Christmas pottery ideas: 7 handmade gifts to make

A piece you made yourself is the gift people remember. Good news: you don’t need a wheel for it. The seven ideas below are all slab-built from a template printed at actual size, with firing shrinkage already accounted for.

Start now: the timeline

Ceramics can’t be rushed. A piece has to dry slowly, then go through two firings: the bisque, then the glaze. Allow several weeks between shaping and taking it out of the kiln, and longer if you fire at a shared studio where kiln loads are grouped.

Check your studio’s firing dates now, and leave some margin for a piece that doesn’t make it.

Too late to fire? Air-dry clay still works for decorative gifts: see our air-dry clay templates.

7 pottery gift ideas

1. An espresso cup and saucer

For the coffee lover: a small cup with a matching saucer. The complete template for the set, with the order of work, is yours when you sign up through the “Founders template” box on this page.

Level: Intermediate · See the cup template

2. A mug

The classic that gets used every day. A rolled wall, a base and a handle: the template adapts to the capacity you want.

Level: Intermediate · Open the mug template

3. A candle holder

A cylinder pierced with small stars or patterns, so the candlelight draws on the walls. Quick to make, and perfect for winter evenings.

Level: Easy · Open the cylinder template

4. A lidded box

For jewellery, tea or spices. A box with a lid that really fits always makes an impression under the tree.

Level: Intermediate · Open the box template

5. A cookie plate

A plate with a small rim for Christmas cookies, which will keep being used all year. Use a food-safe glaze.

Level: Easy · Open the plate template

6. A trinket dish

The easiest gift to get right. Ideal if you’re a beginner, or if you’re making one for everyone in the family.

Level: Easy · Open the rimmed dish template

7. A small faceted vase

A geometric vase for a few sprigs of fir or holly. Its flat panels are easy to cut from the template.

Level: Intermediate · Open the faceted vase template

Mistakes to avoid before Christmas

• Drying too fast to save time. It’s the main cause of cracks. Dry slowly, under loose plastic.

• Forgetting shrinkage. Your mug would come out smaller than planned. The tool compensates if you start from your finished sizes (see how much does clay shrink?).

• A glaze that isn’t food safe on a mug or plate. Check your glaze’s data sheet before you give the piece.

FAQ

How long does it take to make a ceramic mug?

Shaping takes an hour or two, but then comes slow drying and two firings. In practice, allow several weeks between the day you build the mug and the day you can give it.

Can you make pottery gifts without a kiln?

Yes, with air-dry clay, which hardens in the air. It suits decorative pieces (trinket dish, candle holder with an LED candle, small box), not mugs or plates.

Read also: 8 pottery ideas without a wheel