Prep

 It's all in the prep isn't it? I was making jelly the past week or so ago and to get to the point of making the jelly I needed to make the juice. There is a point that you need to hang the cheesecloth of jelly bag and just let it drip. This is probably my least favorite thing to do, but I do it, because it needs to be done.
It makes me think of making pottery and that most people love the making part of the process but hate the glazing part. I understand this but it makes me wonder why we can be so comfortable with one part of what we do but just hate another part. If you hate it that much are you in the right place with your work? I think we hate the unknown. We have a set picture in our mind of the finished work, if we are lucky if comes out just like the picture.
But, there is the unknown; is the glazed mixed correctly, is the amount of water to dry correct, have we prepped the piece in order to accept the glaze without an issue.
 I find the most common mistake is that most people do not mix a glaze well. They might not get deep into the bottom of the bucket, leaving a lot of material on the bottom of the bucket, making the glaze too thin.
The glaze is lumpy, clumpy and they just use it, if it is lumpy the time you spend to sieve the glaze is well worth the results that you will get.
You mix the glaze once, just once, not mixing it after every dip.
You have to keep a glaze constantly stirred, as soon as you stop, it begins to settle.
You mess up and wash your pot, it is now soaking wet, then you try to glaze it again.
Don't, it needs to dry out completely before you glaze it again. (say at least 24 hours if not more)

Thinking about the process of what you are doing and paying full attention will give you your best results, don't rush, don't talk, line things up, take notes, think before you dip.

  We all know the feeling we get as we are making pots and it is all working, we are in the groove.
You can find that same groove while glazing.
Trust me.

Here's the messy part of working in the kitchen, but the view is great out the window.
My other advice, is one needs windows.
Time to check the kiln.
Later!
M