The Blues

My blue glaze finally arrived after being on back order since August.

I have been using this delightful blue glaze for over 15 years.

My customers nor I have ever been disappointed.

So . . .

I opened my new jug of blue glaze with great anticipation of glazing a set of custom made bowls for a customer.

When I opened my new jug of blue glaze, I was horrified! 😱

Something was not right!

Instead of the normal red color . . .

. . . it was purple! 😳

I reread the glaze label to make sure I didn’t pick up the wrong glaze. 🧐

The label said it was, indeed, my blue glaze.

My first thought was someone at the glaze factory put the wrong glaze into the this jug!

My second thought was I must call my pottery supply store and the glaze company to alert them to this grave mistake!

When I called, both told me one of the main ingredients changed and the glaze will fire with the same results. (Couldn’t they have WARNED me first! You know. Stick a huge label on the jug alerting potters of the change!?!?! LOL)

Did I believe them?

Well, let me just say that I am and always have been a doubting Thomas: someone that is skeptical and refuses to believe something without proof.

I was even MORE skeptical only because I had a custom order that called for my blue glaze!

So . . .

Instead of diving right in to glazing my custom bowls, I made test tiles.

The word “test tile” can refer to any shape of clay that’s used to test glazes, slips, underglazes, engobes etc.

Sue McLeod

Luckily I had several blank test tiles and irregular pottery pieces ready to be test glazed.

Pictured below are the results and comparison with old blue glaze and the NEW.

The old blue glazed pieces are unmarked in the background while the new blue glazed pieces are marked “NEW” in the foreground.

Just as I was told, the new blue glaze fired the same as the old blue glaze.

I am happy with the results!

My skepticism and doubt has been thwarted.

Full speed ahead toward glazing the custom made bowls!

Stay tuned!

Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue, and the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true.

— Judy Garland

Have a blessed weekend!