I have had to learn some things on my own and learn from my mistakes. My first two pinch pots were very poor. They were cracked and seemed very dry. I learned that the longer the clay is exposed to air, the dryer it becomes and the harder it becomes to work with. You can put the clay in the pug mill and mix it with other clay. It seems to make the clay easier to work with after. While I was working with my pinch pot, I realized that the metal scrape tool helps pull the cracks together better than the soft scrape tool. If you roll the clay into a smooth ball before you start pinching it, it is easier to work with. I have learned from my mistakes to gently press your thumb into the clay and spin it at the same time for a very smooth pinch pot. The foot was very easy to create.