Movies like Ghost, have certainly cemented the image of a throwing clay on a wheel in our collective consciousness but you don't actually need a wheel for pottery. A good pottery wheel is expensive and can require a lot of space in your house that you might not be ready to devote to a hobby. Before potters had the wheel, they were creating spectacular pots and clay forms, using only clay, their hands, and a minimum of tools they brought function and artistry together. If you're thinkingabout taking up pottery but don't have a lot of money or space for a pottery wheel there are several methods to hand form clay. Below are the three most common forms of producing hand built pots.
clay. Due to the building technique's limitations, most pinch pots are fairly small, holding perhaps one cup to one and a half cups by volume. However, you can make larger pinch pots if you really put your mind to it. These pots are made by literally pinching the clay into the shape you desire, no other tools are necessary. The pinching technique is easy enough for even young children to learn. If you’re not sure if working with clay is for you then starting with a pinch pot is a perfect economic test run. All you need is clay and a table to work at. Make a basic pinch pot with these simple directions.
Have you ever rolled a worm or snake out of clay? Then you were on the road that leads to coiled pottery. Using coils, forms are built up into the desired size and shape. Coiled pots can take on any number of forms, and can be tiny or huge. The coils may or may not be completely welded together, depending on the desired surface effect. The coiling technique doesn't require you to use extra tools but they can help with finishing design elements. You can use tools to completely smooth out the coils or you can leave the nice ribbed texture as is. Coiling is a simple technique but it can produce some fantastic pottery. Use your imagination to create some one of a kind piece. Learn the basics of building coil pots with these easy to follow instructions.


