Frequently Asked Questions

We know questions can pop up now and then, so we’ve put together some helpful answers below.

If your question hasn’t been answered here, please use our contact form.

Hags Pottery Terms & Conditions (Classes) and our Terms of Service (Shop).

General Questions:

  • Yes. Click here to view our current selection of tableware, pots, vases and other pottery on offer.

  • If you purchase an item from the shop, you will need to contact us to arrange to pickup your order.

    Additional P&P charges will apply if you can not collect in person.

  • Yes, have a look through our Gallery and see if there’s something similar that you would like, and get in touch - we’re happy to help.

  • Yes - we offer gift cards that can be used to purchase items from our online shop.

    Unfortunately, these can’t currently be used towards payment for our pottery classes or firing fees.

  • Yes, we would be absolutely delighted to show you the studio and any work available for sale, but please do not just ‘drop in’ as the studio is usually closed to the public to ensure a peaceful and private environment for those attending our courses.

    Please contact us to arrange a convenient time, and look out for occasional events throughout the year where visitors of all ages are welcome. Join our mailing list to hear about these opportunities.

  • Yes, we have a couple of spaces on our driveway, and you can also park on nearby streets. The 200 bus stops directly at the end of our quiet cul-de-sac, or you can access us via the back gate of Holland Gardens

    We are happy to provide secure parking for your bike if you wish to arrive via bicycle.

  • Absolutely! We’re lucky to have some fantastic independent cafés and restaurants nearby - either up the hill near Wimbledon Common or down the hill in Raynes Park.

    Why not combine a workshop with friends with a delicious lunch of coffee? You could even come back after lunch for a second session – giving your pots some time to dry and develop.

    Here are some of our favourites:

  • Yes, please contact us to discuss options.

Classes:

  • You can find details of our available pottery courses and sessions here.

  • Unfortunately, we can’t offer alternative studio time or reschedule missed classes. Swapping classes or using the studio outside of scheduled sessions isn’t possible.

    Before signing up, please check that you can attend as many sessions as possible. See our full terms and conditions.

  • No, please make sure you can attend a course before you sign up.

  • Yes. We can host a variety of private sessions and activities for small groups. Contact us for more details.

  • We provide all the clay, tools and equipment you’ll need. However, we recommend bringing your own apron each week, which should be cleaned regularly to prevent breathing in dry ceramic dust.

    That’s it - just bring yourself and be ready to get creative!

  • Yes. We offer regular after-school term-time courses for children and can arrange taster sessions as well. We can also arrange small bespoke sessions for special occasions, like birthdays.

  • Yes, we can offer a personalised programme for an individual or small group of friends.

    The Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) Award encourages young people to express their interests and develop new skills, and a course of pottery sessions provides the perfect opportunity for the Skills section.

    We can help you complete this part of the DofE Programme at Bronze, Silver or Gold level. This is easily achievable in two or more after-school blocks (depending on the level) and the required DofE assessor’s report can be written and signed off.

    Contact us for more details.

  • 1 session allows you to make 2 or 3 simple pieces and to decorate them with coloured slips. Your work will be glazed with simple transparent glaze and fired, ready then for you to collect.

    2 or 3 sessions will allow you to make, decorate and glaze one or two worthwhile pieces.

    Example sessions:

    Alternatively, book a block of sessions to suit your group.

  • Many different techniques are taught in our studio sessions, including:

    • slab work

    • draping

    • pinching

    • coiling

    • carving

    • wheel

  • Yes, clearing up is a team effort which takes place in the last 10-minutes of the class.

Finished Work:

  • We take great care in firing your work as quickly as possible but to ensure ethical use of electricity we try to wait until we have a full kiln before firing – this can mean a small wait for pieces. It is advisable to leave space between the first making and decoration sessions to allow for drying and first firing to take place. You can always use subsequent sessions for more making though.

    Ceramics can sometimes crack or break during firing and is inevitable during the learning process. Hags Pottery is not responsible for any damage that occurs. Firing fees are still applicable for cracked or damaged pieces.

    Please allow:

    • At least 10 days for a single firing (bisc or glaze).

    • 3 weeks for two firings.

    If we experience technical issues, it may take slightly longer.

  • We will email you when your work is ready for collection. It takes time for a piece to be ready, as it needs to dry and go through two kiln firings. Firing usually takes 3-4 weeks, but please wait for the pick-up email before contacting us.

    Once you receive the email, please collect your work within 21 days.

  • Yes, in addition to class fees, fired pottery will be charged at £12 per kg (e.g., approximately £3-4 for a mug). Payment is due upon collection.

  • Work must be collected within 21 days of the pick-up email.

    Unfinished pieces left at the end of a course may be discarded unless you request to keep them.

    Due to limited storage, any finished work not collected within 21 days will be donated to charity.

  • Sadly, it’s quite common for pieces to break or have glaze issues during firing. This can happen for many reasons, some within the potter’s control (such as clay compression, air bubbles, or glaze thickness) and others that are unavoidable, like technical kiln issues.

    In any studio, pottery has an element of unpredictability. We recommend allowing for a 25% failure rate as part of the learning process - sometimes you’ll have fewer issues, sometimes more, but there’s always something to learn from it.

    If you have any questions about what might have happened to your piece, feel free to ask - we’re happy to help!

  • Yes. If you can’t collect it yourself, you can arrange for someone else to pick it up. Just give them:

    • The date of your class

    • Your initials (as written on the bottom of your piece)

    • A photo of your work (if possible)

Shop - Returns and Exchanges:

  • We truly hope you’ll love your pottery as much as we loved making it! Because each piece is handmade, we encourage you to carefully check your items when you collect them.

    If you do need to return or exchange something, we accept items within 14 days of collection, as long as they’re unused and in perfect condition.

  • Unfortunately, since custom and made-to-order pieces are created especially for you, they’re not eligible for return or exchange — unless, of course, there’s a fault with the item.

  • We always recommend taking a moment to look over your pottery when you pick it up. If you spot a problem after you’ve left, just get in touch within 48 hours, and we’ll happily chat about the best way to make it right.

  • If a return is necessary, simply bring the item back to our studio within 14 days of collection, making sure it’s unused and in its original condition.

    We’re a small business, so we appreciate your understanding in helping us keep returns to a minimum.

  • We are unable to accept returns on:

    • Custom or made-to-order pottery

    • Sale or discounted items (including Seconds)

    • Used, damaged, or altered pieces

Nine hand-painted ceramic mugs displayed in a grid, each with unique artistic designs and colors, showing textures and patterns.
Nine handcrafted ceramic plates with colorful, intricate designs arranged in a 3x3 grid.
A collage of nine hand-crafted clay houses, each uniquely shaped and painted in various colors. Designs include a tall tower, pyramids, mushroom-shaped houses, boxy structures with decorated facades, and other whimsical forms, all artistically decorated.