I saw a post a while back on these forms from I Make Stuff. The actual post was about making bells and I thought that was a really interesting idea. I saved it, but did nothing about it. A few weeks ago I was thinking about it again and discovered that they had similar forms for making a couple of different types of Christmas ornaments and other shapes. I decided to taket he plunge and try them.

I made a couple as a test run before we went up to the cabin. I wanted to know what tools I might need to bring with me. The first one I made I had to scrap, but these are number 2 and 3. The learning curve wasn't all that steep once I realized how key corn starch is.




This is what the forms look like when empty.




Corn starch! Corn starch! Corn Starch! I found that for these I needed to add it every time.




Start by forming a ball of clay roughly to the shape of the form that you're using. The star one was the hardest to do this with, but doing this makes sure that you'll have enough clay in all the crevices.




Smoosh down the clay so it hits the bottom.




Use a knife or a wire to do an initial cut off of the clay. I found that a fettling tool was especially good for this.




Corn starch either the press part of the form or the clay. Doesn't matter which, but if you don't you'll be sorry! Push down the presser and wiggle it side to side. You want to make sure that it's pushing the clay into the form and also thining it out a bit.




Use your knife to cut back the sides to the edge of the form. Be careful when you're doing this because it can move out. I found that having the edges between 1/4 and 1/2 of a centimeter was enough to score and join.




If you do have a spot where the edge gets a little too thin (top right) you might still be able to save it if your second side doesn't have the same problem. I neglected to take a picture of it, but slip and score the clay while it's still in the form. If you forget, pop it back in. You're much less likely to mishapen it if you do this in the form than in your hand.




The form pops out of the frame and then you can take away each of the side pieces individually. Take off the side pieces slowly so you don't distort the clay. If you forgot to corn starch, now is when you'll know.




Make two of these and then put the two sides together. It may look ugly when you first do it, but that's ok.




Smooth, smooth, smooth your seems. This is as far as I took it while it was super wet. I left these on a ware board to dry and went over them a second time to smooth them more.




I was trying to re-use the corn starch that was on my work surface then I started cracking myself up because I was making what looked like cocaine lines. This is the closest I will ever come to actually doing cocaine, lol.




Twelve little ornaments all smoothed out.




I made more of the teardrop ones. Once again my imagination was going as I was looking at what I was doing. That's all I'm going to say about that.




Once they were all smoothed out and had firmed up a bit I put them into my wet box. I packed them in close because they have to make the 6 hour drive home. Here's hoping I don't lose any.




I tried to add texture to one and it didn't really work all that well. I felt like I couldn't push hard enough without distorting the texture. I think carving or slip trailing would be better for these adding texture, but I didn't bring any of those tools with me so experimenting with that will have to wait.




The star wasn't all that much harder to do, but it was way more joins to smooth out so it took longer.




All in all I'm really impressed with these tools and will be thinking about more things to make with them. I think the teardrop one is totally going to end up as a fishy at some point.

I've just signed on with a new gallery! I'm really excited to share that I'm now a part of the Off Track Art Gallery in Westminster, MD. I've got my own little setup on some glass shelves that I was able to stage pieces on. I'm excited for this opportunity and hoping that it works out well. If you're nearby please go check it out, there are a number of other artists there.

What a great name for yarn - Crumble Slubby. It's such a great name I had to name the pattern after it. This shawl worked up really quickly. I did most of it at my show last weekend and just had to figure out the edging. I used 2 full skeins of the Crumble Slumby by Kim Dyes Yarn. It is a fingering weight yarn that is 438 yards.

This pattern uses a 4mm hook. I've been using the 4mm hook a lot lately. I think because I've been making a lot of lightweight summery things.




Stitches:
ch - chain
sl st - skip stitch
hdc - half double crochet
dc - double crochet
tr - treble crochet


Start with a magic circle.
Row 1: ch 4, dc, dc, ch 2, dc, dc, ch, dc
Row 2: ch 4, dc in the first dc, 2 dc in the second dc, ch 2, 2 dc in the first dc, ch, dc, ch, dc
Row 3 - 9: ch 4, dc in each of the chain spaces leading to the center space then dc ch in the first dc of the chain space of the last row. In the center space 2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc then ch, dc in the second dc of the chain space from the last row. Ch, dc in each of the chain spaces to the end.
Row 10: ch 3, 2 dc in each chain space leading to the center space then dc ch in the first dc of the chain space of the last row. In the center space 2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc then 2 dc in the second dc of the chain space from the last row. 2 dc in each of the chain spaces to the end, dc in the last stitch.
Row 11: ch 3, dc in each stitch leading to the center space. In the center space 2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc. dc in each stitch to the end of the row.
Row 12: ch 4, then sk st, dc to the center space. In the center space 2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc then ch dc in each stitch to the end of the row.
Row 13: Repeat row 10
Row 14: ch 2, hdc in each stitch leading to the center space. In the center space 2 hdc, ch 2, 2 hdc. hdc in each stitch to the end of the row.
Row 15: Repeat row 11
Row 16: Repeat row 12
Row 17 - 24: Repeat row 3
Row 25: Repeat row 10
Row 26: Repeat row 11
Row 27: Repeat row 12
Row 28: Repeat row 10
Row 29: Repeat row 14
Row 30: Repeat row 11
Row 31: Repeat row 12
Row 32-39: Repeat row 3
Row 40: Repeat row 10
Row 41: Repeat row 11





Now we're going to do the edging. You're going to do one row of hdc along the top of the triangle. For all of the rows that have dc do 3 dc, for the rows that have a hdc do 2 dc. This will help make the top look a little more even.
Edging row along the other two sides of the triangle: ch 4, Repeat tr ch 2 tr in the next stitch to the center. In the second stitch of the dc from the last round 2 tr ch 5 2 tr. Repeat tr ch 2 tr ending with a tr.
That's it. Super simple and you'll be surprised how quickly this shawl works up.

This pattern uses the Lace Star Flower Stitch that I found in this pattern. I had two skeins of this yarn from when I used to belong to a yarn of the month club. This is Audine Wools Shine Sport in Sky. The yarn is a sport weight and was 350 yarns. I used almost the entire 2 skeins of yarn.


I'm not going to recreate the stitch pattern, since it is linked on the Joy of Motion Crochet site. The back Was 75 stitches wide, the two side panels were 35 stitches wide, and the pockets were 25 stitches wide. I used the same stitch on the sleeves, made them 3/4 length, and at the end of the sleeves I did 5 rows of chain 3 single crochet. For the collar I added a few more rows of the star flower and then did the same 5 rows of the chain 3 single crochet.




I'm happy with how this turned out. Simple little cardigan.

I think I'm going to be able to save the birch vase, but I think I'm going to have to refire it to do it. There were no more bad surprises in the kiln which was nice. It's still the middle of July, but the leaves are making me think about fall already. While I haven't done many shows yet this year, I have a lot of shows lined up for fall. I was actually just thinking this weekend that I need to start making holiday things now. Where does the time go?

Laguna 60 Mayco black ug wiped back Leaves - Mayco Hot Tamale, Jack o Lantern, Sun Kissed, Just Froggy, Java Bean Bird - Mayco bluebird, dandelion Inside, handle and Rim - Amaco Tangelo x3	Laguna 60 Mayco black ug wiped back Leaves - Mayco Hot Tamale, Jack o Lantern, Sun Kissed, Just Froggy, Java Bean Bird - Mayco bluebird, dandelion Inside, handle and Rim - Mayco Frosted Lemon x3
Laguna 60 Mayco black ug wiped back Leaves - Mayco Hot Tamale, Jack o Lantern, Sun Kissed, Just Froggy, Java Bean Bird - Mayco bluebird, dandelion Inside, handle and Rim - Amaco Tangelo x3	Laguna 60 Mayco black ug wiped back Leaves - Mayco Hot Tamale, Jack o Lantern, Sun Kissed, Just Froggy, Java Bean Bird - Mayco bluebird, dandelion Inside, handle and Rim - Kentucky Mudworks Morning Glory x3
Laguna 60 Mayco black ug wiped back Leaves - Mayco Hot Tamale, Jack o Lantern, Sun Kissed, Just Froggy, Java Bean Bird - Mayco bluebird, dandelion Inside, handle and Rim - Mayco Frosted Lemon x3	Laguna 60 Mayco black ug wiped back Leaves - Mayco Hot Tamale, Jack o Lantern, Sun Kissed, Just Froggy, Java Bean Bird - Mayco bluebird, dandelion Inside, handle and Rim - Midnight Ceramics Hydra x3
How cute does the set of 4 look together?	Laguna 60 Mayco black ug wiped back Leaves - Mayco Hot Tamale, Jack o Lantern, Sun Kissed, Just Froggy, Java Bean Bird - Mayco bluebird, dandelion Inside and Rim - Midnight Ceramics Hydra x3
Laguna 60 Mayco Red Gloss x3 White Gloss x3 Sour Apple x2	Laguna 60 Mayco Green Gloss x3 White Gloss x3 Tuxedo x2
Left: Laguna 60 Georgie's Cherry Fizz x2 Right: Laguna 60 Georgie's Twilight Blue x2	Coyote Really Red x3 Tuxedo x2
Kentucky Mudworks Sunflower x3	Laguna 60 Midnight Ceramics Sexy Mermaid x3
Laguna 60 Mayco black ug wiped back Sunset - Mayco Hot Tamale, Jack o Lantern, Sun Kissed, Fruit of the Vine Trees - Mayco Cotton Tail x2 Bird - Mayco Candy Apple Red x2 2167 Clear	Refire added more Clayscapes Briar Rose, Lily of the Valley, Wild Aster
Laguna 60 Mayco black ug wiped back Trees - Mayco Cotton Tail x2 Bird - Mayco Hot Tamale x2 Back and Rim - Amaco Snapdragon x3 2167 Clear	Laguna 60 Mayco black ug wiped back Trees - Mayco Cotton Tail x2 Bird - Mayco Hot Tamale x2 2167 Clear
Laguna 60 Mayco black ug wiped back Trees - Mayco Cotton Tail x2 Bird - Mayco Hot Tamale x2 2167 Clear	Mayco Dandelion x2 Cotton Tail x2 Meloncholly x2
Laguna 60 Mayco black ug wiped back Leaves - Mayco Hot Tamale, Jack o Lantern, Sun Kissed, Just Froggy, Java Bean Inside Amaco Sky x2, Outside Mayco Rootbeer x2 2167 Clear	It's really not as bad as it first looked.
Laguna 60 Mayco black ug wiped back Sunset - Mayco Hot Tamale, Jack o Lantern, Sun Kissed, Fruit of the Vine Trees - Mayco Cotton Tail x2 Bird - Mayco Candy Apple Red x2 2167 Clear	You can see the little spot on the left tree where it stuck. I think if I sand it down and add some more cotton tail it will be fine

I will be at the Taneytown Artisan Fest this Saturday from 10-4 in Taneytown, MD. If you're close I hope to see you there!

So I loaded this kiln days ago, but it has been so hot here that I didn't want to run it. Earlier this week we set a new high of 102, but it was so humid that it felt like 110. Even if I ran the kiln overnight I knew that it would be so hot in there during the day as the kiln cooled. I waited until the day temperature was going to be a "chilly" 87 to run it. Then yesterday I cracked the garage door and had a fan blowing the hot air out. I don't understand the physics of it, but I swear my kiln cools faster when it's warmer out than when it's colder.

This kiln has a bunch of different things in it, but a whole lot of it are pots made with maple leaf impressions and birch. You can see two leaf pitchers here on the top.


There are two things I saw when I opened it that made me sad. The first is this worm. I knew that this was possible. I had broken this worm while the pot was bisqued, but I tried to fix it with some ware repair. Ware repair is great, but this was broken in such a place that I knew it was quite likely not to work - and it didn't. I decided to try it out anyway though and experiment with a green mushroom. I really thought that I had used the Mayco Green gloss on Laguna 60 before, but now I'm wondering if I have. This looks way more yellow than green and I feel like I would have remembered that. That said - I still really do like the look with the black worm.




The other bit of sadness I wasn't expecting. I thought that my globe was fine, but clearly there was a join missing because it opened up. Of course it opened right onto my vase. We shall see when it's cool whether I'm able to save the vase. I'm really hoping that it's not that bad.