Mid-Century Merry
 
Full Texture Sheet — 370 × 370 mm
 
Mid-Century Merry takes its cues from the playful Christmas graphics of the 1950s and 60s — decorative baubles, bells, wrapped presents and sprigs of holly arranged into a generous all-over pattern.
 
The motifs have that unmistakable mid-century combination of simple shapes and elaborate little details: striped parcels, patterned ornaments, stylised bells and starburst centres. They are spaced across the sheet with small scattered dots between them, giving the design plenty of interest without filling every part of the clay.
 
At 370 × 370 mm, Mid-Century Merry is designed to move easily from smaller pieces right through to substantial tableware. Use a small section for mugs and tumblers, or take advantage of the full sheet for dinner plates, bowls, platters and larger serving pieces.
It’s a particularly good texture for building a coordinated Christmas table. Use different areas of the same sheet across dinner and side plates, serving bowls, platters, pitchers, teapots, mugs, butter dishes, spoon rests and other table pieces. The repeated visual language keeps everything connected, while the variety of motifs means the finished pieces don't all need to look the same.
 
How to use
Roll your soft clay to your preferred thickness and press firmly and evenly onto the texture sheet.
For larger pieces, texture the slab first and then position your template over the section of pattern you want to use. Moving the template around the sheet lets you choose different combinations of baubles, bells, parcels and holly for each piece.
For smaller forms, crop into different areas of the pattern rather than trying to fit every motif onto each piece. A mug might catch a present and a bell; another might feature a bauble and holly. Across a group, the individual pieces will still clearly belong together.
The raised and recessed detail also gives you plenty to work with when glazing — from a single glaze or wash that settles into the lines to individually picked-out details if you enjoy a more decorative finish.
 
Details
Size: 370 × 370 mm
Laser-engraved EVA foam texture sheet.
A dark residue may transfer to clay during the first few uses. This comes from the laser engraving process and will burn away completely during firing.
 
Care
Clean with mild soap and a soft brush when required.
Allow to dry fully before storing flat.
 
Designed as part of a system
 
Mid-Century Merry is sized to work seamlessly with the Magpie Dinnerware System. Use it as an all-over surface, or combine it with masks and templates to frame sections, reserve areas, or align placement across a coordinated body of work.
 
Start with the texture.
Add tools as you grow.
Build a system that supports repeatable, thoughtful making.