The Journey of Clay: From Raw Material to Your Favorite Pottery Piece
At Jars of Dust, every handmade ceramic piece starts as a block of muddy, shapeless clay — no frills, no glaze, no filter. Just earth. And then something wild happens. With a little pressure, patience, and soul, that lump becomes your favorite ceramic mug, your go-to ramen bowl, your morning ritual.
We wanted to give you a look behind the curtain — or in our case, behind the dusty shelves, glaze buckets, and spinning wheels — at the full pottery making process. Because when you hold one of our handmade pieces, you’re holding a story.
1. The Clay
Our process starts with high-quality stoneware clay — sturdy, earthy, and able to stand up to real-life use. We wedge it by hand to remove air bubbles and make it smooth and workable. This part is meditative, messy, and essential. It’s also usually done with two shop dogs wrestling nearby. Very artisanal.
Keyword drop: This is the beginning of the journey from clay to pottery.
2. Throwing on the Wheel
This is where the magic (and muscle) happens. We center the clay on the wheel and throw it into shape — whether it’s a tumbler, a bowl, or a vase. Each one is made individually, by hand, by someone who probably has sea salt in their hair and clay under their fingernails.
No molds. No shortcuts. Just pure craftsmanship.
Fun fact: Your favorite handmade ceramic mug likely passed through 4 pairs of hands during the pottery making process.
3. Drying + Trimming
Once a piece is thrown, it needs to dry to a leather-hard stage. Then we trim it — carving off extra clay and adding those signature foot rings or textured lines. This is also when we attach our famous thumb rest handles onto our handmade mugs.
It’s detailed, quiet work. We’re usually blasting indie rock or 90s’ country in the background.
4. The First Fire (Bisque Firing)
Once the pieces are fully bone-dry (they must be completely dry or they’ll explode in the kiln — not cute), we load them into the kiln for a bisque firing. This first fire transforms the clay from something fragile into something ceramic and strong.
It’s also when we really see the transformation from clay to pottery. The form is locked in. It’s ready for glaze.
5. Glazing
This is the part where personality kicks in. Our handmade ceramics are glazed by hand, often by dipping or brushing. We use ocean-inspired tones: eggshell whites, sea-glass blues, and sandy neutrals. The glazes react in the fire, creating subtle textures and patterns — no two ever turn out exactly the same.
6. The Final Fire (Glaze Firing)
Then it’s time for round two in the kiln. The glaze melts and fuses to the pottery surface, giving it that smooth, durable finish. When the kiln opens, it’s like Christmas morning. You’ll hear cheers. Sometimes cussing. It’s all part of the ride.
7. Finishing Touches
We sand every piece by hand for that perfectly smooth bottom (no table scratches, ever), check for quality, and prep them for shop shelves or shipping. Whether you pick it up in person or unbox it at home, we want it to feel like it came straight from the heart of our studio — because it did.
So the next time you’re sipping from your favorite ceramic mug or eating dinner from one of our handmade dinner plates, you’ll know — this isn’t just pottery. It’s a full-circle story. From handmade ceramics thrown in a sunlit studio in Virginia Beach to your hands, your table, your rituals.
That’s the pottery making process we live for.
Thanks for being part of the journey.
— The Jars of Dust crew 🤎
