Meet The London Potter Behind Our New Ceramics Collaboration
Pip Hartle and her dog Sid in front of her kiln in her East London studio
Textiles and ceramics always seem to complement one another, don’t they? This love (slight obsession?) with pots led to Stitch by Stitch collaborating with friend and potter Pip Hartle on a new collection of large serving bowls and ramen bowls to create the Jannu collection of hand thrown pieces, exclusively designed and produced for Stitch by Stitch.
Pip hand throws all her stoneware ceramics in her idyllic garden studio in East London. When we visited, her sweet dog Sid wandered in and out, although he knows not to settle on the floor with the amount of breakables on the surfaces around him! Pip feeds and watches the birds in her garden from the floor to ceiling windows as she works.
Having studied textile design at Goldsmiths, she took pottery classes at Morley College in London, which ignited a passion for ceramics, and she went on to manage open-access pottery studio Turning Earth and from there to the Kiln Rooms in Peckham. You may have seen some of Pip’s lovely work in the Tate Gallery shops and at Toast. Her ceramics are functional and designed for every day use - you can even put them in the dishwasher!
Pip’s wheel
Pattern on the Stitch by Stitch x Pip Hartle ceramics collection is applied with underglaze using sponges
The triangle motifs on the Jannu bowls are inspired by the woven patterns in one of our Radhi rugs. Pip applies the pattern using sponges with black underglaze. This influence from the textile world is a common thread running throughout Pip’s work - she’s never happier than perusing the textile collections at the British Museum or the V&A. Her affinity with textiles made the collaboration between Stitch by Stitch and Pip an obvious one, along with the neutral colour palette.
Graham from Stitch by Stitch beside a table of recently thrown plates at Pip’s studio
We were keen to design a large statement bowl which could be displayed in a living space or bedroom, which are the rooms in which our textiles are usually placed. Pip suggested adding a set of smaller bowls as well, as they are always a popular choice. Two large 33cm diameter bowls were sampled - one with an all-over pattern, and one with a single motif - and as it was impossible to choose between the two, we are offering both! The ramen bowls, which are the perfect size for noodles, pasta, cereal, soups and puddings, are all slightly different. As they are thrown and decorated by hand, every bowl will be unique!
The Jannu collection of bowls are made to order in 4-6 weeks. You can order them here.
Watch our recent IGTV with Pip, talking about her creative process.
Jannu Statement Bowl, 33cm diameter, with All-over pattern