Gourd Tips

Featured below is a collection of gourd tips from all the past issues of The Gourdzette newsletter. Learn all the secrets and tricks from the pros. These gourd tips will help you with everything from planting your own gourds to finishing techniques.

March 18, 2004

Pattern Transfer

This tip comes to you from one of our Readers.

Thanks for your tip in the Gourdzette pertaining to tracing and transferring patterns. Another method that I have found is to trace your pattern and then place it under a piece of glass or Lucite. Take masking tape of about a 2" width or what ever best fits your need and tape this right down on the glass or Lucite over the pattern . Your pattern will be visible through the masking tape. Retrace your pattern onto the tape. Remove the tape and then position on your gourd. You can then wood burn over the pattern right through the masking tape. After completion remove the tape and be amazed at the results.....B. J. Cook

Thank you, B. J.!

February 19, 2004

Let the Gas Out!

When new crop gourds are harvested from the fields, there is a possibility that they will still have some moisture inside. It is sometimes difficult to tell. Then when the gourds are taken to a warmer, drier climate (like from California to Arizona), the moisture can be drawn out too quickly, and the gourds may crack. So, here's what you can do. As soon as you get your gourds out of the fields or out of the box, drill a very small hole no bigger than 1/16th of an inch through the top of each gourd, close to the stem. (Actually, it's not as important as to where you drill the hole so long as you drill it all the way through one side of the gourd.) This tiny hole will be enough to release the pressure of gases that collect inside the gourds. When you are ready to use your gourds, the holes can be patched, if desired, with wood putty, or you can incorporate it into your design.

January 22, 2004

DESIGN INSPIRATION

How many times have you looked at a wonderful work of art and said to yourself "how did she/he get that idea?!" I have! And many times I would find myself filled with a desire to create, so I would pull up a chair, break out my sketch book and wait for the inspiration to come. But all I would get was a blank mind, a white piece of paper staring back at me, and feelings of intimidation! I realized that my urge to create was dampened by my lack of ideas. Sometimes, I would talk myself out of making anything because I believed I should have the ability to come up with a design idea right on the spot. I knew there had to be another way to spark the creative spirit!

If this has happened to you, too, don't fret! I recently learned a wonderful method that can jump-start the inspiration block and get you started on an exciting and rewarding creative project!

INSTRUCTIONS

Collecting Your Images
First, choose a resource for your inspiration. It is best to start with what you like. This applies to the type of finished gourd you want to create, to the design motif you plan on using. For example, if you find yourself drawn to gourds with hand painted floral designs then you will research sources for floral inspiration. Yes, it's like homework but FUN! You can use this method to research any topic from flowers to bugs! Let your imagination run wild!

Go online and do a search for images of your favorite flowers. Take a trip to your local used bookstore. There is a wide variety of books that contain nothing but design motifs, loaded with designs inspired by everything from flowers to Art Deco! The designs and illustrations are copyright free and can be used for graphics and craft application.

Once you have gathered your resources, select at least 8 images. Choose images that you like and feel drawn to. If you tear the images out, place them in a folder, or bookmark the pages for easy reference.

Tracing
Next, remove several sheets of paper from a tablet of tracing paper (available at any local art supply store). Place a single sheet over one of the images and begin to trace it with a pencil. Do this to all of the images you have collected. Once you have traced them, lay them all out and take some time to really look at them. Choose 3 tracings that really grab you!

Creating Your Design
The purpose for gathering and tracing images in this manner is to use them as a source and starting point for your final design, not to necessarily copy them “as is.” Now is the time to start developing your own unique design. Take one of the final tracings you have chosen and try adding more elements by drawing directly onto the tracing paper. There are no rules and you can add or even remove elements. You can also try combining two images together by laying a third piece of tracing paper over the two designs and trace the elements you like. A light box is ideal for this type of work and you can find one at your local Kinko’s. If you feel confident about your drawing abilities, you can try sketching your ideas freehand onto a clean sheet of paper. Take some time to elaborate or even simplify the three designs you have chosen. However, if you feel you need to start with something simple, do it! It’s all about you and enjoyment!

Transferring Your Design
When you are done creating your designs, trace over the penciled drawings with a black fine-tip permanent marker. This step is necessary because the next step requires that you make copies of the tracing paper designs and the copy machine does not pick up the pencil clearly.

If you have your gourd selected, take a look at the size and measure the area you wish to cover with your design. Compare this with the size of the images you have traced. If you need to make an image larger or smaller, you can do this on the copy machine by using the reduce/enlarge function. Once you have made your copies, it is time to choose your final design and transfer your drawing to your gourd. Again, lay out your designs and choose one that you enjoy best! Remember, you are going to be spending time with this image so make sure it works for you!

*Note: When using the copy machine, make sure to place a blank sheet of white paper behind the tracing paper to ensure that a good copy is made.

Take a piece of graphite or transfer paper (available at your local art supply store) and tape it over the area you want your design. Then, take the photocopied piece of paper with your final design and tape it over the transfer paper. If you are having trouble getting the design to lie across your gourd, you can make a small cut in the center of each corner of the paper in order to make the sheet fit the rounded surface. This may cause the paper to buckle in areas, and it could cause you some frustration. But you will need to experiment and find a method that works best for you.

Once you have taped the transfer paper and design onto your gourd, use a pencil or pen to trace over the design using medium pressure. You can pull the sheets up to check and see if you have missed any areas while tracing. Be careful not to rub or repeatedly touch the transferred design or it may smudge or rub off. If this seems intimidating to you, try this first on another "test" gourd.

Once you have completed your transfer it's time to paint, wood burn or dye your new design!! You can also have some fun by adding unique embellishments to enhance the overall design of your creation.

Artists such as graphic designers and fine artists use this method of research when they are creating new works. Remember, ideas do not come out of a vacuum, and creativity is a process. By taking the time to focus and research a specific theme, you will be amazed at how many solid design ideas you can come up with. Just make sure you have enough gourds to keep up with your ideas!

November 13, 2003

HOW DO YOU CLEAN THE INSIDE OF GOURDS?

There are many different ways to clean a gourd, but my intention in this issue is to get you started!! I tend to believe that you need the basics first, and then your desire to create will help drive you to learn more detailed and advanced ways to achieve the same results, such as using a little bit more elbow grease!!

The cleaning supplies listed below consist of items you probably already have lying around the house and/or garage. If you don't, the cost of picking up a few of these supplies will not break the bank and you slowly begin to build your own toolbox of gourd crafting supplies.

Cleaning Supplies:

Dusk mask
Safety glasses
Utility knife or Exacto blade
Sand paper (150 grit & 220 grit)

One or more of the following items can be used to remove the inside material:
Scraper
Wire brush (available in many sizes)
Old spoon (preferably an old grapefruit spoon with serrated edges)
Flat sea shell with serrated edges
Half-round file

The inside of gourds consists of a mixture of dust, seeds, dried pulp and sometimes mold and for this reason, I highly recommend wearing a dust mask to protect yourself from these particles. Cleaning this debris from the inside of your gourd can be quite messy, so I recommend setting up your area outside or in the garage.

Once you have cut open your gourd, it's time to remove the material from the inside. Turn your gourd upside down and shake out any loose materials. The final design of your gourd will largely determine how you proceed with the cleaning process. For example, if you are making a bowl you will need to completely clean the exposed interior of the gourd. On the other hand, if you are making a piece with a narrow opening at the top you will only need to be concerned with the exposed portion of the interior.

First, put on your safety glasses and dust mask. Begin by removing any large pieces of the pulp or inside skin with your hand. Once you have removed the loose pieces, you can begin to scrape away the rest of the material using one or a combination of the tools I have listed above. The most difficult part to remove tends to be the white shiny skin. If this is proving to be a stubborn part for you, use your utility knife or other blade to make shallow vertical cuts into the skin. This method is called scoring and will assist you when scraping away the material.

I have been asked many times how far down to clean. You should remove as much of the inside skin as possible in order to reveal the clean suede-like inner shell. After cleaning a few gourds, you will get a better sense of how much to remove and how to remove the inner debris.

After you have removed as much of the inner material as possible, you can finish off the interior any way you would like. You can use some sandpaper to achieve a smooth finish. To do this, start by using the 150 grit sandpaper. If you want a smoother finish, use the 220 grit next. A thin layer of sealant can be used or it can be left natural. Now you can begin to craft the outside of your gourd!

TIP
There is a wonderful method called Wet Soaking that can be used to help eliminate the problem of flying dust and mold particles, as well as to help ease the removal of the stubborn inside debris. For this method, you will need to fill up the inside your gourd completely with water and soak it overnight (this time may vary depending upon the inside material). Once your gourd has soaked, check to see if the debris is beginning to pull away from the shell with more ease. If so, you can begin to pull and scrape it out. Be careful not to scrape to hard or apply to much pressure because you can puncture through some of the thinner shelled gourds.

*Important note - you MUST make sure your cleaned gourd is dried completely before you can begin any crafting. The drying should be at least 24 hours if the weather is warm and dry, and possibly longer for other conditions.

October 29, 2003

"The Challenged Gourd Series Part 4"

I had a wonderful class with the talented Carol Rookstool this year at a festival, and I learned many wonderful things. But one thing she said really stuck, "SAVE YOUR GOURD PARTS!" And now I know why! The remaining parts such as lids, bottoms, stems or pieces will not only provide future ideas for embellishments and center of interest ideas, they can help with repairs. So if your gourd is missing a stem and you must have one to complete the look of your design, don't fret! Here is and way to work around it.

Supplies:
Pencil
Stem
Wooden dowel (available at local hardware store)
Epoxy Glue (Permatex 5-Minute Epoxy or Super Glue Epoxy work well and are available at most hardware stores)
Drill
Drill bit set
Wood putty

First, find a stem from some of your discarded gourd tops. Keep in mind that you want to match its size and shape to the proportion and feel of your gourd. Clean the gourd and the stem. Find the best place to position the stem and mark it with a pencil.

To attach the stem to the gourd, use a small wooden dowel. Carefully drill a hole into the stem and the gourd, making sure the hole does not go through the gourd or the stem (maximum length tends to be around 1/2 inch). Cut your supporting piece to the appropriate length and add a few drops of a good quick-set epoxy glue in the corresponding holes. Insert your piece of wood let dry. If you notice any gaps or spaces you can fill them with a wood putty. Viola! Your gourd design has its finishing touch!

Gourd tip inspired by Dyan Mai Peterson, "The Decorated Gourd."

October 2, 2003

"The Challenged Gourd Series Part 3"

Make Your Own Stands: Gourd Ring Stands Take one of your old gourd tops or a damaged gourd you've thrown aside and cut some rings out of it, as if you were making rings or circles like those used for ring toss games. The overall size of the ring (the diameter and width) should be determined by the size of the gourd that needs the stand. When choosing the diameter, if you use too small a ring, it will not provide enough area to balance your gourd and it will topple over. On the other hand, if the diameter of the ring is too large, the gourd will fall through the ring and rest on its uneven bottom again. In regards to the width of the ring, it can be narrow if the bottom of your gourd is only slightly rounded. For gourds with a very rounded bottom, you will need to make a nice, wide stand that will be deep enough for the rounded bottom to fit into.

Remove the Bottom of the Gourd

Another option to dealing with an uneven bottomed gourd is to remove the bottom! Many artist choose to cut the bottom off of their gourd to create an artificially even gourd.

You can use a variety of tools to accomplish this. If you have access to a band saw or jigsaw you can cut a straight edge off the bottom of the gourd.

Once you have removed it, the gourd can remain open or you can finish it off by sealing the bottom. Use a piece of felt or a thin piece of plywood and glue it on using any good glue found at your local hardware store.

Buying Gourd Stands: If you don’t have any extra gourds or gourd parts or if you feel your piece would be best displayed on another type of stand there are some other great options! Take a trip to your local craft supply store and check out the various styles of wreaths they have available. The wreaths make stunning stands and add warm touch of country style.

Just remember that there are no limitations other than those we make ourselves. Let your imagination go and perhaps you will come up with your own unique gourd stand!

September 4, 2003

"The Challenged Gourd Series Part 2"

Just as gourds come in all shapes and sizes, they can come with other natural imperfections. If you find that one of your favorite unfinished gourds has a crack in the shell that goes all the way through, don’t give up on it! You do have options – you can repair the damaged area or completely remove it. Below are some suggestions that you can put to use on your challenged gourds that will still allow you to create a wonderful work of art.

Repairing a crack with a wood filler: -Drill a small hole at both ends of the crack in order to keep it from spreading. -Apply a small amount of wood filler or wood putty into the crack. Allow it to dry -Gently sand the repaired area with a fine sand paper (150-grit) -Begin designing gourd

Photograph courtesy of The Decorated Gourd by Dyan Mai Peterson

It is important to remember that if you use a wood filler or wood putty to repair a crack, it will dry a different shade and texture than the natural gourd shell. The best finishing method for this would be to incorporate a design using acrylic paint or decoupage. This ensures a complete coverage of your repair.

NOTE:
If your initial design requires using a wood stain or leather dye over the entire surface, we recommend you use another damage free gourd, or see the next tip and the design by Dyan Mai Peterson for ways to incorporate the natural crack into your design.

Stitching: Cracks can be repaired by using a stitching or lacing method that resembles an “X” design. By using this method, the imperfection becomes a unique part of the overall design.

-Drill small equidistant holes on either side of the crack.
-Using a piece of artificial sinew or waxed linen, thread a needle and tie a knot at the end-make sure the piece is long enough to finish your stitching.
-Start at the top and pull the piece thru from the inside out –make sure the knot remains inside the gourd.
-Put the threaded needle into the hole located diagonally from the one you just used- the idea is to create “X” stitches that traverse across the crack.
-Finish off your last stitch by going inside the gourd. Tie a knot and cut the remainder off.

Removing the imperfection:

If the surface damage is just too much to deal with, think about removing it completely. There are many different projects you can create that will allow you to remove the damaged part, while leaving the rest of the gourd intact. Any design that has a portion of the gourd removed such as bowls, baskets and sculptures can be used when you have a challenged gourd with a large imperfection. See the image of Ivy Leaf Basket in the above article.

All you need is a good imagination and some cutting tools and your challenged gourd can be transformed into something spectacular!

August 7, 2003

"The Challenged Gourd Series Part 1"

The part of the gourd that is in contact with the ground as the gourd dries often has shell damage.

Some gourds are a crack-up! And cracks whether deep or shallow, require a decision; use ‘em or lose ‘em. Keep in mind that the gourd shell is very much like a soft wood surface so many products for wood repair will work on gourds. Below are some suggestions on how to work with surface damage such as shallow “spider cracks,” which sometimes occur on the side of the gourd that touches the ground during the drying process.

Sometimes these cracks are very small or have dried hard, and there is no danger of further erosion. A light sanding is all you need to do for these types of flaws. Other cracks take on a cork board consistency and may chip when light pressure is applied. Unless you plan on 'losing,' or cutting out the cracked area, these must be fixed and sealed to prevent further erosion. The special 'use it' technique described below will allow you to apply transparent design treatments, such as stains and dyes, without the mended area showing through.

To Lose Them
Remember, you can always get rid of what you don’t need! A good way to alleviate the problem of wondering how to “deal” or “work” with the crack or flaw is to remove it. Try a gourd project that calls for cutting out part of your gourd, such as a birdhouse or bowl. The ideas are limitless, just take a look through some of the past issues of The Gourdzette and find something that works for you!

To Use Them
If you have decided that you want to use the gourd, cracks and all, we recommend treating the cracks with a sealant in order to keep it from cracking or crumbling any further.

• Apply a small amount of Elmer’s glue to the cracked area.
• Work it into any cracks or depressions and immediately wipe away excess with a damp cloth.
• While the glue is still wet, immediately sand gently with a fine grit sandpaper (a 100-150 grit is good).
• Allow to dry. Normally, glue on the gourd surface would prohibit any stain from soaking into the shell. By sanding while the glue is still wet, enough gourd particles get incorporated into the glue so that the stain will take.
• Occasionally there is a little shrinkage and a second treatment might be needed. (after the first has dried completely)

Note: If you are painting your gourd or covering the entire surface, such as with decoupage, wood filler will work fine for mending cracks. However, when you are creating a gourd with a transparent finish, wood filler repair areas will show through as a blemish.

Make sure to check out the next edition of The Gourdzette for the Challenged Gourd Series Part 2! We will discuss ways to use or lose deep cracks, which go all the way through the gourd shell.

If you have your own solution for working with a challenged gourd, or if you have specific questions you would like answered, please drop us an email! We would love to hear from you! E-mail Tracy King at TheGourdKing@aol.com.

- Tracy King

July 24, 2003

"TIPS ON GOURD GROWING: Why do my little gourds turn brown and fall off?"

Does your gourd plant produce flowers but no mature gourds? If your tiny, green gourds shrivel up, turn brown and fall off, it is probably because they have not been pollinated.The good news is, pollinating is fairly easy. Gourds are nocturnal, which means the flowers open at night. The best time to pollinate is in the evening or very early morning.

The female flower is easy to differentiate from the male because it has a small gourd fruit at the base and yellow stigma, which have a shiny, sticky coating when most receptive to pollination. A quick and easy way to pollinate the female is to pluck a male flower, remove the petals to expose the anthers and pollen, hold it over the female and gently tap out the pollen so it dusts the female.

If a gourd had been properly pollinated it will grow and become noticeable larger within a week. Occasionally you will see gourds begin to grow, but then shrivel and turn brown as though it were never pollinated. This will happen when the female does not receive enough pollen. When hand pollinating, be sure to dust the female fruit with plenty of pollen. Use several male flowers if you need to. If you find insects are beating you to the punch and eating the majority of the pollen before you can get to it, try placing a small, canvas bag or similar cover over the unopened male flowers. When the male flower opens, there is plenty of pollen for you to use for hand pollination.

Hand pollinating can yield many more gourds per plant than you would get leaving the job up to insects. Be sure to give your gourd plants plenty of fertilizer, water and sunshine to support the heavy crop. For more information about growing gourds, be sure to get the highly acclaimed book, Gourds In Your Garden, by Ginger Summit. The book gives you all kinds of great information, including how to grow gourds, growing gourds on trellises, drying gourds, and common pest and disease problems for gourds.

July 10, 2003

"FixAll^TM for Gourds"

Anyone who does a lot of fix up or remodeling around the house is familiar with a product called FixAll. It is a lot like Spackle and is used to fill large holes and cracks. Unlike Spackle which shrinks, FixAll swells ever so slightly and can be sanded when dry. A gourder can use this product in a whole new way.

If you would like a hard, smooth, sandable, paintable surface on the inside of your gourd, FixAll might be just the ticket. Buy it in the boxed, dry powder form. It is available from any Home Depot or home improvement store. Prepare the product thinner than the instructions say. It should be about the consistency of thick yogurt. Then rub it all over the inside of your scraped and cleaned gourd.

It shouldn't hurt your hands, but rubber gloves can save your manicure! Let it dry and apply another coat if you feel it is necessary. Sand any rough spots and you should have a gourd lining that looks and reacts like wood. Paint or seal accordingly.

- Tracy King

June 26, 2003

"Simply Superb Sanding"

Irregularly-shaped gourds may have concave surfaces and tiny indentations that are difficult to sand smooth. However, it's easy to make simple sanding tools at home!

Glue a piece of fine-grit sandpaper (220-grit or finer) to the back of an old spoon to sand large concave areas or hard-to-reach curves. (This is especially useful for sanding inside a gourd with a long, thin neck to create a smooth inner surface.) To sand smaller indentations, try wrapping your sandpaper around a wooden pencil, or around the tapered end of a disposable chopstick. You'll be able to sand even tricky surfaces to create a smooth, uniform finish on your gourd!

- Leslie Baze

June 12, 2003

"Simple Solutions for Smelly Gourds"

If you're working with a gourd that has a funny smell, you can remove the odor completely by using ordinary table salt. A vigorous salt scrub will scrape any remaining pulp from the inside of a cleaned gourd while absorbing any unpleasant odors. This technique is favored in Japan, where many varieties of dried gourds are used for cooking as well as crafting! An alternate method is to soak the gourd in a solution of salt water for a few days. Make sure to change the water daily. Taste a little of the water each time you change it - when the bitter taste is gone, the gourd odor will be gone with it.

- Leslie Baze

June 5, 2003

Getting The Most From Your Wood burning Tools

To keep your wood burning tools clean, Patti Quinn recommends wiping the wood burning tips with a scrap of denim cut from old blue jeans. Denim scraps are cheap and readily available, and they will not scorch or burn easily. Unlike rags or abrasive cleaners, the denim will remove the carbon residue without dulling, scratching, or breaking your wood burning tips. Your tips will last longer and burn a cleaner line!

- Patti Quinn

April 24, 2003

"Making the Gourd Sit"

When I have a gourd that will not sit flat, I use small pebbles mixed with glue or Plaster of Paris. This is put in the gourd at the place where it enables the gourd to sit flat. I also use pebbles to give the gourd some weight while painting. I put them in the gourd, and seal the hole with my trusty "duct tape". I also have a container filled with sand box sand that I use to stabilize the gourd. Using rubberized shelf liner, I create a "nest" with the sand and liner and the gourd stays just like I place it.

- Barbara Blair

April 3, 2003

"Making the Lid Fit"

We have received many requests from crafters on how to cut a gourd so that the lid will fit properly. We asked artist, Mary Segreto, to offer her experience with cutting lids for gourds.

"I can tell you few things that I have found. First, I use the finest saw blade I can that will still do the job. A blade with more teeth per inch will also give a smoother cut, while a blade with fewer teeth per inch will cut faster, but leave you with a rougher cut. Whatever blade is used there will be material removed that is equal to the thickness of the blade, which can cause the cover to sink down slightly. You can avoid this problem by making the cut lower down on the gourd, past the top curve.

It is important not to do ANY sanding of either the container or lid portion if you want a good fit, which also makes accurate cutting essential. It's a good idea to practice your sawing technique, whether with hand or power tools before attempting a covered gourd.

With that said, I have sanded the edge of a thick gourd with a lid because the edge was very rough. The key is, I sanded VERY lightly, just to remove the really rough chunks, and then I filled the edge by wiping some wood putty on with my finger tip. This created a nice smooth edge, though it took some extra sanding and refilling to get the cover to fit as it should. I guess we can call that an advanced (or anal) technique."

- Mary Segreto

March 20, 2003

"Can gourds be used as planters?"

This is one question that is asked a lot, and depending on who you ask you will get different answers! Some people say the gourd must be sealed before using it as a planter or it will rot. My experience is, you can plant directly into the gourd without doing a thing, even without drainage holes.

I have three gourd planters in my house that were made over 40 years ago. These gourd planters were never sealed or treated in any way, and two of them don’t even have drainage holes, yet they’ve lasted over 40 years and still show no signs of decay.

The gourd planters in my house are definitely made from gourds with dense, thick shells, so I would assume this has played a role. If you would like to make gourd planters, start with quality, thick-shelled gourds. It’s also a good idea to put drainage holes in it, just to be on the safe side. Be sure to use a light potting mix. If your soil is too heavy, it will hold water much longer and increase the chance of the gourd rotting.

March 6, 2003

"More Gourd Cleaning Tips!"

Gourd crafters are always looking for better ways to clean and/or prepare their gourd for crafting. Below are some tips we have received from fellow crafters on ways they have found to clean their gourds:

"The best way I have found to clean the outside of the gourds is to soak them in water for 20 minutes or so. Unfortunately the darn things float! To avoid having one side of my gourd completely dry and uncleanable, I drape wet towels over my gourds while they are soaking. Hope this helps people!"
--Sally Mapleton

"I bought a big container of OxyClean® at the county fair, and the salesperson's pitch emphasized that it eats away "organic matter." It also isn't as lethal as some other cleaners, so I decided to try it on my gourds. I filled up a basin with hot water, added a scoop of the powder, and the mold was easy to remove in a few minutes."
--Nancy Marmolejo

"When I do my design work, I keep a container of Clorox® wipes handy. They erase pencil marks quickly and neatly. As a bonus, they also keep off bacteria and mold that may be lingering on the gourd. One wipe will last quite awhile. I store used wipes at the top of the container until they are used up."
--Sue Berger

February 20, 2003

"Make Cleaning Your Gourd Easier"

After I cut a gourd open, I take out the seeds and the big dried membrane pieces, put the gourd in a bucket, and fill it with a solution of bleach and water. I let it soak for a day or two, rinse it with water and use a melon baller to scrap out the inside until the entire inside is membrane free. Soaking the gourd avoids the problem with gourd dust, and the bleach lightens the inside and outside shell of the gourd, as well as preventing mold or mildew.

- Debbie Maerz

February 6, 2003

"Painting your Gourd"

When transferring a painting pattern onto a gourd, cut out each element of the design individually. Then place each piece of the design onto the gourd in the desired position. Use a piece of painters or artist tape to hold it in place. Painters or artist tape lifts off and re-sticks easily. You can then move the design elements around until you have them exactly where you want them. Transfer your design and paint away!

- Heidi Sanger

January 23, 2003

"For the Serious Gourd Crafter – Storing Your Gourds"

Here's an easy way to get that growing pile of gourds off your garage or workshop floor and into a storage that makes it easy to view and access your gourds. The only two items you will need are a hunk of fish net (available at Army Navy surplus stores), and some screw-in hooks.

Drill holes for the hooks, spacing them 18-24 inches apart, in the rafters of your garage or workshop. Hang the netting from the hooks, leaving enough slack to form pouches to hold the gourds. The netting is strong enough to withstand the weight of many gourds and can be unhooked at any point for easy access.

You will gain more workspace while having all that inspiration hanging just overhead.

- Mary Segreto

January 8, 2003

"Drawing Circles, Sanding, and Carving Your Gourds!"

I use old wooden and metal embroidery hoops to make circles on my gourds. It works great, especially since you can't always use the pointed compass when the top isn't flat.

I use a sweat scraper (borrowed from my horse, Sugar), cost $1.25. Works great for scraping out gourds with hard-to-reach places. It is long and strong. I buy them at a feed store. Also, sandpaper around a rolling pin is good for sanding down into a narrow opening.

I have been using a modified dental tool called the Paragraver that runs on air. It does not vibrate or chip the gourd. It is a modified dental tool. Can't say enough about it. You could carve an egg. I do filigree work on gourds with it. Anyone interested, contact The Hones Studio of engraving in Benjamin, Utah at 801-794-2800. I am through with Dremels. If you can draw with a pen, that's how easy it glides though the gourd. A must for the serious artist.

- Mary Hogue

December 18, 2002

"Drawing An Even Circle On Your Gourd"

Drawing an even circle to do lidded or bowl gourds is something I've tried in a variety of ways! I've gone from simply placing a mixing bowl over the top of the gourd and tracing around it, the rubber band technique (I've found they tend slip though in tricky rounded areas of the gourd), and even using a fabric tape measure but the one thing I've been using for a while now that seems to work best is a plain old-fashioned compass. I'm not talking about the north-east-west-south, type, but the kind that has a sharp point (can be doubled as an awl on thin-skinned or jewelry gourds) and a pencil.

I simply put the point in the center of where I want my circle - usually next to the stem, and draw a nice circle. Your circle/opening will be perfect although I've found that sometimes it won't appear so from various side views due to the gourd not being even. I won't say perfectly shaped because we all know ALL gourds are perfect!

If your circle looks askew from the side simply reposition or adjust the compass until you get your circle satisfactory.

-Laurie Ledbetter

December 4, 2002

"A Wonderful Sanding Implement"

For sanding the inside of gourds, take a 3" wooden ball, place it on a 5" square of sandpaper, fold up the corners of the sandpaper and secure with duct tape. Tada! A wonderful sanding implement. Your hands & fingers will thank you. I also do this with a wooden egg for smaller, tighter areas.

- Allison Dale

October 30, 2002

"How to fix a broken stem"

You can easily fix or replace a broken stem on your gourd. First clean both the stem and the gourd where the stem will attach. Sand off any remaining stem still attached to the gourd, and make sure your stem had a clean cut so it will sit flush against the gourd surface.

To attach the stem, you'll need a toothpick, wooden shish kabob, skewer, or small round basket reed as support. Drill a hole in the gourd and also into the stem; the size of the holes you drill will be determined by what type and size of support material you are using. Drill the hole as deep as you can, preferable 1/2 inch into the stem base and 1/2 inch into the gourd. The deeper the holes, the stronger they will be. Be careful not to drill all the way through the the stem or gourd.

Cut the support to desired length. Add a few drops of quick-set epoxy glue into both holes, and attach the stem to the gourd. Make adjustments if needed. Let the glue dry thoroughly. To blend the stem into the gourd, dye the stem the same color as the surrounding area. Use wood putty to fill in any undesirable gaps.

- Dyan Mai Peterson

September 5, 2002

This week's Gourd Tip is an excerpt taken from "Dar" Beck's wonderful mini-gourd project, "Storyteller," which won the second place 'Runner Up' prize in the Mini Gourd Project Contest. The adorable 'gourd people' in her project are all wearing ponchos (a cloth wrap) made from polymer clay!

WORKING WITH POLYMER CLAY

Polymer clay can be found in most art and craft shops and on the Internet with on-line shopping. It comes in various brand names, each having a bit of variation, i.e. flexibility, strength, workability, artist preferences. In this lesson I have used the brand Premo.

If you are working with polymer clay for the first time there are a few things that are important to know.

Many colors are available, including metallics. All can be mixed and blended. Polymer clay is heat-sensitive, so don't leave it in a hot car or mailbox. It will cook, becoming hard and unusable. It can be stored in wax paper, parchment paper, and some plastics. At this time my favorite are the Ziploc containers to store clay.

There is no such thing as scrap clay. No reason to ever throw any of it away. Scrap clay is for treasures! And many other things. I panic when my 'scrap clay' gets low.

Tools needed for working with clay are a smooth glass,/tile work surface, a tissue blade, oven and rolling pin will get you started.

Oven: when I use my kitchen oven, my pieces are put into aluminum baking pans with tile on the bottom to even out the heat and a top pan is attached with paper clamps (picture inside of lesson plan). The oven temperature must be correct. It is easier to under bake clay than to oven bake your piece. Each brand may take a different amount of time per thickness of clay. Be sure to follow manufacturers directions on the package.

After polymer clay is cured, it may be finished with Future floor wax or water-based varnishes. It can be sanded or buffed.

August 22, 2002

"A Cracked Gourd Is No Problem!"

The best way to handle a crack is to deal with it before it gets any worse. To stop the crack from getting any bigger, drill a small hole at each end. You can then fill in the holes (and the crack, if necessary) with wood filler. Once the wood putty is dry, sand it down and the gourd is as good as new!

August 9 , 2002

"Secrets to Cutting a Lid for Your Gourd"

I use a mini crafter's saw, which removes a lot less of the gourd than a regular jigsaw or saws with a thick blade. What happens with the larger blades, such as those in a regular jigsaw, is the thickness and coarseness of the blade end up taking a lot of the gourd material out, so your lid then sinks down into the gourd instead of sitting flush. The small blade of the mini crafter's saw eliminates this problem.

One of the tricks I learned was substituting a different blade into my mini crafter's saw. I tend to go through a lot of saw blades, especially when I teach classes, and the blades made for my saw can get expensive. Instead, I just go to the hardware store and buy coping saw blades and cut them up. These blades are measured by how many teeth they have per inch. I use the one with 15 teeth per inch, which is kind of a medium-size saw blade. More teeth per inch makes a finer cut, but of course the cutting process is slower because the blade does not cut as much material away as quickly.

- Mary Segreto

July 25, 2002

Charlotte Vincent sent in the following tip relating to last issue's gourd tip by Hazel Tripp, "Paper Bag Gourd Lining" (see below)

"Hazel's paper bag and glue tip really works. I have tried the same, including sticking (pun intended) with the glue mixture [she recommends]. What I wish to add to [Hazel's] tip is the fact that there are some really lovely shades and prints they use in tissue paper these days. I came upon the idea of using them when I did a wall-hanging half gourd."

- Charlotte Vincent

July 11, 2002

"Paper Bag Gourd-Lining Tip"

The paper bag lining is pretty easy to do....I use Elmer's Carpenter's Wood Glue, and a not so good paint brush. This will make a good brush not so good after you are done! Make a mix of watered down glue in a shallow bowl. Have a puddle of glue for dipping your brush into. Rip up a brown paper bag into irregular pieces.

What I do is take the undiluted glue and brush it onto the inside of the gourd. Work with small areas of glued surface. Then dip a piece of paper, or brush on the water/glue onto your paper. Add paper to the inside of gourd slightly overlapping. This can become messy! So have a wet washrag to wipe off your fingers!

Apply the paper to the gourd and take a stiff brush (and fingers) and burnish (rub firmly) the paper to the inside of gourd. Then repeat over and over! After this has dried over night, I apply either Instant Decoupage or Delta Ceramcoat Varnish. Both are water based. The Decoupage says its a Glue, sealer, and varnish.

I guess you could use the decoupage in place of the wood glue. I use the wood glue because I found that once you glue something with this stuff it never comes apart! I hope this explains how to do this. If you have any questions just ask!

- Hazel Tripp

June 6, 2002

Etching on a Gourd Surface

One of the earliest forms of decorating gourds was to hold the dried gourd over a flame and the soot would darken the surface and singe the surface.... the artist would then scratch through the blackened gourd and the gourd would show through. They may have added a little fat to keep the soot from coming off too easily.......

Today the easiest way would be to paint the gourd.... black...... and scratch or carve through the surface.....

Something similar you might try is green etching a gourd. When it is green and still has its outer skin, use a sharp tool to etch a design through the skin. Let the gourd dry normally over the course of time, and the etched design will be obvious on the surface of the dried and cleaned gourd.

Nancy Hardesty www.artbynancyhardesty.com

May 23, 2002

"Random Pattern Effects on Gourds"

Here is an easy technique that gives an interesting effect to your gourd.

1. Paint a base coat of dye or acrylics on the gourd.
2. Thin an acrylic paint with water, not too watery. The metallics are nice for this project.
3. Paint the gourd with the watered down paint. Do this quickly. If you have a large gourd do it in sections.
4. Then take your hair dryer, set it on high, and allow the paint to move in random patterns. It's quick and the results are never the same.

- Sandy, in San Diego

April 30, 2002

Identification Labels - Save a few pennies / Recycle

Do you need good sturdy labels to identify your gourd seedling ? I use old venetian blinds, the plastic type. You can find many kinds of these plastic blinds at yard sales for less than nothing. Each blind can hold from 50 to a hundred of the plastic slats that make up the blind. The thickness of the slats vary, so hunt for them to suit your needs in terms of cutting ,with a pair of scissors or paper cutter. After disassembling the blind. Measure the length or depth of your seedling pot, leave extra room for printing the gourd name and cut across the slate to produce one label. Select which is to be the end, then cut a point on this end. You will insert this end into you pot (some slats have a slight curl which can be used to an advantage). I find that you can make several hundreds of the 'identification sticks' with one blind. This is a money saving project you can do every year and you can custom design them to fit your needs. You must use a permanent marker to print on the plastic label. I hope you find this recycling project useful. (Note: A Number 2 pencil also works well for marking and does not fade with time.)

- Joe Koss

April 11, 2002

In your craft rooms, an easy place to store your gourds is to purchase the Toy nets that are available for babies toys. You open this up and attach hooks to the walls in the corner of the room up high and then hook on the net and place all your gourds. It holds quite a lot and the great thing is it lets the air circulate through them and you can look up and see at a glance what type of gourds you have....it also looks very pretty. I just love mine and will be adding another one as it works so great!

- Margaret Brouqua

March 28, 2002

How to Make "Paper Clay" for gourds.

4 cups sifted flour
4 cups cold water

Stir together with wooden spoon until there are no lumps. Stir continually over medium heat until the mixture is clear. Remove from heat--use wooden spoon to make a hole in the mix. Add 1 pint of Elmers Glue (or any kind of white glue). Mix until smooth. Tear a half roll of CHEAP toilet paper (the cheapest kind works best for some reason) into pieces and work into mix. Set aside to cool. Place in a baggie and keep in fridge. Will keep for a few weeks. Works like modeling clay, and is easy to form on gourds. You can mold it, paint it, etc. It is a fairly large recipe, so you could share with some others or try making a half batch. Passed on from another gourder from another club........

- LyNett

March 15, 2002

Wood burning On Gourds

Burn at the LOWEST possible setting to achieve the effect you want. Until I took some classes and learned otherwise, I burned at nearly full power, then went over the piece to smooth over or sand down the excessive burn marks. Remember that you can always go over it again if it’s too light. And sometimes, the effect of building up faintly burnt lines is much more dramatic than a deep groove burned nearly through your project.

- John Stacy

March 8, 2002

How do you mark your gourd for placing designs equidistant from one another?

A "cake decorating circle" which is a plastic mat showing equal and evenly spaced marks on the sheet of plastic. The cake is placed in the center and embellishments are placed evenly on the cake by looking at the plastic sheet. I presume these sheets can be found at craft stores in cake decorating departments. Light bulbs went on and I thought what a great idea for using with gourds. *Another great way to get evenly spaced marks, right ON the gourd, is to use a cloth dress-makers tape measure. It's flexible so that you can wrap it around the gourd wherever you need the marks, i.e.; mid-way, diagonally, etc. It's also flat and wide so it stays "straight". You can then see the circumference and divide into however many gradations you want (half-inch, inch or even centimeters) This way the marks are right on the gourd and don't have to be transferred. Masking tape helps hold the tape in place.

Courtesy of the Gourd Artist's Guild web site

February 28, 2002

When planting gourds, keep in mind that unless you plant seeds advertised as "hand-pollinated" or 90% pure, you are most likely to get gourds of all different shapes, not just the shape advertised on the package (i.e. 'Bottle' or 'Martin House'). Gourd seeds can also be sold as 'isolated,' which means the gourds were grown in isolation so it is less likely that they cross-pollinated with other shapes. You will have better luck having these seeds come back true (i.e. produce the same gourd shape as the gourd they were taken out of), but only way to be sure of getting a true seed is to hand pollinate.

February 21, 2002

I have had much trouble with gourds slipping off my lap or the table while working on them. I have come up with the solution quite by accident. I bought a roll of shelf liner for our new house. It is soft and cushy. It sticks to the shelf with no adhesives. It is made by Rubbermaid. Nothing, and I mean nothing, slips or slides on the surface it covers.

I had a piece of this liner laying on my counter. I sat a gourd on it. I was attempting to mix some paints and the gourd was too close. I tried pushing it out of the way and it didn't move. In fact, I pushed it over onto its side. I knew right then this is what I needed to use on my lap.

Then I got the idea to glue some of the liner on a pair of thin work/gardening gloves. My gourds never slip out of my grip while working on them.

- Liz Mattingly

February 15, 2002

When wood burning your gourd, burn at the LOWEST possible setting to achieve the effect you want. Until I took some classes and learned otherwise, I burned at nearly full power, then went over the piece to smooth over or sand down the excessive burn marks. Remember that you can always go over it again if it's too light. And sometimes, the effect of building up faintly burnt lines is much more dramatic than a deep groove burned nearly through your project.

- John Stacy

February 8, 2002

When applying leather dye to your gourd surface on a hot day, the dye will often soak in too rapidly, creating streaks and an uneven finish. To avoid this problem, wet the gourd first, then apply the dye to the wet surface. Wipe with a paper towel.

- Don Weeke

January 31, 2002

The best way to learn new techniques and methods for crafting gourds is to join a local gourd group! Visit some of these links to find one in your area!

American Gourd Society
Arizona Gourd Society
Florida Gourd Society
Georgia Gourd Society
Indiana Gourd Society
Misti Washington Gourd and Basket Guild
Texas Gourd Society

January 24, 2002

When you come back from the gourd farm with 3 more bags than you told your husband you were going to buy, keep one small bag in front and hide the contraband bags in the trunk. Bring in the one bag to show him what you bought, and hide the other bags around the house when he's not around!

- Anonymous

January 15, 2002

Use oven cleaner spray for hard-to-clean gourds. In a well-ventilated area, spray on the outer surface of the gourd and let sit 30 minutes. Then rinse. The gourd should come out clean...and ready to cook on! (we're kidding, don't try cooking on it.)

- Sandra McCallum!

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