Oops....

Don't anybody tell Workmen's Comp, but there was a little industrial accident in the Studio this morning.

I was happily throwing Utensil Jars, the "don't you have anything smaller" size, and was cutting the almost last one off the wheel when, somehow, my knuckles got down on the surface of the plastic bat and the hole in the bat cut the skin right off my knuckle. Since I wire stuff off with the wheel spinning at a good clip, the second hole immediately followed and took the skin off the next knuckle. Oww.

I finished the Jars with gritted teeth and am now sporting a nice new pair of band-aids.

Not a major accident, but it reminds me how easily we can damage ourselves. Just when you think you know what you're doing something gets you. I've used those bats for years (and never liked the ones with the holes, I prefer the other type which has depressions underneath to catch the bat pins) and have always cut the pots off with the wheel spinning and this is the first time I've done this. I did once cut a finger by holding the wire too tightly but that was just me - I was too stubborn to let go because I didn't want to ruin the pot. Don't remember that pot now though, just remember the cut.

And that "don't you have anything smaller" size? Well, everything I make comes in two sizes: too small and too big. So these, which will be about 9" high and 6-8" across the opening when done, will be the 'too large' size. I had fun because I made 6 different shapes and didn't worry too much about the exact size. People tend to buy only one, so it's exact size isn't critical. Besides, they're all going to be too big (or too small) anyway.

We will now have a short pause in throwing activity while the knuckles recover.