Making Clay Rattles

This is how I stage my photos =)

It's been a while since I last made clay rattles, so I decided to revisit this lesson—and I’m so glad I did!

Here’s how we made them:

1. Creating the Rattle – We formed two pinch pots and set them aside.
2. Preparing the Beads – A week earlier, we rolled small clay beads and left them to dry completely.
3. Assembling – Once the pinch pots were ready, we placed several dry beads inside, then slipped and scored the edges before sealing them together.
4. Preventing Sticking – Wrapping the rattles in paper towels helped prevent them from sticking to surfaces.
5. Final Touches – Students added their names to the bottoms and poked tiny holes in the top and bottom for airflow.

For glazing, students could experiment with colors or go with a traditional pumpkin style. Every piece turned out amazing!

Check out our past blog posts for more clay rattle inspiration:

• Clay Pumpkin Rattles (2022)
• Fall-Themed Rattles (2022)
• Pumpkin Clay Rattles (2011)
• Yayoi Kusama Pinch Pots (2019)
• Yayoi Kusama Pumpkins (2019)
• Clay Pumpkins (2015)

Thanks for stopping by!
1969