on, but after being in the cupboard for about 5 or 6 weeks it had become too dry to add to. I decided to break bits off to make it look old and broken, but I forgot to take a photo!! Now we have no classes for 4 weeks, so I'll have to wait 'til then.

Then I decided to have another go on the wheel. Long time readers will remember that the first (and last) time I tried the wheel was probably around Oct/Nov time, 2008! And I wasn't very successful! I managed to centre the clay and that was all. I was quite happy with that at the time though.

This evening I had another go. I must say, this wheel was much more comfortable to use than the one at the last class. Here's the funny thing though - although I am right handed everything that the tutor showed me felt backwards and awkward. I naturally wanted to use my left hand to steady the clay and not my right, and I had to consciously think to do it the other way. Maybe I am a left handed potter? The wheel only spins anti-clockwise though - for right handed people.

Scott is confident that I can learn to throw right handed, but how do I know if I would be better left or right handed? This turned into a bit of a discussion at home. He knows many left handed people who have learnt, for example, to play the guitar right handed because it's so much easier to come by guitars for right handed people. He thinks maybe I will just have to do the same thing. I suppose I will, if I want to use the wheels at class. How about you other potters though? Are any of you left handed? Can you throw both ways? Does it make a difference?

Oh, I suppose you want to see what I made, right? Ok, but don't laugh...


HAHAHAHAHA!!! Ok, you can if you want to!!


I know what you're thinking - "that took you an hour??" Well... yes. You didn't see how many attempts it took! I was doing really well with one pot, and then I must have squeezed too hard and I cut it in half! This is the first one that I didn't kill! Thinking about it now, I think I was supposed to cut around the bottom before I took the pot off the wheel, but no one told me that! Oh well. I'm learning.

So, that's day one. See you tomorrow with the photos from day two!