Shrink Pot Making Course

 

 This weekend I spent a day at the Makers Barn learning how to make shrink pots.

So first, if you haven't come across the Makers Barn yet, then you really should have a look.  Based just outside Petworth and only open Friday and Saturday it is an old barn in the middle of a field full of the most amazing collection of arts and crafts from local makers.  It's a great place to visit if you have a birthday coming up or need inspiration for Christmas for instance.

 

Anyway, this year Rosie has started inviting local makers to come and run workshops at the barn.  When I saw the shrink pots course on the website, I just had to book.  I've been fascinated by them for years. 

The course was run by Chris Matthews, who was so generous with his knowledge and helped us all end the day with a finished pot. 

 

I say finished but mine isn't quite.  The idea of a shrink pot is you work with very green wood which is quite wet - you can feel this when working with it.  As it dries it will shrink sealing the bottom of the pot, but it does mean that I can't finish my lid until I know how small it needs to be.

I'm getting ahead of myself.

Firstly we had to cut chunks of wood from freshly cut branches to become our pots.  I went with Sycamore. 

 

Then you drill a hole down the middle, and chip away the excess leaving you with a hollow cylinder. 

Next I cut off the bark and gave it texture.  If I had left the bark on, it would have fallen off as the pot shrunk. 

 

Then you make a bottom for your pot.  I used red cedar, which smelt lovely.  This has to be cut and shaped to be just a little bigger than the bottom of your pot.  Then with some careful tapping you pop it in.  I was very pleased with how mine fitted.  At this point you should be able to see a little daylight round it, but this will disappear as it dries.

 

Then you can make a lid.  There are many options for this.  I ended up with some spalted beech with a cedar tenon which will hold it in place once the pot is dry and I know how big to make it. 

Some of the class made lids that twisted, or one like mine but with different details.   The options really are massive. 

It was a really lovely relaxed day.  Lunch was tasty and we were blessed with the weather.  It's a great location and I'll be keeping an eye on the website to see what other courses Rosie puts on next year. 

And I've got a lovely pot and the knowledge to make more, if I can find some green wood and convince 'im outdoors to let me use a corner of his workshop.  (I can't have sawdust in the studio!)