Your Clay Carry-Out kit includes:

• One bucket with lid
• Studio clay: Minnesota Clay Co. MB 6 white clay OR Standard Clay Co. #112 brown clay (both cone 6)
• 1 oz. slip (clay glue)
• Round ware board
• Handbuilder’s pottery tool set: sponge, wire tool, needle tool, wood scribe, metal rib, serrated metal rib
• 2 Blick Sumi glaze brushes

Single Firing Kits include 12 one ounce containers of Mayco Stroke & Coat glaze.

Multiple firing kits include one ounce each of white and black Spectrum underglazes.

Helpful extras to gather from home:

• White vinegar
• Small spray bottle filled with water
• Plastic wrap or a plastic bag
• Something like a rolling pin to roll the clay flat (cans and bottles work great!)
• Crumpled newspaper or paper towels

Single Firing Kit

Includes small containers of Mayco Stroke & Coat glaze. You can paint these glazes directly onto your wet, leather-hard, or bone-dry clay before returning your piece to us.

Multiple Firing Kit

Does not include colored glazes in your initial bucket; instead, we have included white and black underglazes that can be used to add detail to your work at the greenware stage. You build and underglaze your piece now, return it for its first, or bisque, firing and then glaze it later using our library of studio glazes.

Working with clay is safe, tactile, and fun! Keep these simple studio practices in mind:

• Needle tools, wire tools, and wood scribes have sharp points. Handle them with care and supervise artists under age 8. Keep tools and materials out of reach of pets and children under 3.
• Dry clay contains natural silica dust. Never sand or scrape bone-dry clay. Wipe your piece smooth with a damp sponge.
• Don’t eat anything from your Clay Carry-Out kit! All materials are non-toxic, but clay and glazes are not edible. Do not eat, drink, or taste any materials in your kit.
• Wash your hands with soap and water after working, especially before eating. If clay or glaze gets in your eyes, rinse thoroughly with water. If swallowed, contact a doctor or Poison Control.
• Never wash clay, slip, or glaze down your kitchen or bathroom sinks! Clay settles in drain pipes and causes severe clogs. Instead, rinse your hands, brushes, and tools in a small bowl or bucket of water first. Let the heavy clay settle to the bottom overnight, pour the clear water outside or down the drain, and wipe out the thick clay sediment with a paper towel into the trash.

1. Plan & Build: Shape your piece using your hands and tools. Keep walls even, hollow out thick areas, and poke a vent hole if your piece doesn’t have one.
2. Glaze & Decorate: Paint your piece with the included glazes (Single Firing Kit) or leave it plain for a bisque firing first (Double Firing Kit).
3. Sign Your Work: Carve your name, initials, or maker’s mark into the bottom before it dries.
4. Pack & Return: Carefully pack your creation into your bucket and drop it off at Muck and Mudd. We’ll handle the firing and call you to pick up your finished piece!

• Use skills you already know, such as pinch pot building and coil building.
• Your piece must fit inside the bucket so we can fire it. If you want to make something larger, contact us before you start to make sure your piece will fit. We are happy to explore options to make your vision a reality! Additional charges may apply.
• Build directly on the round ware board so you can rotate and move your artwork without touching or distorting the damp clay.
• Keep your clay walls hollow and around the thickness of your smallest finger (roughly 1/4 to 1/2 inch). Hollow out any solid areas thicker than half an inch.
• If your piece is closed, with a hollow inside and no opening, poke at least one vent hole through the wall. The hole lets steam escape during firing so the piece does not crack. You can hide the hole anywhere on the piece, but it must open all the way to the outside.
• Always attach pieces by scoring and slipping where the pieces will attach. Whenever joining two pieces of clay, score both surfaces using your serrated rib or needle tool then add a little slip onto the scored area. Press the pieces firmly together. If you run out of slip, mix a splash of water with a small piece of clay!
• Fix small cracks early: Cracks are a natural part of working with clay! If your piece is still leather-hard, score over the crack and smooth a bit of slip into it. If it is bone-dry, gently blend the area using a slightly damp sponge.
• Use only the materials in your kit while you build. Do not add paint, glue, paper, or any other material before we fire your piece. If you want to experiment, contact us! We love to experiment and would be happy to discuss options.
• Sign your work: Before your piece dries, use your wood scribe to carve your name, initials, or maker’s mark into the bottom. Make sure this same mark is written on your bucket label so we can return your finished art to you!

Feel free to use your clay to make two or three smaller items instead of one large piece. Just make sure:

• Every individual piece has your maker’s mark carved into the bottom.
• Each piece is able to fit comfortably inside your bucket with room for protective packing. It’s ok to bring us multiple boxes of projects; shoe boxes work great for transporting more than one item!

Because clay is organic and holds moisture, non-harmful surface mold can sometimes grow on damp clay inside the bucket. Don't panic—this is completely normal and burns away completely in the kiln!

If mold appears, wipe down your piece, tools, and bucket with a sponge dipped in a solution of 3 parts water and 1 part white vinegar. To prevent mold while working, do not leave wooden tools or your ware board sealed inside the damp bucket with your clay.

Storing raw clay

Keep unused clay inside a plastic bag or in your bucket with the lid tightly snapped shut.

Storing works-in-progress

To keep a project workable between sessions, move it off the ware board and place it onto the inside of your bucket lid. Place the empty bucket upside down over the lid like a dome. Allow your ware board to air-dry separately so it doesn't warp or grow mold. You may also chose to cover your piece with a plastic bag or other container, and use your bucket to store leftover clay.

Drying your completed piece

Once finished, remove all plastic and let your artwork air-dry slowly. Keep it away from direct sunlight, heating vents, or drafts—fast or uneven drying causes cracks! Never dry clay in an oven or microwave.

Drying timeline

Most pieces reach the leather-hard stage in about 24 hours, while reaching bone-dry takes several days. Bone-dry clay feels room temperature (not cool to the touch) and turns a lighter color. You do not need to wait for your piece to be fully bone-dry before returning it—we will finish drying it at the studio before firing.

Glazes are solutions of glassifiers, fluxes, clays, and colorants that melt into a glass-like, durable coating in the kiln. Bare clay remains matte and earthy, while glazed areas finish shiny, satin, crackled, etc.

Pro tip: Never glaze the bottom of your piece, or it will fuse to the kiln shelf!

If you have a Single Firing Kit:

Single firing kits feature Mayco Stroke & Coat glazes, which can be painted directly onto clay that has not been fired yet. They are food-safe, easy to layer, and can be mixed like paint. You can glaze anytime while building or wait until the piece is bone-dry. We will fire your piece once to Cone 6.

If you have a Multiple Firing Kit:

Build your piece as usual and leave it unglazed. Underglaze can be applied to greenware. Return your piece for bisque firing to Cone 04, which turns the raw clay into hard ceramic. You can then check out glazes from our clay library or bring your piece back to glaze with us before its final Cone 6 glaze firing.

Using Your Own Glazes & Advanced Techniques:

You are welcome to use commercial glazes from ceramic supply stores! Please bring us the original packaging when you drop off your project so we can verify the correct firing temperature.

We fire only electric kilns, so every firing we do is an oxidation firing. We can do luster firings and decal applications. We cannot do raku firings at this time. After a glaze firing, you can add decals, underglaze transfers, or luster treatments. Feel free to ask us for recommendations or custom options.

• Use your Sumi brushes only for applying glazes.
• Rinse brushes thoroughly in a separate cup of water after each use and between colors to keep your glazes bright and clear.

Single Fire

Fired once to Cone 6 (approx. 2,230°F).

Double Fire

Fired first to Cone 04 (approx. 1,950°F) for bisque, then to Cone 6 (approx. 2,230°F) for glaze.

Shrinkage

All clay shrinks as moisture evaporates. Expect your finished piece to shrink by roughly 10–12%. This means if you start with a mug that is 5 inches tall at the leather-hard stage, it may shorten by as much as ¾ of an inch.

Additional Firings

Need re-firing or want to play with extra or specialty firings? We offer custom kiln firings for an additional charge based on temperature and shelf space.

• Your artwork must fit inside the bucket.
• Bone-dry clay is extremely fragile! Gently surround and cushion your artwork inside the bucket using crumpled newspaper or clean paper towels so it cannot slide around or bang against the walls during transport.
• Ensure your maker's mark is carved on the bottom of your artwork and that your full name, contact information, and maker’s mark are clearly written on the bucket's outside label.
• Keep your brushes, tools, sponge, and round ware board for future projects. Do not put wooden tools or the ware board inside the bucket when returning it, as trapped moisture will cause wood to warp and mold.
• Bring your packed bucket back to Muck and Mudd! There is no deadline or rush. Take as much time as you need to complete your project.

We will contact you as soon as your piece comes out of the kiln! Firing typically takes about 7 to 10 days.

You will receive your finished artwork back in your original bucket. If you enjoyed the process, you can purchase clay refills, extra glaze, or new project kits from our studio anytime!