Handles should be attached when the pot is at medium leather hard and the handle is just stiff enough to hold its curve when attached. Determine where the handle as a whole should be placed. Make certain the handle is directly opposite the spout, if present.
The thicker part (if any) of the handle should generally be the upper end of the handle. The top of the handle should be placed as close to the top of the pot as possible. This is both aesthetically pleasing and also gives the pot better balance while it is being used.
Score and slip the pot where you want the upper end of the handle to attach. Being certain that the lower end will be directly below the upper, score where you want the lower end to attach. Double check that the line between the two scored areas are perpendicular to the table surface.
Attach the upper end of the handle, using firm pressure on the handle and supporting the wall of the pot on the inside. You can usually weld the handle to the scored and slipped area on the pot simply through the firm pressure, but you may also want to reinforce the weld by adding a thin coil of clay around the joint and welding it to both handle and pot.
Bow the handle into a pleasing curve. Remember that the clay will shrink up to 15% before it comes out of the glaze firing. Be sure to give the handle plenty of length for a hand to comfortably grasp the handle once completed. Attach the lower end of the handle strap and weld the joint as necessary or desired. Allow the handled pot to dry slowly.
