Having accidentally broken my fair share of cherished china and porcelain pieces, I have learned how to repair the ones that could still be salvaged.  While it requires patience and a steady hand, the results are worth it.  Here are some tips to help you repair your own cherished china or porcelain treasures...

1. Pick up the broken pieces carefully from the floor, making sure you get every piece, no matter how small.  Use a damp paper towel to wipe the floor clean of any of those remaining tiny slivers - the ones that end up in your foot later on.  Place the broken china shards in a closed paper or plastic bag in a safe place, until you're ready to do your repair. 
2. When ready to repair, assemble the following items first:

• Slightly damp towel, laid across a flat, steady surface
• Bottle of clear-drying glue
• Good lighting (sunlight is best)
• Nothing and no one nearby to bump your elbow or hand as you work
• 1-2 damp paper towels
• Glass cleaner, such as Windex
• Household gloves (optional)

3. Carefully remove the broken shards from the bag, preferably wearing the household gloves for protection.  Wash each piece carefully in warm, soapy water.  Rinse, and hand dry.

4.  Lay out each separate broken piece on top of the damp towel. I have personally found a damp towel, rather than a dry one, helps the pieces stay in place on the towel better, and I can wipe my sticky fingers as needed.

5.  Visualize the broken item as whole again.  For this example, we will use a broken teacup.   Lay all the pieces of the broken handle in one place on the towel, lay all the broken pieces of the bottom of the cup in another place on the towel, and so on.  You want like pieces to be in their own section on the towel.  Once that's done, put any leftover pieces that you're not sure where they go, into another section on the towel.  Allow yourself plenty of working room in the middle of the towel. 

6.  It's still not time to glue yet.  Success lies in the preparation!  Practice fitting your broken pieces together BEFORE actually gluing them.  This is when you will discover to your relief, or frustration, if there are any pieces still missing.  When you have verified that all the pieces are present, and you're now sure which broken piece belongs to which other broken piece, carefully lay them out on the towel in order so that they are not mixed up.

7.  Patience and calm are required now.   Wipe your hands on the towel, shake the glue bottle thoroughly, then open it, making sure the  glue bottle's applicator tip is clean and unclogged.  Remember - a little glue goes a long way; you don't need much!  The more you use, the messier it will be and the less perfect your repair will be. 

8.  GLUING TIP:  As you hold the bottle, apply gentle pressure to the bottle so that the glue's flow will be just inside the tip of the applicator BEFORE you begin squeezing glue onto the china piece.  This will prevent a mess.  Also lightly place the tip of your little finger on the china piece as you apply the glue.  This will greatly increase the steadiness of your hand as you carefully align the glue along the edge of the broken china.  Take a deep breath and go slowly.

9.  I've always found it's easier for me to begin gluing the smallest pieces  together first. I've made the mistake, in the name of so-called efficiency, of trying to glue not two but three pieces  together at the same time.  They fell apart and I had to start all over again, sometimes more than once.  For example, if the cup's handle is broken into four small pieces, rather than trying to figure out how to keep FOUR pieces glued together, glue two connecting pieces together first.  Then the other two.  When they are dry, you will then have only two broken pieces of cup handle instead of four.  Now glue the two (repaired) pieces together.  It's easier to handle two larger pieces, than four small ones.  One technique I've used that works excellently as far as accuracy, is to gently run my thumb back and forth over the place where the two broken edges are now glued together.  If you can feel any ridge or unevenness, readjust the pieces until it is as perfectly smooth as the rest of the unbroken area of the china.  You want the glued edges to be perfectly aligned and smooth.

10.  As you glue each piece, wipe your hands on the damp towel often, to remove any glue and stickiness.  I've made more mistakes with sticky hands, than anything else in this repair process.  As you glue, very carefully wipe off any excess glue off the china.  It's always easier to remove early, before it begins to dry.

11.  You can hold any two glued pieces together as a clamp.  You need only do this for about 30 seconds.  Don't hold the pieces together too tightly.  Most importantly, don't move.  Gently lay the two glued-together pieces on a countertop or table where they will not be touched, vibrated or disturbed until completely dry.  Remember the effects of gravity, and position the pieces where they won't slowly slip apart while they are drying.

12)  When all the pieces are glued together and thoroughly dry, apply a spritz of glass cleaner such as Windex to a clean paper towel (not directly on the china), then carefully wipe the item clean.  I would recommend allowing 24 hours for the item to set before using it.  

     Enjoy your repaired piece of china for many years to come!