Millie's Pottery

Earthenware made by hand, one turn of the wheel at a time

Millie's Pottery shapes, glazes and fires everyday ceramics: mugs for the morning, vases for the windowsill, plates for the table and pieces made simply to be looked at.

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What comes off the wheel

Every piece starts as a lump of clay and ends up somewhere in your home. These are the four families of work we make.

Mugs

Thrown to sit well in the hand, with a pulled handle and a glaze that stops short of the foot so the warm clay shows through.

Vases

Tall and squat forms for a single stem or a full bunch, dipped in glaze so the colour runs and pools as it fires.

Plates

Side plates and serving plates with the throwing rings left in the surface, made for food rather than for a cabinet.

Decorative pieces

Interior objects for shelves, mantels and sills: rounded jars, bowls and forms that bring a little clay into a room.

From lump of clay to finished piece

Handmade ceramics take time. Each piece passes through the same four stages, and each stage leaves its mark.

  1. Wedging and throwing

    The clay is kneaded to remove air, centred on the wheel and pulled up into its shape by hand.

  2. Trimming and drying

    Once leather-hard, the base is trimmed to form a foot, handles are joined, and the piece dries slowly.

  3. First firing and glazing

    A first firing hardens the clay. Glaze is then brushed, poured or dipped over the surface.

  4. Glaze firing

    The second firing melts the glaze into glass. Only after the kiln cools do we see how each piece turned out.

Why no two pieces are the same

Earthenware is one of the oldest ways of working clay. It has a warm, earthy body and takes glaze in soft, deep colours.

Because every piece is thrown and glazed by hand, sizes shift a little, glaze thickens where it pools, and throwing lines stay visible under the surface. Those differences are part of the work, not flaws in it.

If you are choosing a set, expect pieces that belong together rather than pieces that match exactly.

Illustration of a dipped vase: teal glaze over the upper half, running down into bare terracotta clay with throwing lines around the body.

For people who love clay

Whether you throw pots yourself, collect them, or are simply curious about how a mug gets its handle, we're happy to talk about the work. Ask about a glaze, a form or a piece you have seen, and we'll reply by email.

Ask a question

Send an enquiry

Tell us which pieces you're interested in, or ask anything about the work. We reply by email.

Enquiry sent. Thank you, we'll reply by email.