Handbuilt: A Modern Potter s Guide to Handbuilding with Clay

Create 23 stylish homewares with this modern beginner’s guide to hand building with clay – no pottery wheel required. 

Handbuilt introduces you to one of the oldest and most accessible ways to make ceramics, teaching you everything you need to start creating beautiful pottery by hand. 

Perfect for complete beginners, the book takes you through the three essential hand-building techniques – pinching, coiling and slab building – before showing you how to decorate, glaze and fire your pieces for a professional finish. 

Start with the fundamentals, from wedging clay and adding texture to working with moulds, then put your new skills into practice with 23 contemporary projects for the home. Make everyday and decorative pieces including coffee cups, a teapot, vases, dinner plates, candle holders and more. 

With Handbuilt, you'll learn how to:

• Master the three core hand-building techniques: pinching, coiling and slab building
• Prepare, shape and add texture to clay
• Decorate, glaze and fire your finished pieces
• Create 23 stylish and practical ceramic homewares
• Build your pottery skills and confidence project by project

Packed with clear step-by-step instructions, Lilly’s expert tips and inspiring lifestyle photography, Handbuilt is the ultimate modern introduction to the tactile, creative and timeless craft of hand-built pottery.

Lilly Maetzig is the maker behind Mae Ceramics. Originally from Christchurch, New Zealand, Lilly has always had a keen interest in pottery. After graduating, she discovered a love for hand building techniques and now she makes ceramics to sell and offers workshops from her studio.