Knead the clay. Start with about 1/2 pound (.25 kilos) of clay. Slowly warm it and work out the air bubbles by kneading it with your hands. This will even out the clay’s consistency, eliminating lumps of soft spots, and make it more pliable and easier to work with. Take care to avoid folding, poking, or other actions that could add air pockets and bubbles to your clay—these could cause your pottery to explode in the oven.