The next step in making your own clay, after you've made a bucket(s) full of clay slurry with no rocks, roots, or bugs is to find a way to dry it out enough to wedge and work with. But first, some gratuitous pot porn:
Since I don't have enough space for a big plaster or concrete slab to spread the clay out over to dry quickly, I had to think of something else. I have found that old jeans work great. You just chop off the legs and use them as drying bags that you can hang up just about anywhere.
Close the bottoms like this by folding over the cloth once, then sandwiching it between two pieces of wood, and bind them tightly with wire.
Then fill with clay. Careful here, and make sure you stay within your strength range, they get heavy very fast. Then tie off the top. After experimenting, I found that twisting the end and folding it over a stick works great and gives you a variety of ways to hang the bag. Also, put a loop on the tie rope so you have yet another choice for hanging.
Now wait a few days. Have a beer.
Cheers,
Karatsupots
Mike @ Karatsupots
Making attractive, cool, useful stuff out of dirt since 2006.