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Next the hole must be expanded which forms the inside shape of the bowl, cup or whatever it is one is making. Again various methods are used. My method was to place the elbow of one arm against the stomach or hip, with the palm cupped around the cylinder to hold the cylinder in place while pulling out the hole. The second hand was used such that the thumb was placed over the back of the first hand for leverage, one or two fingers are inserted into the center hole. Then the fingers are pulled outward, at the same time forming the bottom to the shape desired, and slowly raised straight up and out. The wall should be straight up and down and maybe from a quarter to an inch thick.
The next step was to thin the walls and shape the pot. One wrist or forearm is braced on the knee and that hand's tip of an index or middle finger is placed at the bottom of the inside wall. With the thumb of the other hand braced on top of the first hand, the index and or middle finger is pressed against the clay opposite
the fingers inside. Pressure is exerted from both sides and the two together are raised so as to thin the wall. The thinning of the wall is accomplished with the wall vertical, straight up and down, perhaps leaving the bottom thicker for strength so as to accommodate outward shaping. This may be done any number of times. A very small sponge is generally used. The sponge was placed between the index finger and thumb of the external hand.
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