I have personally run into a road block in my pursuit of becoming a better potter. The problem is size. I can comfortably throw a 3 lb ball of clay into a somewhat large piece, but for some reason when I go to 4 lbs the ball game changes. A lot of people hit this important transition stage. Though it is all the same concept, there is a big difference between throwing a mug and a pitcher.

Important things to remember:

1) You have to push yourself.

Even though throwing with a bigger piece of clay may be hard and you do not know if you can do it, you have to try. You do not want to get stuck forever with just making small pieces

2) Center, Center, Center.

Bigger pieces of clay are harder to center, but you have to be patient.  Work with the clay.  Take as much time as you need.  You will not regret it.

3) You will collapse a lot of pots.

Do not let this discourage you. Every aspect of pottery takes practice and the only way to get it right is to figure out what you are doing wrong. So do not be afraid to mess up. It is not a waste of clay.

4) Don’t be afraid to ask questions.

There is always someone with a little more experience than you. If you need suggestions, ask someone who has thrown countless big pieces. Most potters love to see new people take an interest in their hobby and would love to help.

So, it doesn’t matter how good your mugs are, once you start using bigger pieces of clay it’s like starting all over again. Just remember that you can do it, but it will only come with practice, experience, and patience. There was a point when you could not even throw a mug, but you got passed that.