But Can It Pour?

Pretty Little Tea Pot

Why....YES! A resounding, YES! It CAN pour.....umm, all over the place!

My heart raced when I opened the kiln this morning to find that my little tea pot for two had fired perfectly. The stoneware was the perfect tan color it was suppose to be (if overfired it turns pinkish). I was surprised by how much it had shrunk though. Not a big deal. I would just label this offering at the fall outing raffle table as "Tea Therapy For One" and not "Tea For Two".

The holes in the handle sections looked small. They too shrunk in the firing process.

Note to self: "Make bigger holes next time".

Despite the small hole issue, the lid fit perfectly. I mean, it was brilliant! All my work this past summer struggling to make lidded vessels paid off. This one fit without any shimmy.

But the most important part was yet to be tested. Would it pour? And it did. It dribbled almost instantly since the shape of my spout was incorrect. It went out and not out and up. The UP part was the part I didn't think to research. I have tea almost every night from a pretty porcelain tea pot and never once thought to LOOK at how the spout was designed. My tea pot can't even be filled half way. Once the water hits the beginning of the spout the water naturally fills that cavity too and that cavity is just straight so the water fills it and comes right out.

:: Sigh::

Good Morning Tea Pot!


You know who saw this issue before the piece when it was in the drying stage? My sister-in-law the homemaker who is always going on about something in the kitchen or household. We've come to listen with half an ear when the Sunday dinner table discussions start. I'm ashamed to say that I gave her half an ear when I showed her the piece in the leather hard stage. The moment she saw the piece she said, "That is beautiful but the water is going to spill out from the spout." HAHA....ok, I thought. She was the first person I thought of this morning when water dribbled all over my PJ's.

BIG note to self: "Don't ignore April and let her review and critique the next teapot before firing."

Reluctantly I drag my butt back to the drawing board. I have no idea if I can make another in time for this outing in early October.