At Lili & Co, we take immense pride in crafting our handmade platters, and each one is created with love and care. Our talented potters are dedicated to producing beautiful, high-quality pottery every day.

Step 1: Rolling the Clay

To begin the platter-making process, our skilled potters first roll out the clay using our specialized slab roller. This technique is essential for creating a consistent thickness across the entire surface of the clay. After years of hand-rolling with a traditional rolling pin, the slab roller is a game-changer for our potters, ensuring the perfect starting point every time.

The next step is placing our pottery template onto the freshly rolled stoneware (or earthenware) slab. The template helps to shape the platter, ensuring uniformity and precision.

Step 2: Marking and Decorating

Once the template is in place, we use a sponge to gently mark the edges of the platter. After removing the template, it’s time to get creative with the decoration. Pottery offers countless ways to express art, and here at Lili & Co, we have a particular love for imprinting.

We draw inspiration from nature, using elements from the local terrain to decorate the pottery. For instance, we push leaves into the clay, capturing the intricate veins of the leaves on the surface. Each leaf is used only once, creating a truly unique pattern. We also enjoy the delicate process of imprinting lace onto the clay, revealing intricate, beautiful patterns when the lace is peeled away.

Step 3: Shaping and Molding

After imprinting, we use a sharp knife to carefully cut around the template, removing any excess clay. The freshly cut platter is then placed on one of our handmade molds, which come in various shapes and sizes crafted by our talented pottery artisans.

To further bring the design to life, we apply colored slip (liquid clay) to the imprinted leaves and lace, gently filling the soft indents to highlight the textures. This adds depth and color, giving the platter its distinctive character.

Step 4: Smoothing and Drying

Once the clay reaches the “leather hard” stage, meaning it has firmed up but still retains some flexibility, we carefully rasp or sand the edges to smooth them out. This step helps create a strong, durable rim that is both functional and aesthetically pleasing.

After a few more hours of drying, the platter reaches its “bone-dry” state, at which point it is ready for firing.

Step 5: Bisque Firing

Our ceramics undergo two crucial firings before they’re ready for use. The first is called the bisque firing. During this process, the clay is heated to about 900°C, transforming the raw pottery into a biscuit-like, porous state. This makes it easier for the glaze to adhere, setting the stage for the next step.

Step 6: Glazing

Glazing is where the real magic happens. There are endless ways to glaze pottery, but for our platters, we use the classic dip technique. We dip the entire platter into a well-stirred bucket of glaze, ensuring full coverage, and then scrape the bottom clean. This layer of glaze adds a shiny texture, a beautiful finish to the piece and makes it food safe.

Step 7: Glaze Firing

After glazing, the platter is placed back into the kiln for its final firing. This “glaze firing” takes the ceramics to a scorching 1200°C (about five times hotter than your standard oven). The intense heat melts the glaze, creating a smooth, glossy surface and locking in the beautiful patterns.

The kiln slowly cools over the course of a day, and once it’s safe to open, we carefully unpack the pieces. Each platter is then inspected for any imperfections, leaks, or cracks, ensuring only the highest quality pieces make it to their new homes.

Step 8: Quality Control and Final Steps

After passing our rigorous quality control process, the platters are either shipped out to their new owners or placed on our shelves, awaiting their forever homes in our store.

At Lili & Co, every platter is a labor of love, and we take pride in the artistry and craftsmanship that goes into each piece. Whether you’re looking for a unique decorative platter or something functional for your kitchen, our pieces are made to bring beauty and joy to any home.