Studio notes: a spring of first firings

Every few months we like to stop, look at the shelves, and take stock. This spring was our busiest yet, so here is what actually happened between March and June.

The numbers. Four six-week beginners' courses ran back to back on Saturday mornings — 24 new potters, every single one of whom got at least one pot they were proud of through both firings. Add the Wednesday drop-ins, two hen parties, a surprisingly competitive birthday group, and the open-studio members, and roughly 900 pieces went through the kiln since March. Our kiln tech (and co-owner, and head of washing-up) says the elements are holding up fine, thanks for asking.

What people made. The eternal favourite remains the mug — nearly half of everything fired had a handle on it. But this spring brought a noticeable wave of plant pots and planters, a set of twelve matching espresso cups made by one heroically stubborn member across five open-studio sessions, and a full ramen bowl set that made the whole studio jealous on glaze day.

Glaze of the season. Speckled oatmeal over red stoneware, by a mile. We mixed a triple batch in April and it was gone by the end of May. The runner-up was our teal — the one that breaks to amber on rims — which photographs so well it has its own corner of the gallery page now.

Lessons learned. We moved glaze night from Friday to Thursday and attendance nearly doubled. The gingham table covers on the handbuilding table were meant to be temporary and are now, by popular demand, permanent. And the flat white record for a single Saturday morning now stands at 41, set during the April course's final session.

What's next. Summer holiday workshops for families are booked and nearly full, and the autumn beginners' course goes on sale at the counter and online in August. If this spring taught us anything, it is: do not wait to book. The wheels fill up fast, and the kiln waits for no one.