Sling Mould – flower print dish

 Today we had a demo in making Sling or Slump Moulds.

You create a sling over a frame, using a towel (or other fabric) – but first you need to find a form.

I had an idea that a lampshade frame would make a good form, so I trotted off to the charity shop to see what I could find.  I found a vintage lampshade that was plastic with a veneer inside.

I draped a towel across the top of the lampshade and tied it tightly with string. 

Then I rolled out my clay and laid it over the top.

Very carefully, with a slightly damp sponge, I eased the clay down onto the towel sling.

Once I was happy with the depth, it was time to trim off the excess.

Then it was time to smooth the whole thing out and make it all neat and tidy.

I decided I would like to experiment and see how rubber stamps might work. I only had a set of two different sized flowers, so went with those.  Have now decided to get some more in different designs 😊

Really pleased with how this turned out – now it was time to cover it lightly and wait for it to become leather hard so I could trim it a little.

Once leather hard, I could trim the lip off a little and tidy it up, then it was ready to dry properly and be fired.

Watch this space for the next update on this dish  :)