Braided handles have become one of my trademarks. But in the beginning they came more from necessity than flair.
Most ceramic handles are made by stretching and smoothing a rope of clay. For the longest time, though, I couldn’t get the hang of that technique. Many of my early mugs had handles sharp enough to cut. Ergonomically speaking, that leaves something to be desired, so braided handles became a crutch.
My college ceramics professor eventually taught me how to pull a traditional handle. I do them now without trouble. But I’ve grown fond of my braided clay. Now it graces many of my fanciest pieces. Smooth firm grips are good and well, but a cord of three strands is hard to break.
