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What Weight Of Clay For Wool Bowls


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50 grams (1.75 oz) would fit in a mug sized container (using a ball of paton's kroy socks as an example--acrylic/viscose/cotton have different densities). 1-1.5 lbs would be plenty for a small ball. 150 grams (5.25 oz) might require 2-2.5 lbs?

 

Alan R T Smith is the grand master of yarn bowls. If you're on the potter's network on Facebook, you can easily track him down. Well worth a look.

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Alan R T Smith is the grand master of yarn bowls. If you're on the potter's network on Facebook, you can easily track him down. Well worth a look.

 

Wow! I found his etsy page, some yarn bowls posted there. I wonder how many of the 300- price ones he sells in relation to the 75- ones? The more expensive ones seem like they would be far more than 4 times the work. Think he is using molds for some of the animal pieces? On the last pages of his etsy sold pages there are pretty identical looking pots with griffins and elephants.

https://www.etsy.com/shop/earthwoolfire

 

I make just over 200 yarn bowls a year, all the same size, from 2 lb 12oz of clay. There is always someone who wants one bigger or smaller but the majority of customers are good with this size. 

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2 to 2 1/2 lbs, or whatever you'd use for a generous soup bowl. Check with your LYS, and see what size their customers want the most of. I was surprised to find out that people want them smaller more than larger, at least in my area. That said, I had a lady order a 4 lb lidded yarn jar from me so she could fit a full skein of chunky weight wound on one of those centre pull ball winders.

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I would use 3 to 4 lbs of clay to make a yarn bowl. The extra weight stays near the bottom for a functional reason. But, as I am not a knitter, might be on the extra large size.

You don't need the extra weight. The weight of a regulqr pottery bowl is sufficient to keep 100g of fibre in place, and you don't have to pull the yarn very hard to get it to unwind. If you do, it messes with your tension.

3-4 lbs is generous, but if people are buying them, I wouldn't argue with them too loudly.

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I make three sizes,

 

1.5 to 2 lbs for that tiny sock yarn

2 to 2.5 lbs standard for most other yarn (most purchased size)

3 to 5 lbs for bulk or chunky yarn

 

I'm a knitter and I crochet, for me the most important aspect of a yarn bowl is where the yarn sits and comes out of, if the glaze miss behaves and its not glass smooth it can snag your yarn. I've noticed a surprisingly large yarn ball can fit in a small yarn bowl and still roll out smoothly.  

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Babs, maybe we should be saying the finished size of the yarn bowls we make and not the amount of clay we use. I throw with 2lb 12 oz and the bowls are approx 6 3/4" top diameter and 3 3/4" tall, with a trimmed foot. 

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Thanks all, I threw some yesterday using 21/2lbs, had a 200gm ball as a size guide, not many knit with the real biggies, made the inners really smooth by ribbing so if that possum hasn't had a mate hiding I'll be onto throwing a kiln load of other stuff and report back soon.

How close to the bottom do you curve the 6?

Knitters out there, is it necessary to actually cut the rim of the bowl, threading the yarn thro without this a prob?

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Knitters out there, is it necessary to actually cut the rim of the bowl, threading the yarn thro without this a prob?

The idea with the opening in the rim is that if you want to take your project in and out of the bowl, you can. Lots of people knit on their commutes, or work on more than one thing at a time.

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Thanks Deisel clay, only the obvious escapes me!!!!

Possums cleared 2 attempsts at these THird time lucky I hope.

There was discussion re. leaving the rim intact then grinding off when fully dry, was that the gist or what? To prevent warping..

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reading a lot about warping in another post, if the slit from rim is more vertical would this lead to less warping? Assuming that the shape of cut out is a simple 6

 

sorry but no help here, all mine are 3 cm wide at the top of the cutout. i would guess you are right though. love to see yours when they are finished.

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YIp will post, relatives visiting for a while as of Friday so no potting till after that  bit thingie here about people threatening to lurk in my area.... 

Spending a lot of time on own , constant conversation may drive me down there behind locked doors...

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reading a lot about warping in another post, if the slit from rim is more vertical would this lead to less warping? Assuming that the shape of cut out is a simple 6

 

yes, it has been my experience that the smaller the slit or less curly or wavy the less chance for warping. you want to leave enough space between the hole and the rim tho cause if the loop is too close to the top you create a weak spot and even after a glaze firing can snap off with a good bump.

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My yarn bowls are between 3 and 4 pounds.  I make most of them with the cut on one side and holes in the opposite side, for variety.  The local knitting groups have stressed how important it is to have a smooth surface where the yarn touches.  I do occasionally get some warping, but less once I stopped using bmix or porcelain.  I use a smooth body white stoneware. 

 

r.

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