Make a Garlic Plate from Start to Finish

Looking for a pottery project that's functional, giftable, and perfect for summer markets? Garlic plates are easy to make, fun to customize with glaze, and incredibly useful in the kitchen.

In this project, we'll transform a simple ball of clay into a handmade garlic plate using a few studio essentials from Bailey Pottery.

Step 1: Throw a Small Dish

Begin with a ball of white clay and throw a shallow dish form on the wheel. The finished plate should be wide enough to comfortably grate garlic while still maintaining a pleasing profile.

Step 2: Create the Garlic Grating Surface

Once the clay has firmed up slightly, use the Garrity Tools Garlic Plate Rib to create the textured ridges that make the plate functional. These raised grooves allow garlic, ginger, hard cheeses, citrus zest, and other ingredients to be grated directly onto the surface.

Step 3: Trim the Foot

When the piece reaches leather-hard stage, trim the foot using the Bailey Quick Trim III. This helps create a clean, professional finish while making trimming faster and more efficient.

Step 4: Bisque Fire

Allow the garlic plate to dry completely before bisque firing to Cone 04 in a Bailey Top Loading Electric Kiln.

Step 5: Glaze the Plate

After bisque firing, apply wax resist to the foot to keep it free of glaze.

For this project, we used two beautiful Speedball glazes:

• Carolina Flux
• Natural Opal

Both glazes highlight the texture of the garlic plate while producing unique surfaces full of movement and depth.

Step 6: Glaze Fire

Fire the glazed pieces to Cone 6 in a Bailey Top Loading Electric Kiln.

How to Use a Garlic Plate

Garlic plates make it easy to create fresh dipping oil right at the table. Simply rub a garlic clove over the textured surface, add olive oil and your favorite seasonings, and enjoy with fresh bread.

They're also great for:

• Ginger
• Hard cheeses
• Citrus zest
• Nutmeg
• Fruits for sauces and dressings

A Great Project for Gifts and Markets

Because they're relatively quick to produce and appeal to a wide range of customers, garlic plates are an excellent addition to summer market inventory. They also make thoughtful handmade gifts for food lovers, home cooks, and anyone who appreciates functional pottery.

Watch the How-To Tutorial on our YouTube Page.