a cathartic start to 2013

A workshop clear out involving a hammer is a good way to start the year. I had some disastrous firings  just before Christmas and it was depressing to see the evidence sat there in front of me. Nothing like the satisfying tinkle of porcelain shards to clear the head!

Why my glazes came out so terribly I'm still not sure.

Any ceramic people reading this please help... I was expecting the following glaze to be white/transparent. Why did it come out brown?

1260 degrees centigrade, 30 min soak, oxidation

Potash Feldspar   34
Talc   22
Whiting   12
China Clay   15
Quartz   16

another burda liberty dress

Such a good pattern this one (Burda 9503). I just finished this second version. The first can be found here. The fabric is some Liberty stretch cotton that I bought from the amazing Fabrics Galore shop. It's a little thicker than the Tana Lawn and stretches across the grain. If you ignore the fact that I sewed the sleeves on to the wrong sides it's a pretty good job.