Whether they’re made into apples, pots, dippers or canteens, gourds are a crafter’s dream. They’re the perfect “green” project that lets you create remarkable works of art on a limited budget – and sometimes no budget at all. In fact, for the gardener, a whole crop of gourds can cost as little as a $2 for packet of seeds.
A wood-burning tool transformed this simple canteen gourd into an Anasazi piece of art. The pattern was copied from the photo of an ancient original.
Photo Credit: Maureen Gilmer
You can see in this gourd’s design how the wood-burning tool’s edges were used to create lines of varying thicknesses.
Photo Credit: Maureen Gilmer
This ordinary bottle gourd features a detailed Anasazi painting. Rather than using black paint, choose a very dark brown or deep warm gray for a more realistic look.
Photo Credit: Maureen Gilmer
These gourds show several craft preparation steps: Clean the gourd with soap and water; cut off the neck of the gourd for an open top and sand the edges smooth (as well as any rough surfaces on the gourd); and paint the gourd with primer or white interior latex for good adherence.
Photo Credit: Maureen Gilmer
When you grow unique gourds like the squat tobacco box, you can create beautiful lidded containers. This one features old African trade beads sown into the sides.
Photo Credit: Maureen Gilmer
To conserve space, consider training your gourds onto a chain-link fence.
Photo Credit: Maureen Gilmer
Of course, if you don’t have the space to grow your own, you can buy them super cheap at fall pumpkin patches. Just haul a variety of different sizes and shapes into your home (or garage for storage), and you can work on some truly beautiful creations during the long winter months. (And for every gourd you craft, that’s another holiday or hostess present you won’t have to buy.)
The real beauty of fully dried, cured gourds is that they have an outer surface that’s easy to gouge, burn and paint. The invention of the Dremel® rotary tool literally revolutionized this craft, allowing you to create beautiful shapes, cutouts and textures with very little effort. But for “gourd heads” on a budget, a hack saw blade wrapped in duct tape for a handle is perfect to cut off the gourds’ tops. (Just be careful!) And a bit of sandpaper is all that’s needed to smooth the edges and any rough spots on the surface. (You can also decorate your gourds with paints and stains, as well as add woven materials like pine needle basketry and fine driftwood into your project, without expanding the cost too much.)
There are endless ways to decorate gourds, but one of the most appealing methods out West resembles the work of Southwestern potters. The craft gives the gourds the same look but for just pennies. (And “gourd pottery” doesn’t break like those expensive pots – they just bounce.)
Crafting gourds inspired by Anasazi pottery is an easy place to start because of the simple designs. The Anasazi used just one color with geometric patterns featuring a lot of straight lines rather than elaborate picture graphics. (Just take a trip online to look up some Native American museum Websites for ideas to get you started.) For something a little more intricate, you can try copying pottery designs made by contemporary Pueblos. They typically feature animals and detailed constructions – but be forewarned: They can be difficult to copy on a gourd.
There are two ways to get the best Native American-style pots. First is to leave the gourd its natural color and use a simple wood-burning tool to carve your designs into the gourd’s walls. The tool sells for under $10 at any craft store, and the beginner size works just fine for gourds since they’re much softer than wood. The other method is to use paint to provide the white background of the contemporary Pueblo pots (but then you’ll have to buy the paint and sealer, adding to the project’s cost).
The nice thing about the wood burner is that the tool leaves a depression where you make your line, so the pattern never wears off. Just push down lightly for a thin line and harder for a thick one. To burn a field of black into the gourd, just lay the burner on its chiseled side. Once your gourd pattern is incised, use a light stain made of watered-down craft paint, wood stain or leather dye to give it an aged look. Oils will absorb it into the porous walls and bring out the natural patina on the outside after it’s fully dry and buffed out with furniture polish.
If you prefer the paint method to copy the old Pueblo pots, simply grab some white paint and cover your gourds. Once dry, draw on some of the elaborate Native American designs and fill them in with paint. Of course, the downside to painting the gourd is that it chips easily and can be darkened by household dust. So use a compatible clear sealer to make the finish more secure – just avoid the glossy dime-store look.
If you want to add some accents to your “pottery,” it’s easy to do with gourds. Since they’re relatively soft, you can literally sew through the walls of smaller gourds. With relative ease, you can sew beads and other artifacts onto the outside of your pot. Use faux sinew, raffia or really rustic yarn to add unique textures onto the gourd or to repair a pot that’s been broken.
When it comes to the giant world of gourds, there are societies, growers and seed sellers all over the Internet with all kinds of fantastic ideas on how to use gourds. And if that isn’t enough to jump-start your creative juices, then checking out the work of the many gourd artists online will. So grab your gourds and get creative – for pennies.
