Pulling Handles by Hand
Photo: Quino Al / Unsplash
A good handle has to feel right: comfortable to hold, strong enough to trust, and balanced against the weight of the cup. The traditional way to make one is to “pull” it — coaxing a lump of clay into a long, tapering strap using only a wet hand and gravity.
The pulled strap is left to firm slightly, then cut, curved and attached to the mug, its joins blended smooth. A skilled maker shapes a handle so that your fingers fall into it naturally, without thinking.
It is a small thing that takes real practice, and it is the kind of detail you only notice when it’s wrong. When it’s right, the mug simply feels like it was made for your hand — because it was.
