DIFFICULTY RATING
BEFORE YOU BEGIN:
Make and dry your mould following the method in issue 81.
In this project, we’re demonstrating how to make a pear in three ways, with the addition of stamped decoration, so there is a method for everyone, from basic to advanced.
METHOD 1: PRESS MOULDING A PEAR
YOU WILL NEED:
■ A 2-part mould of a pear
■ A smooth white clay – earthenware or stoneware
■ Rolling pin, 3-5mm thick roller guides, plastic sheet, sponge
■ A bee stamp – ours is from MKM tools, but you will find silicone stamps of insects in most craft outlets
1 Prepare a block of clay that will fill both halves of the mould.
Working on the sheet of plastic, reduce the bulk of the clay by beating it with the side of your rolling pin. Work in measured, even strokes from one side of the clay to the other, to avoid making deep grooves in the surface.
Roll out the clay between the roller guides. You will find that periodically turning the slab will make rolling much easier and give you more control to achieve the approximate shape you
