Powys: Welshpool pottery workshop was perfect hen party

Powys County Times

25-05-2025

'The bride-to-be would like to do some pottery…' were not the words I expected to hear when I asked about her forthcoming hen party plans.
But as it turns out, it was one of the best hen parties I've been on.
There's a growing trend among brides-to-be who are stepping away from the traditional alcohol-fuelled nights out and doing something different.
But an evening like we had would be perfect for a birthday or a simple get-together.
We headed to Welshpool for a taster session with Tara Squibb Ceramics, which is based just outside the town centre and was all set up for us to complete — hopefully — two pieces.
The first, would be a ceramic pocket that would hang on the wall, and the second would be to create a piece on the potter's wheel, in true ' Great Pottery Throw Down ' style.
Tara gave us a quick demonstration before letting us do our thing.
I hopped onto one of the four pottery wheels first and, with a lump of clay in front of me, pressed the pedal and hoped it wouldn't fly off and hit my mother-in-law who was sitting opposite.
As someone who had a quick go once in school, it's certainly harder than it looks. You have to 'fight' with the clay to get it in the centre of the wheel, make sure it doesn't dry out, and then hope you can keep it circular as you start to create a well in the middle. But this is where it gets really hard.
You then have to tease the walls up. You don't want the wheel to go too quickly, you don't want the walls to get too thin, and you don't want the clay to dry out. Mine was going ok — or so I thought — when disaster struck and the wall of my pot cracked and the whole thing flopped. Tara tried to save it, but it was gonner, so off it went to 'Keith', the bucket where all the scraps go.
I kept Keith busy with my second attempt, but on my third and final attempt, I took my time, tried to remember everything Tara had said and managed to create something that resembled a small pot crossed with a vase — I'll let you decide — but I'm sure I'll find a use for it at home.
Some of those with me were much more at ease with the wheel, creating two or three different items, including pots, bowls and dishes.
After a quick clean-up, I went over to the pocket-making station. I'm not particularly imaginative when it comes to art, and I won't lie, I stole some ideas from the other girls. As time was running short after my three goes on the wheel, I decided to keep it simple.
Tara had provided lots of different tools to create patterns. From lace doilies to buttons, letter stamps to cutters, there was a plethora of items we could use, and it really demonstrated, as Tara said herself, how you can give a piece of clay to a group of people and not one of them will produce the same thing.
Before we knew it, three hours had flown by, and most importantly, the bride-to-be had had an amazing time, as had the rest of us. A few of us are keen to have another go again.
Tara was fantastic. She kept an eye on everyone and provided support and ideas wherever they were needed, but equally was happy to take a step back and let us have a go.
She will let the items dry out before putting them in the kiln, and hopefully, in a few weeks, we will get an email to say they are ready.