You can throw a mug body that is round, even, and satisfying. But when you lift the mug by its handle and the whole thing comes away in your hand, or when the handle looks thick and lumpy beside the clean lines of the body, the frustration is real. A handle that breaks or looks clumsy often fails not because the clay is bad, but because the attachment was rushed or the pulling technique was uneven.
This tutorial walks through pulling a handle from a single lump of clay, attaching it with scoring and slip, and setting the angle so the mug balances in the hand. We will also cover drying habits that prevent the joint from cracking later.
Photo by Earl Wilcox on Unsplash.
Materials and Preparation
You will need:
- A thrown or hand‑built mug body, at the leather‑hard stage (firm but still slightly damp, not bone dry)
- A lump of clay about the size of a lime, of the same type as the mug body
- A scoring tool – a fork, a serrated rib, or a toothed metal scraper
- Slip – made from the same clay, mixed with water to the consistency of heavy cream
- A small sponge
- A wooden rib or a thin, flexible metal rib for shaping
- A kidney, a damp cloth, and a clean work surface
Before you begin, prepare your slip. Take a small piece of the same clay, add a little water, and mash it into a smooth paste. The slip should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon but not runny. Set it aside in a small cup.
Your mug body should be at the correct stage of dryness. If the mug is too wet (just thrown), the handle will sag and the body will deform. If it is too dry, the slip will not bond, and the scored surfaces will not stick. The perfect moment is when the mug feels like a firm bar of soap – cool, slightly moist, but with no water sheen.
Step 1: Pulling the Handle
Take your lime‑sized lump of clay and wedge it thoroughly to remove any air pockets. Form it into a smooth, sausage‑shaked cylinder about as long as your thumb. Hold the cylinder in your non‑dominant hand. Wet your dominant hand with a little water – just enough to keep clay from sticking, not so much that the clay becomes slushy.
Pinch the end of the cylinder firmly between your thumb and forefinger. Gently pull your hand downwards, letting the clay stretch under the pressure. Keep your fingers moist and your touch even. The handle will begin to lengthen and taper. Pull steadily, not in jerks, until the handle is as long as the distance from one side of the mug to the other plus a little extra for attachment.
A common mistake is pulling too fast. The clay needs time to flow. If you feel the handle tearing or forming thin spots, pause, wet your fingers again, and pull more slowly. The ideal pulled handle has a rounded cross‑section that tapers gently at both ends. Lay the pulled handle on a clean board, curved side up, and let it rest for a few minutes. It will firm up and become easier to handle.
Photo by Earl Wilcox on Unsplash.
Step 2: Scoring and Slipping
Turn your mug body upside down on a padded surface (a folded towel works well). This gives you better access to the attachment points. Decide where the handle will go – usually opposite the pour spout (if there is one) and positioned so the centre of the handle aligns with the mug’s centre of gravity.
Take your scoring tool and scratch a grid pattern into the clay at both attachment points on the mug body. The scratches should be about 1–2 millimetres deep, covering an area roughly the size of your thumb pad. Do the same on the two ends of the pulled handle: score the areas that will contact the mug. The more texture you create, the more mechanical grip the slip will have.
Apply a generous layer of slip to both scored surfaces on the mug body and to both ends of the handle. Wait a few seconds – the slip should be tacky, not wet. If the slip is too runny, it will act as a lubricant and the handle will slide off. If it is too dry, it will not bond.
Step 3: Attaching the Handle at the Correct Angle
Hold the handle by its arch, with the ends pointing toward the mug. Press the upper attachment point (usually near the rim) against the mug body. Press firmly but without twisting – twisting can tear the score marks. The handle should sit flush against the curve of the mug. Use a gentle rocking motion to seat it.
Now curve the handle downward and press the lower attachment point (near the base) into place. The handle should form a comfortable loop that allows the knuckles to clear the mug body. The angle is critical: if the handle is too upright, your fingers will pinch against the rim; if it is too horizontal, the mug will feel awkward when lifted. Aim for a 30–45 degree angle between the handle’s arch and the vertical plane of the mug.
Use a knife or a wire tool to trim any excess clay from the attachment ends, but leave a small fillet of clay around each joint. This extra clay will be blended into the mug body.
Step 4: Blending and Smoothing the Joint
Take a damp sponge and gently wipe around each attachment point to merge the handle clay into the mug body. Use the wooden rib to define a smooth transition. Do not press hard – you are not pushing clay into the mug, only smoothing the surface. A clean joint looks like the handle grew out of the clay, not like a sticker that was added later.
Check the handle from all sides. Use the kidney to refine the shape of the handle itself: you can soften any ridges left by your pulling fingers, or widen the arch slightly if it feels too narrow. Work quickly but calmly; the clay will stiffen as you handle it.
Photo by Quino Al on Unsplash.
Drying Considerations
A handle that dries faster than the mug body will shrink and crack at the joints. The fix is simple: slow, even drying.
After attachment, cover the mug loosely with a plastic bag or place it in a damp cabinet. Do not seal it airtight – a small gap allows moisture to escape gradually. Leave the mug undisturbed for at least 24 hours. During this time, the handle and body will equalise their moisture levels.
After the first day, uncover the mug slightly more each day, turning it occasionally so all sides dry at the same rate. The handle, being a smaller mass, will dry faster if exposed to air. To compensate, you can wrap the handle alone in a small piece of damp paper towel while the mug body dries, but check regularly that no mould forms.
If you have to rush the drying, place the mug upside down on a grid so air circulates, but keep the handle itself shielded. A gentle fan on a low setting, aimed away from the mug, can help, but never use a heat gun or direct sunlight. Cracks usually appear within the first three days of drying; if you reach bone dry without fissures, the handle is likely secure.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Pulling a handle that is too short. Always pull a little more length than you think you need. You can always trim the ends, but you cannot stretch after it stiffens.
- Using dry slip. Slip that has been sitting for an hour will form a skin and will not bond properly. Make fresh slip for each mug.
- Attaching the handle to a bone‑dry mug. The leather‑hard stage is non‑negotiable. Bone‑dry clay will not absorb slip, and the joint will be brittle even after firing.
- Forgetting to support the mug while attaching. The pressure of attaching a handle can deform a thin‑walled mug. Hold the mug body from the inside with a padded hand, or fill it loosely with crumpled newspaper to brace it.
- Skipping the scoring step. Score marks are what give the slip something to grip. Smooth surfaces will separate in the kiln, no matter how much slip you apply.
Handle pulling improves with repetition. The first handles may be lumpy or weak, but after a dozen mugs your fingers will learn the rhythm of the pull and the right amount of pressure. The reward is a mug that feels complete – one that you can lift without worry, and that fits the hand as naturally as it was thrown.