DROP-IN FAQs - STUDENTS 

Is there a teacher there to help me? 

Our drop-in sessions are run by a volunteer ‘Mentor’. They help us to by taking care of the studio in exchange for using the time to work on their own practice. They will be there to answer basic studio questions but they are not there to teach anyone during the session.

How long will you keep my work for me? 

Unfired work which is still in progress will be kept on the Drop-In shelf for four weeks. If after four weeks it is still on the shelf, it will be recycled. 

Bisque and glazed work will be kept for 2 months in the boxes at the studio. Please come and collect your work as soon as possible :)

After leaving a piece for bisque firing, how long should I wait before coming back to glaze it?

We’d recommend leaving it for two full weeks (three in colder weather) before coming back to glaze it. 

I booked a session but now I can’t make it. Do you do refunds/can I change the date of my  booking? 

Our Drop-In sessions are non-refundable, however we do appreciate a degree of flexibility is required. Therefore we allow rescheduling to a different Drop-In date up to two weeks before your original booking. If your session is more than 14 days from now, please contact our Office Manager who will be able to assist you in changing the date. 

Can I bring in my own glazes and slips? 

Because we want to ensure the safety of our kilns, the only other glazes we allow are Spectrum underglazes. We fire up to 1235°C.

Do you have a slab roller/extruder I can use? 

At SkandiHus, we make all our slabs and coils/handles by hand, so we don’t have a slab roller or extruder for student use. 

What kind of clay do you use? 

We use is a buff stoneware, which is a smooth, sandy-coloured clay from a family run business in Stoke-on-Trent. 

What glaze colours do you have? 

All students are allowed to use Stine’s glazes. Several examples can be seen on the glaze section of our website. We also have example tiles of all our student glazes at both studios. 

Can I use wax resist when glazing? 

We don’t allow use of wax resist in our studios as we don't have sufficient ventilation on the kilns. 

Can I bring in materials from elsewhere to use in the studio? 

If you have particular throwing/modelling tools or stencils, you are more than welcome to bring them with you. We’d recommend labelling your tools to ensure they don’t get mixed in with the SkandiHus tools. 

We don’t allow use of external clays, glazes or oxide washes in our studio. We allow the use of Spectrum underglazes but please check that they fire to stoneware (1240 degrees celsius). Please avoid using chamois to smooth work. These end up in the reclaim and can cause problems for our studio assistants.

Are there any limits on what I can make in the sessions?

Each student can fill one work-board measuring 24 x 41 cm in a session. Only one board per person is allowed at any given time. We allow attendees to make one plate per person per six weeks (the same limit applies to all our students). The maximum for other pieces is 25cm x 10cm or 10cm x 25cm (skinny and tall or wide and short are okay). We can’t accommodate those wishing to work on large commissions, but otherwise there are no restrictions to what you can make in these sessions. 

I have a friend I want to teach pottery to. Can I use these sessions to teach them? No, these sessions are not intended for private teaching. Please only book a spot on these sessions if you have pottery experience.

We hope you enjoy the sessions. Happy potting!