In today’s throwaway culture, there’s a counter movement growing that urges us to ‘make do and mend’. The BBC’s The Repair Shop has brought this waste-conscious message to an even wider audience, with its regular viewing figures of 7 million in the UK alone, cementing itself as a classic series in the vein of Antiques Roadshow.

This new book concentrates on the show’s much-loved experts, including woodworker and furniture restorer Will Kirk, clock restorer Steve Fletcher, metalworker Dominic Chinea, silversmith Brenton West, leatherworker Suzie Fletcher, upholsterer Sonnaz Nooranvary, and seamstresses Julie Tatchell & Amanda Middleditch – aka The Teddy Bear Ladies. Each of the experts shares their own stories and their repairs, capturing in the process the magic and ethos of the barn. Includes quotations and Q & As from the experts as well as Jay Blades on some unique restoration collaborations.

With the focus on the experts themselves, readers will feel as though they’re stepping straight into the ‘workshop of dreams’ and experiencing first hand the magic of the barn.

But Wedgwood was radical in his mind and politics as well as in his designs. He campaigned for free trade and religious toleration, read pioneering papers to the Royal Society and was a member of the celebrated Lunar Society of Birmingham. Most significantly, he created the ceramic ‘Emancipation Badge’, depicting a slave in chains and inscribed ‘Am I Not a Man and a Brother?’ that became the symbol of the abolitionist movement.

Tristram Hunt’s hugely enjoyable new biography, strongly based on Wedgwood’s notebooks, letters and the words of his contemporaries, brilliantly captures the energy and originality of Wedgwood and his extraordinary contribution to the transformation of eighteenth-century Britain.

Want to start exploring your creativity with clay and find harmony working with your hands?
Or are you looking to expand your range of skills as a potter? Then Complete Pottery Techniques is the book for you!

With the expert advice of makers working across a range of styles – from classic to cutting-edge contemporary – Complete Pottery Techniques helps you master every skill needed to bring your ideas to life.

Dive straight in to discover:

-A wide range of pottery forming techniques equipping you with everything you need to bring your designs to life.
-Stunning showcase spreads for each section including beautiful close-up photography.

Did you know that pottery has become a very popular wellness trend in recent years due to its relaxing and restorative qualities? With the expert advice of makers working across a range of styles – from classic to cutting-edge contemporary – Complete Pottery Techniques can help you master every skill needed to bring your ideas to life.

From modelling to moulding, slabbing to sprigging, this all-encompassing pottery book is a one-stop guide to develop your design skills, taking an in-depth look at forming, decorating and firing, whilst featuring vivid photographs of inspirational pieces to show you what you can achieve using different pottery techniques.

A must-have volume for both pottery beginners and intermediate potters seeking a technical guide alongside their pottery class, or potters of any level seeking inspiration for their ceramic projects.

So whether you’re looking to take up a new hobby this New Year, or you simply want to connect with this craft as a form of relaxation and mindfulness, Complete Pottery Techniques can teach you tonnes of techniques and tips so you can master your pottery skills and create beautiful art along the way!