Jake Johnson. This tutorial will show you how to make a lidded jar with a notch for a spoon. It is best-suited for intermediate or advanced throwers.

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1 This tutorial will show you how to make a lidded jar with a notch for a spoon. It is best-suited for intermediate or advanced throwers. Jake Johnson Jake Johnson

2 I make my jars with a pushedout space for a spoon, with a spot on both the lid and lip altered for this purpose. That s the form I ll demonstrate here. The process: -Throw jar body -Throw lid and knob for lid -Assemble lid -Make spoon notches -Trim & make finishing touches 2. Throw the form and shape it. I m using a flexible rib to finish the form. 1. When I m making jars, I m usually making several, so I ll throw off the hump. In any case, get your clay centered. You ll make the body of the jar first. Tip: Throwing off the hump means initially centering one big ball of clay and using it to throw several forms. You use that hump as your throwing base, rather than the surface of the wheelhead. It s a skill that can save time when making multiples. Some potters also find that it changes the shape of their pots a bit. I like to throw this way because I can more easily work right down to the bottom of the piece.

3 3. Finish the lip 4. Measure the interior diameter of the jar, so you can make a lid that will fit. Make it easy on yourself by using calipers that will hold that size till later. 5. Finish the foot and cut the form off the wheel. Set it aside. While drying, put damp paper towel where you want to add a spoon notch.

4 6. Throw the lid, bottom-side up. (Remember that I m throwing off the hump, so I didn t have to center a new ball.) 7. Get out the calipers that you used to measure the inside diameter of your jar. Match that measurement to the outside of the lid s lip. I m using Lid Master calipers here. One end is meant for measuring the inside, and the other end points the other way, to measure the outside. (See image in #4 to see what I mean.) Regular calipers will work fine, of course.

5 8. Throw a knob to attach to the top of the lid. 9. Carefully cut the piece off after forming it. I like to throw a bunch of knobs, so I can see which one looks best on which lid.

6 10. Trim the side that will be the top of the lid. 11. Decide which knob looks best (if you made several), then attach and smooth it. 12. Poke a hole for air and moisture to escape through, since the knob may be hollow. Then put damp paper towel on the lid where you d like to make a spoon notch. This will keep the spot pliable.

7 Next, you ll be making room for a spoon. This involves three alterations (steps 13-15). 13. On the lid, on the spot where the paper towel was, press up with your finger to make an upward-angled notch. 14. Do the same on the rim of the jar s body, pushing downward. Make the notch similar in size to the one on the lid. 15. For the spoon to be able to get into the jar, you may need to trim a space on the inner lip of the lid as well. Make sure it lines up with the space on the upper lip.

8 16. You re almost done. Center the body of the jar and trim the bottom. 17. Don t forget to make your mark, if you usually do that at this stage. Mine is a stamp on the foot. Sometimes I ll sign my name, but then, as I do that, I also sometimes end up putting a hole in the piece with my tool.

9 That s it! Let the piece dry slowly and evenly, and then finish as you wish. Hopefully this tutorial encourages you to think about different ways to finish jars and make them your own. The spoons in these photos of finished jars are ceramic. They look nice, but they are also pretty fragile. Small wood spoons or teaspoons with round handles look good, too.

10 Find more tutorials, see images & video, & learn about Jake and his work at About the Author Jake Johnson is a ceramic artist who currently lives and works in central Pennsylvania. He makes both functional and sculptural ceramic pieces. Jake studied ceramics at Bradley University and holds an MFA in ceramics from Penn State. His work has been exhibited throughout the United States. Editing and layout by Katie Densberger. Please feel free to print and share this document as you wish. That s its intention, so long as the author is credited and its content is not altered.