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Handmade
Piggy Banks are a
Turtle Creek Pottery FavoriteHandmade
piggy banks sure are "cute little porkers". We get lots of comments
about them. Without a doubt, they receive some of our
greatest compliments and question. Questions like, "How did you make
that?" If you have
ever wondered
how handmade pottery products are created, this page will
guide you
through the steps to making one of these cute little piggy banks. The process for other items is similar.  First,
the body of the pig is
handthrown on the potter's wheel. The shape is
basically a short cylinder with a narrow opening at the top.
Next,
the "pigs" are all set with the other thrown items on a shelf to dry.
Care is taken to make sure that they don't dry too quickly,
otherwise
these ceramic piggies will crack and break.
The
clay has to dry
until it is "leather hard." This basically means it is dry to the
touch, and is
no longer wet and sticky.
 But wait!!!! There is one
crucial step before these pigs can go and get their tan in the bisque.
These handmade piggy
banks get some more special treatment and receive
all of their eyes, ears, tails, and feet. Then they can spend some more
time drying.
Here's a list of the unique features
that each of these little porkers receive.
- handthrown
body that is roughly 6 or 7 inches tall
- just enough
clay to weigh a stout 2 pounds (approx.)
- eyes
- ears
- curly
tail
- and a signature from the artist, Katie Joy
Here's the transformation!  Aren't they cute!
 The kiln will be
heated slowly to about 1850 degrees! It takes about six hours to
complete, and another 12 hours just to cool down!
After
that, the handmade piggy banks are no longer soft clay, but hardened
pottery. They only need to get
their final glaze.
The pigs are dipped in glaze,
and set on a tray to dry; this only takes a few minutes. You can see
what the glazes look like below.
Then
it is back to the kiln
for ANOTHER firing--this time to 2350 degrees!
It
will take about 7 - 9 hours to fire, and a full 12 - 24 hours to cool
down to the point where they can be handled.
The
beauty of pottery is that
each of these handmade piggy banks are all
unique. The firing process can produce interesting
patterns and
characteristics in the glaze, and the clay can even be affected too.
No
matter what, these pigs exit
the kiln ready to go to someone special.
Handmade
Piggy Bank Colors
(as seen above) | | Galaxy (blue) | Burgundy | Antique Iron | Autumn Frost |
Do
you know someone special that could use a handmade piggy bank?
Show
them you care by giving them a
unique, one of a kind gift, as special as
they are. You can order one of these piggy banks in any of the
four
colors shown above.
Sorry, but
you cannot specify exact patterns,
sizes, or features. We never know what exactly will come out of the
kiln, and that is all part of the
mystery and magic of handmade pottery.
The
prices shown below include the perfect amount of packaging, insurance,
and care to make sure your
little porker
makes it to its destination in perfect condition.
 |  |  |  | GALAXY
$27 +$8.95
shipping | BURGUNDY
$27 +$8.95
shipping | ANTIQUE
IRON
$27 +$8.95
shipping | AUTUMN FROST
$27+$8.95
shipping |
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Prices above include shipping,
handling, and insurance to any location within the continental
United States. For Alaska, Hawaii, or International orders,
please contact
us.
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