Throwing Travel Cups + Slow Handmade Living | Pottery Tips from Our Straw Bale Homestead

Welcome back to my channel. This is where I share all things handmade — pottery tutorials, beginner-friendly wheel tips, slow living, sewing, and daily life on our straw bale homestead in the Canadian countryside. My name is Janna, and I’ve been working with clay for over 30 years, with 25 years of pottery teaching experience.

In today’s video, I’m throwing travel cups on the wheel — the same ones I’ll be selling at our little self-serve stand on our property and at a small market shop in the nearby hamlet. I’ll show you how I shape travel cups so that silicone lids fit properly, how to make sure the cup fits a standard cup holder, and how I reclaim my clay.

I also chat a bit about my pottery journey, from taking my first class at 15 to attending the Ceramics program at Sheridan College, selling my work in galleries and craft shows, and eventually moving out to the countryside to build our straw bale home and studio from the ground up. Life has taken a lot of turns — from selling work in Toronto, to running guest suites, to squeezing my wheel into my husband’s office — but I love this balanced, handmade life.

Alongside pottery, I sew nearly all of our clothing. This week I’m working on a hoodie (or bunny hug if you’re from Saskatchewan!) for my husband and joggers for our boys.

As the season shifts, I’m giving myself permission to slow down and prepare for winter on the homestead and simply creating space to breathe and ground myself.

How are you spending this mid-November time? How do you slow down and create space in your life when you get too busy?

Thank you for being here.
Be well, and I’ll see you soon.

Janna

Clothing Patterns I’m Wearing:

Patina Blouse – Friday Pattern Company
Athena Blouse – Anna Allen
Dawn Jeans – Megan Nielsen
Partner Overalls – Ready to Sew
Namaste Coat – Coralie Bijasson
Seasons Cardigan – Ozetta

Patterns I Sewed This Week:

Conroe Sweatshirt (hoodie) – Blank Slate Patterns
Joggers – Lowland Kids

All fabric from Simplifi Fabric and Blackbird Fabric

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