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mug and strainer/ from 'holes in teapot'

updated tue 6 aug 02

 

Hendrix, Taylor J. on mon 5 aug 02


Rick,

I picked up a mug in Chinatown when I went to New York for spring break. =
I had seen one before, and I was determined to buy one. I have several =
Asian students (I teach English as a second language) and they keep =
giving me teas. I guess telling them every so often that I am a =
teaoholic encourages them!

Anyway. The cup often comes with a strainer that fits into the mug and =
a lid that keeps in the heat while the leaves steep. I drink oolong and =
other such teas, so popping the strainer back in for a second or even a =
third cup is easy, and according to my students quite normal.

I am such a tea drinker that I told my pottery teacher about the mugs. =
I told her I wanted to try to make one. She thought I was a bit crazy, =
but she lets me try anything. It was my second time on the wheel, and =
by golly if I didn't throw a passable mug, strainer and lid. Used an =
old baseball as a hump mold for the lid--you can still see the laces on =
the underside of the lid. The strainer will need quite a few holes and =
they can't be too big. My major problem is that I threw the strainer a =
bit too thick and it displaces quite a bit of water. Less tea for me!

When I get a bit more practice throwing thinner walls, I'm going to have =
another go at a tea mug. They are fun.

Taylor
sweatin' to the oldies in central Texas

-----Original Message-----
From: Rick Hugel [mailto:rjh@BLUE.OCN.NE.JP]
Sent: Saturday, August 03, 2002 4:05 AM
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Subject: Re: holes in teapot


"CLING-ONS" Is that something like the creatures from Star Trek, or am =
I
mixing my synonyms?

On a more serious |:| line, the cups you describe are easily found in
Europe. They're for brewing a single cup of tea. Had one once but it =
got
broke. Often thought of making one just to see if I could.


=09

Dave Finkelnburg on mon 5 aug 02


Taylor,
The mugs that I have seen that are as you describe do not have a
hand-thrown strainer, but rather a mold-made strainer, usually from a
press-mold. That allows making the strainer much thinner. The strainer is
typically left unglazed, so you don't have to worry about plugging the holes
in it with glaze.
Dave Finkelnburg, who has found that while yunomi (everyday Japanese
tea cups) are not particularly commercial in Idaho, they are sure pleasant
to drink tea from!

----- Original Message -----
From: "Hendrix, Taylor J." Taylor_Hendrix@BAYLOR.EDU
I picked up a mug in Chinatown when I went to New York for spring break. I
had seen one before, and I was determined to buy one. I have several Asian
students (I teach English as a second language) and they keep giving me
teas. I guess telling them every so often that I am a teaoholic encourages
them!

Anyway. The cup often comes with a strainer that fits into the mug and a
lid that keeps in the heat while the leaves steep.