I rewound to the beginning where you showed the pumpkin and there was not a hole in the bottom. I am 99.9% sure that is why it exploded. That was the first thing our instructor taught us when making pinch pot pumpkins.......gotta have a hole in the bottom for it to survive the kiln. So sorry this happened to you.
@ritamann2855 Julia said she doesn't normally add holes in small pieces and they don't have any issues. I have to be honest I never even gave it a thought as I've never made a closed form, and just treated it like any other piece and just made sure it was dry. I'm far more informed now if ever I go down that route.
Awww how heartbreaking especially because of all of the memories in the items - I don’t have any tips but I’m crossing my fingers and toes that there can be some things done to fix the jug and lattice bowl x
@laneyscraftingcreations431 thankyou, I'm crossing everything possible too! At least I've nothing to lose by attempting a fix, on this occasion ita worth trying for the memories. I'll keep you posted.
Oh Jeanette I feel soooo horrible for you. I know they were so super special to you and I hate that!! Unfortunately that pumpkin was just too thick and definitely needed a hole. I only handbuild and one thing we go by to tell if things are dry enough to go into the kiln is if it feels cold. If it’s cold when you touch it with your hand or if you put it up to your cheek and it’s still cold it means it needs to dry more. But… I do pray your pieces turn out when you fire them again. For the basket all I can think of is making a base for it that it will stick to permanently and trying to glaze fire the pieces together on that. For one if it doesn’t hold up then the pieces will be on the base and it will also help to hold those pieces together. Does that make sense? I think for the vase I would only glaze the areas that don’t have the crack. That way it is less likely to open the cracks more but you still have the piece with the things you learned in class. It does look like it got hit by something since the crack isn’t down the entire seem AND there are cracks going across. I pray you can save them!
@micheledickey4066 oh Michele I was hoping to hear from you woth you wise words...but I actually started the 'repair attempt' yesterday! After much feedback I've attempted to fill the crack in the jug and reassemble the basket (of sorts). Highly unlikely they will survive but nothing to lose apart from time and the smallest chance I may end up with something to sit on my memory shelf. I'll keep you updated! Thanks as always for the hints, tips, experience and advice xx
OHhhhhhh Nooooo Jeanette!! 😢😮😢😮🤬..it’s the air trapped for sure! Even if you add a vent hole as the clay shrinks the hole can fill in. I had the exact same thing happen…to a pumpkin!! You had a more catastrophic blow out..totally sucks! As for the crack in the vase, it will probably open up even more in the glaze fire…sorry to be the bearer of bad news. I know you have the memories, so I would fire it with clear. If it goes wrong.. fill it with grout and add gold. It won’t be functional but it could be beautiful.. thanks for sharing the underglaze and stencils.. so fun!
Thanks Sarah, I couldn't hide how gutted I was in the video lol. I'm thinking I may try the paper clay with added clear glaze and ground bisque to try to fill the crack, which 'may' stop it from cracking even wider, but I'm doubtful. If it can survive to just be decorative on my memory shelf I'll be happy. Some lessons learnt for sure :(
Ohhhh Jeanette my heart broke too watching this😭 I think it's worth trying some paper clay in the crack and re bisque, as it dries it will shrink so keep filling till it's smooth, I think it's worth trying. Alternatively if you feel it may crack further use it as is and fill with tile grout and gold epoxy resin it like kintsugi and use it for your brushes, utensils or dried flower/feather arrangement. Typical isn't it that this is the one time when there were precious items in it. I'm so sorry it was the pumpkin I made that caused this whole problem 😭 sending big hugs❤❤❤
So sad wasn't it, with so many memories in those pieces. But we had such a brilliant trip didn't we, those memories will stay forever. I want to try to fill the crack I think, and try to glaze fire so I can have a clear gloss on the outside. I read that using paper clay with added ground up bisque clay (of the same clay) and clear gloss can be used to fill a crack. It would have to be built up in stages but my logic is telling me its worth a try. I may even try on the bowl as nothing to lose there either. Put it down as an experiment? The jug may be nothing to do with the pumpkin exploding, it seems too coincidental that the crack started near the base of the seam at the back - but that doesn't explain the hairline cracks going horizontal which may be from impact? No need to apologise, these things happen, just a shame it happened on this precious kiln load. Big hugs, always xxx
Thankyou, crazy how attached you can get to some pieces you make. I loved the jug too, that was the one that broke my heart 💔 (Dramatic I know...but true 😆)
Thankyou, I do love the basket, good idea for outdoor garden. I may consider that as an option. I just wish the mishap hadn't happened to pieces that had so much sentimental attachment. Always the way isnt it.
Hi Jeannette I feel your pain. I’ve had pieces taken out the same way. Biggest tip I can give you is to do a long candle in the firing. I hold my kiln at 180F 82c for 2 hours to make sure all the water is out of the clay. A sealed pice will not explode just from trapped air. However a little water inside makes a dandy explosion. Its best to slow to med bisque your pices
@allenfitz1 that's really interesting to help understand what maybe happened and how to avoid in future. I may adapt my bisque fire in the same way. Thanks so much, very helpful.
Don't think the pumpkin broke the jug it looks like the handle has caused the crack if it was flying debre it would be more of a chunk out of it I always wrap jugs to even put it may be driving it home it didn't dry as you would have been in your studio hope this helped I may be wrong just an idea
@maryglancy9024 I agree i don't think it was the pumpkin that caused the jug to crack. The handle was applied 3 days after the jug was made but it was wrapped before during and after to tey to equal our the moisture which seemed to happen but it could be, for sure.
Guten Morgen liebe Jeanette, ich kann so nachfühlen, wie traurig Du über dieses Ergebnis bist. Soviel Mühe und Zeit investiert. Ich habe mich gewundert, dass der Kürbis unten kein größeres Luftloch hatte, oder eine andere Öffnung. Da er auch ziemlich dickwandig ist, konnte wahrscheinlich keine Restfeuchte als Gas entweichen und es kam zu dieser Explosion. Meine Erfahrung ist, immer Löcher in den Boden zu machen und solche Teile dann auf Füße beim Schrühbrand zu stellen. Das nächste schöne Projekt wird gelingen und die Technik mit den aufgebrachten Schmetterlingen o.ä. ist ganz wundervoll. Alles Liebe, Ines (aus Norddeutschland) 🤗😘
@frauscharflein3070 I appreciate your kind words and advice for the future thankyou. So sad to have the explosion, but always learning frome experiences. Just hope I can find a solution to keep the jug for decoration only. Kind wishes from UK.
Jeanette--- 2 to 1 your pumpkin exploded due to an undetected air pocket well inside the wall. I once agreed to fire a friend's piece. Sensing it was rather thick, I put it on the bottom shelf by itself. Sure enough, it ruptured but only affected that area-- the rest of my pieces were safe. Chubby walls as I call them are always a risk. So, you'll be more careful the next time!
@@PamelaRoss-qh6jh that's a good idea If there is concern over a piece exploding to give it a shelf of its own! I'd like to try a closed form soon, just got so many different thing I want to experiment with, it's what to do next lol
@@FarForestCeramics Throw the spoon off the hump---Sooo, much easier. As to the chucky piece shelf placement, make it the bottom shelf. Gravity is in your favor--- pieces fall downward not upward. Continued success. LMK how it works for you. -P
Thank you for sharing the bad as well as the good. I hate that this happened to you and I know how disheartening it is but to know I am not alone in my firing mishaps helps give me hope to keep trying.
I appreciate that, thankyou. Its very easy to just post the good times, but its the challenges, the mishaps, the failures that make the success's so amazing isnt it. Its always a learning process, which I love, but this one....oh it took the wind out my sails so much, I was quite emotional LOL. Its a wonderful hobby with so many emotions attached and 99% of them I love LOL
Hi Jeanette, it is so sad to see the disaster happened to the pieces you made together with Julia on your outing together. Yes those pieces have a story, they have a heart. With this video you made me thinking too, as many here i read in the comments, of how you maybe can fix it. Just thinking; can you fill the crack up with a stable glaze? And if it is not filled up completely after the fire, fill it up more and refire? Maybe you can test that out first on a bowl or plate or cup with a crack in it? I don't know, I'm just a beginner, make ceramics for 2 years now, but can we try? Then for your basket maybe bisc fix. I have this experience i can share. I made a fish platter a shallow bowl shaped. It was bisc fired and in my car on the way home the tail broke off. The lady from the community kiln glued the tail back on for me with bisc fix. I then glazed the whole piece also over the bisc fix line. Then we glaze fired it as normal and it came out good. The fish bowl is still okay and it feels strong enough that it will stay on. I have it on a stand in my glass cabinet. I don't no what it will do when i actually use the platter.... I would like to hear what you are going to do and how it turns out. And Jeanette, your outing with Julia is in your heart, unforgettable moments and beautiful pictures, as we all could see in your video. No-one can take that away, also not that disastrous kiln fire. Love Sheila ♡
@Skarande-1 that's some great suggestions, thanks! It's worth a try but I totally agree with you the memories will always remain even if they don't survive. Just going to keep everything crossed and hope the kiln gods are kind, like they were for your fish platter. Thanks as always for the support and kind words ;)
@Tjsclaycreations Thanks Trace, I couldn't believe it when I opened the kiln. Took me a few days to get over it. Just got to try to see what I can salvage now for my memory shelf:)
Its something ive been wanting to do for a while, and i have the opportunity now to expand my home studio on 2 floors!!!!! So im going to incorporate a memory shelf as part of the plan ;)@Tjsclaycreations
Hi from across the pond :), I didn't make the pumpkin, it was a gift from a potter friend, and having not made any closed forms myself it was not something I even considered to look for. I don't believe it did have a breathing hole.
@@FarForestCeramics future reference. You can use a drill bit by hand while its still dry and make a hole in bottom. Sorry for your loss. We all have been there and if not they will. 🎃
OHHHHH! Jeannette, my heart sank when you shared the sad news. I have no idea how to fix the piece except maybe kintsugi. Let us know how you make out! 😘
@AudreyLynnStudios thankyou, I was beyond gutted. Took me a couple of days to get over it lol.crazy how you can become so invested and attached to certain pieces! I've nothing to lose having a go to try, but hoping there may be some good advice so I have the best possible chance to save them for decirational purposes only. I'll keep you updated 😘
Oh Jeanette I’m soooo sorry! Yes u def need to poke a hole in an enclosed form. Because they r full Of air when they shrink they explode if nowhere for air to go. The paper stencils r amazing tho how did u make them?? Nat xx
@mudmagic407 if I make any enclosed forms myself ill try that out. The physics makes logical sense. I had the paper stencils in my crafting supplies, but nowbI have a cricut machine for my birthday I'm hoping tocut my own designs. Just need to work out how to use it now lol!
@mudmagic407 yes, just checked. They were from Temu £1 for 10. Search for 'paper butterfly scrabooking' and Vintage Butterfly lace paper.hope that helps.
