Earning Farmgirl Sisterhood Merit Badges

Stitching & Crafting

22. Pottery/Ceramics

Beginner Level

• Before beginning to work with clay, you should have a basic understanding of the different types of clay available, and the basic techniques of forming the clay. Research clay to find out about the different types, where they are found, and how they are fired. Research different forming techniques. Read Ceramics: A Beginner’s Guide to Tools and Techniques by Elisabeth Landberger & Mita Lundin. (The book required for this badge is available on loan from MaryJanesFarm; contact library@maryjanesfarm.org.)
• Find a local pottery supply; they are a wealth of information.
• Sign up for a beginner’s class or buy a bit of clay and doing some hand building on your own.

Intermediate Level

• Research kiln firings. Learn about the different kinds of kilns and firing techniques. Learn the process from mud to ceramic. Learn about the difference between low, mid, and high firings. Create a piece of pottery or purchase a piece of greenware and prepare it for firing. Talk with a local pottery or ceramic shop about their kiln firings and have your piece fired and finish it with a glaze or acrylic paint. There is a 10-hour minimum time investment required.

Expert Level

• Research more advanced pottery techniques. Learn about the different types of glazes and their applications. Learn to create a pot on a potter’s wheel.
• Choose one of the following more advanced projects to complete from the mud to the ceramic stages.
  • A complex slab or coil pot that has a carved, added, or cut-out design.
  • A sculpture based off a natural, plant-like form.
  • A series of pieces (minimum of three) that relate to each other (houses, sculptures, pots, or animals.)
  • A human figure sculpture.
• There is a 20-hour minimum time investment required.

February, 2016 Edition