Pottery classes and kits to try at home

Melbourne ceramic studio Céramiques (located in Elsternwick and Camberwell) set up a “clay time” Instagram account with short tutorials on building from home. Since then they've turned the account into a full website stocking its at-home pottery kits. Prices start at $109 for a single clay kit, or you can buy twin or triple kits if you want to get creative with your family or housemates. You can also opt to add on extra clay, and the website has a handy list of local kilns that you can contact to get your work fired.

This small Brunswick-based studio offers a DIY pottery kit and a DIY pottery and macramé kit that each come with all of the information, tools and materials you need to get started. Learn how to craft your own unfired mug or combine the crafts of pottery and macramé to create a hanging planter to elevate the greenery in your home. Both kits are available for same-day dispatch and you can order them through the Creactivity website. 

Over the border, Clay Sydney is welcoming people back into the studio in the flesh. But they're also making sure everyone stuck at home can get muddy too by delivering at-home pottery kits (from $55 for adults, from $40 for kids) and offering tutorial support in the form of rewatchable on-demand classes and live Q&A sessions. The studio also has some potter pals in Melbourne who will fire up your handmade vessel in the local kiln.

Newly launched Gold Coast outfit Crockd is delivering DIY pottery kits all over Australia, with a choice of kits from $80 that come with all Aussie clay, tools, and hand-illustrated instructions. Each kit also contains a 'can of worms' in the form of ‘clay breakers’; conversation starters that are designed to get you out of the iso-rut. Once you’ve lovingly sculpted your vessel, you can book in with your local pottery studio to have it fired up. In Melbourne, there are a few ceramic joints that can sort you out with a drop-off firing service.

ClassBento offers a range of in-person and livestreamed online creative workshops, including pottery. Currently you can book in to learn how to make your own ceramic plates and bowls. All materials are shipped (nationwide) to your door prior to the class, which is conducted via Zoom. Prices range from $69-$99 and shipping is free.