Have you ever been to a make-your-own-pottery place?

[RoxMonster]

There is a place in a neighboring town where you can paint your own pottery and then they glaze it and fire it up in a kiln. You can bring in food, beer, or wine.

Well all the ladies in my department at work want to go do this next month after the semester is over to blow off some steam, and I would like to do something social with them outside of work. The thing is, I am not a crafty person. Like, I am not worried about not being good at it; it just stresses me out and I find it not very fun. Plus, it usually costs between $20 and $40 extra dollars for the piece of pottery, and you can't even take it home that day. You have to come back in a week+ to get it.

Would it be weird/rude (to the pottery place) to pay the studio fee of 8 bucks, bring some wine and snacks, and just sit and drink/eat while the other women do the pottery, but not do pottery myself? I really don't mind drinking and chatting with them, watching them do the pottery. We are just on a super strict budget from now through the holidays and spending $20+ on a piece of homemade pottery that I will do nothing with isn't very enticing to me. But if this would be frowned upon, I will probably either suck it up and do the cheapest piece of pottery available or decline the invitation. What do you think?

ETA: Just to clarify, I'm not concerned about not being good at the painting part (my lack of artistic skills would probably be really funny, especially while drinking). My main concern was/is 1) I don't really enjoy doing crafts at all, and 2) spending money on something I don't necessarily want/need while money is tight. I was put off by hearing the pottery cost upwards of $20. But you all have me feeling better that there will be some small/cheap items I could do instead.

[Jalapeñomel]

We got drunk and went and made a friend who was away an ashtray. Lol


edit: I don't know the answer to your question.

[orangeblossom]

It wouldn't be rude, but I'd at least try it. I'm crafty, but when it comes to drawing and such, not so much.

Places like that usually have stamps and stencils, and such to make it easier to decorate. Pick one of the smaller pieces that doesn't require a lot of drawing/painting. As far as picking them up, maybe one person can be the designated pick up person, so not everyone, including you, has to go get it.

Have fun!

[dirtyred]

I've done it before; it's a lot of fun.

You can look for ideas in catalogs, simple things live overlapping squares/circles, dots of different colors and sizes, etc.

You can draw on the piece with a pencil to make your design pattern and the graphite burns off in the kiln, so it doesn't matter if you scratch things out, etc.

[nonsensetomfoolery]

A lot of times these places will have small items for the holidays that are pretty inexpensive. I would probably buy the cheapest thing in the studio and just knock it out then hang out and chat. They may wave the studio fee if you have a large party.

[noodleoo]

I've done it a few times and while it can be fun, I've never been happy with what I made. I'm just not very good. But the places I went often had pretty cheap pieces you can do, like small mugs or a platter. I Feel like it would be awkward to go and not paint. You could call ahead and see if it is okay to go and not paint. I bet parents of kids go and don't do a craft, so it is probably okay. I just think your friends might find it weird that you aren't participating.

[wannabe]

At this time of year I bet there are super cheap little ornaments you could paint.

I do think it would bring added attention to you if you didn't paint. But if you don't care, then don't sweat it.

[Nonny]

I've done it before with friends, it's kind of fun, but not something I'd do regularly. I found a little pig figurine that was just few bucks, and just painted it pink, with slightly darker pink nostrils, and two black dots for eyes. Very easy and cheap!

[tacokick]

I always just paint something small solid colors. They normally have fun paints that automatically turn swirly or have colored flecks and it looks fine. I think not even doing a $3 ornament would look odd and honestly, the store might not let you take up space if other customers are there.

[dexteroni]

I used to take my nephews to paint pottery when they were younger. We never spent even $20 on a piece, let alone $40. I think most of our stuff was between $8 and $12.

Do you have a little girl on your Christmas shopping list? Paint an initial plaque or a little butterfly or something for her in her favorite colors. Or an ornament for your aunt or grandma.

I don't know if it would be rude to not paint something, but it will probably be a little weird that you're sitting there doing nothing while everyone else is choosing theirs and painting. I mean it is social, but the main activity is generally the pottery.

[gretchenindisguise]

I'm wholly not crafty with that sort of thing but went last year with friends and had a decent time. They have models you can copy if you're bad at them like me. I made L a mug, it worked out just fine.

Go and enjoy.

[KKD]

If my kids can do it, you can do it. You don't need to be super crafty, and you don't need to sit out either. Like bricco said, just pick something simple and paint it simply. I would think your co-workers would try to talk you into it anyway so you might as well not make a big deal of it.

[RoxMonster]

My concern isn't that I won't be good at it (which I probably won't be lol, but I get that isn't the point); it was more that it was spending money on something I don't really want/need when we are tight on cash right now, but I didn't want to have to sit out the whole evening.

BUT it sounds like there will be some smaller, cheaper items I could do. I had just asked the co-worker in charge of organizing this about how much this usually costs and she had told me the pottery pieces are generally between 20 and 40. Hopefully they will have smaller/cheaper items like you have all experienced. If that is the case, I don't mind doodling around with some paint while drinking and socializing. It was mainly the cost that was a little off-putting when it's not something I will probably do anything with after lol.

[adhdfashion]

It's fun, go make something.

[zoomzoom]

I had a lot of fun doing this. I took letter stickers with me that I put on the plates, painted, then peeled the stickers away leaving the letters white. There's a lot of fun things to paint. Our store always has flat square tiles to paint that are super cheap (like 5 bucks).

[hulley]

I've been and I actually like it, it's just not something I'm good at. I prefer to make Sharpie mugs, but that doesn't fulfill the coworker get-together you're wanting. When I did go, I chose an ornament for like $10(?). It was cheap enough, and I chose a design that was pretty hard to screw up.

In my younger days we used to do ceramics at camp and I loved that stuff. I also had no aversion to clutter and it lived in my bedroom for years.

[spedrunner]

i agree that it wouldn't be rude, but I would try it! It may be weird/awkward sitting there while everyone else is painting, plus it is so soothing! You may enjoy it

also cost wise, what I have done, is just bought 4 square tiles and made coasters! Tada! cheap, easy and practical!!