Introduction 1

Part 1: Getting Started with Pottery Making 5
CHAPTER 1: What Is Pottery, Really? 7
CHAPTER 2: Materials and Tools for Pottery Fools 21
CHAPTER 3: At-Home and In-Studio Pottery Making Spaces 31
CHAPTER 4: The Potter's "Save" Button: Cleaning Up and Storing Your Work 45

Part 2: Hand Building How-Tos 57
CHAPTER 5: Pinch: The OG Hand Technique 59
CHAPTER 6: Coil: Snake, Stack, Smooth, Repeat 67
CHAPTER 7: Slab: Rock and Roll It Out 73
CHAPTER 8: Beginner Projects You'll Actually Want to Keep 79

Part 3: Throw Like Patrick Clayze: Wheel Throwing How-Tos 115
CHAPTER 9: The Basics of Wheel Throwing 117
CHAPTER 10: Nailing the Cylinder as Your First Form 129
CHAPTER 11: Trimming Tips and Tricks 139

Part 4: Glazed and Confused: Painting Your Pottery 149
CHAPTER 12: Your Go-To Tools for Glazing 151
CHAPTER 13: Glazing 101 157
CHAPTER 14: Designing Your Piece 165

Part 5: Turn Up the Heat: Firing and Finishing Fundamentals 175
CHAPTER 15: The Firing Process Explained 177
CHAPTER 16: Beginner Firing Hacks: How to Save Yourself from Kiln Chaos 189
CHAPTER 17: The Ikea Effect: Loving Your Piece Because You Made It 199

Part 6: The Part of Tens 205
CHAPTER 18: Avoiding Ten Common Beginner Mistakes 207
CHAPTER 19: Ten Ways to Get Kicked Out of Your Local Pottery Studio 217

Part 7: Appendixes 223
APPENDIX A: Glossary: Clay, Tools, and Glazes 225
APPENDIX B: Pottery Resources to Keep You Hooked 229

Index 233