Vanessa Stevens

Making a Ceramic Tea Light Candle Holder

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The goal of my ceramic project is to create a beautiful tea light candle holder.
First, you need to make sure that you put on protective gear (aprons).
Then, gather approximately two handfuls of Longhorn White clay using the clay pull.
Next, wedge the clay by throwing it onto the table for up to 30 minutes to make sure that
there are no air bubbles. Try to keep the clay in a solid form to diminish air bubbles.
5. Once you have wedged the clay, place the clay between two wooden strips
6. Slowly roll out the clay between the strips using a rolling pin.
7. Roll the clay until it is smooth and is about inch thick.
8. Cut 5 different squares that are 4 inches tall and 4 inches wide using a fettling knife
(these will be the sides and bottom of the candle holder).
9. On each of the 4 slabs, cut out the design (below) using the fettling knife.
a. Place design on clay slabs and cut around the pattern provided below
10. Once you have cut the design into all four sides, bevel all the edges of the clay
11. Assemble the clay together following the pattern in the ceramics handout on page 3-18
12. Add slip to the edges to adhere the pieces to each other and make a strengthened joint
between all edges of the candle holder
13. Smooth out any remaining cracks using your fingers, adding slip, or using a lightly
dampened sponge.
14. Finally, carve your initials into the bottom of the clay candle holder using a needlepoint
and lace tool or sgraffito and cleanup tool and youre done!
Examples of finished product
Ceramic Tea Light Candle
Holders

Example of slab method (mine will have 5

square pieces all 4 in. tall and 4 in. wide)