Make Your Own Mug
No wheel required — build a genuinely one-of-a-kind mug entirely by hand using pinch and slab techniques, the way pottery started.
Duration
90 minutes
Group size
Up to 8 guests
Price
₹1,500 / person
Skill level
Beginner — no experience needed
Age
8 and up
Takeaway
After firing · 2–3 weeks
Book this workshop
This is the mug you'll actually reach for every morning — because you made it, slightly wonky handle and all. Using pinch and slab hand-building techniques (no wheel needed), you'll shape, join, and finish a mug entirely with your hands, at your own pace, with Madhumita guiding the joins so it holds up to daily use.
What you'll do
You'll start by pinching a small ball of clay into a rough vessel form — pressing your thumb into the center and slowly turning and thinning the walls, the oldest hand-building technique there is. From there, Madhumita will show you how to roll out a clay slab and cut/shape a handle, then — the trickiest part — how to properly score and slip the joins so the handle actually stays attached through drying and firing rather than cracking off (a common first-timer mistake she'll help you avoid).
Once your form and handle are joined, you'll smooth the seams, refine the shape and rim, and optionally add texture or simple surface decoration before choosing a glaze. The result is a genuinely personal, slightly imperfect, entirely yours ceramic mug.
The session, step by step
- 01Welcome, apron on, intro to pinch and slab techniques
- 02Pinch your base vessel form
- 03Roll and cut a slab for your handle
- 04Score, slip, and attach the handle properly
- 05Smooth seams, refine shape and rim
- 06Optional texture/surface decoration
- 07Choose your glaze
- 08Studio dries, bisque-fires, and glaze-fires your mug
What's included
Clay, all tools, glaze of your choice, guided instruction, and chai.
Wear & bring
Clothes you don't mind getting a bit dusty/clay-streaked. Tie back long hair. No specific footwear needed — hand-building is less messy than wheel work.
Who this is for
Anyone who wants a genuinely practical, everyday takeaway (a mug you'll use, not just display), guests intimidated by the wheel, and families or friend groups who want to sit together and work at a shared table rather than individual wheels.
Meet Madhumita
Madhumita believes hand-building is the most honest entry point into pottery — no machine, no wheel, just clay and your hands. She pays particular attention to handle-joining technique in this session, since it's the single most common reason a first-timer's mug doesn't survive firing intact.
— ceramic artist & founder, Studio Mita
Good to know
Will the handle actually hold?+
If scored, slipped, and joined properly — which Madhumita checks on every piece before it goes to firing — yes. This is the main technical risk in hand-built mugs, and it's specifically addressed in this session.
Can I make something other than a mug?+
The session is structured around mug-making (pinch base + slab handle), but Madhumita can usually accommodate a small bowl or cup instead if you'd rather skip the handle step.
Is this good for kids?+
Yes — ages 8 and up, and it's generally less physically demanding than the wheel-throwing session.
Cancellation
Cancel at least 24 hours before your slot for a full refund.
Accessibility
The studio is on the 1st floor, stairs only. Contact us in advance with accessibility questions.
Getting here
First Floor, Ghoomakkad New Bldg, Rakkar Rd, Rakkar, Himachal Pradesh 176057. Directions
₹1,500/ person
90 minutes · weekends