Gourd Enthusiasm Growing Around the World

Gourds played an essential role in the daily life of early cultures.  Commonly used as containers and vessels, they were also used for musical instruments. Some cultures used gourds for birdhouses and feeders and this is what most people today think of when they hear the word gourd. Or maybe you can remember a dipper made out of a gourd at Grandma’s house years ago.

Now artists and crafts people have discovered a new medium to develop their creativity. I’m not sure when the gourd craze officially started but it worked it’s way into my life quite a few years ago by way of an article in a gardening magazine. It looked interesting and so that spring I decided to grow a couple gourd plants.

My first creations were, of course, birdhouses. Later, after some research and book purchases, the world of gourds exploded and I have found that the creative possibilities are limitless. Even if you can’t come up with your own ideas there are a multitude of books and tutorials written by gourd artists and crafters explaining different techniques that can be done with gourds.

Gourd craft is working its way into the hands of accomplished artists who have found the gourd to be an exciting new way to showcase their art. They are not just for crafters anymore.

So now that you have gotten a little gourd enthusiasm of your own, what comes next? Well, the gourd of course. Gourd growers and suppliers, once few and far between, are beginning to pop up everywhere. Many can be found on the internet.

Gourds come in all shapes and sizes, from minis to giants. The name of the gourd can give you a clue about the shape, such as egg, cannonball, canteen, basketball, bottle and so forth. You get the idea.

In order to work with the gourd, it must be dry. If you happen to find gourds being sold in the fall at a farmers market they will most likely be freshly harvested. These will have to dry for a few months to a year or more depending on size. I personally don’t like to purchase green gourds, as they are called, just in case they haven’t fully matured. Some growers, new to the world of gourd craft, don’t understand the needs of the gourd artist. They are only concerned with growing gourds for fall decoration. A poorly grown gourd, instead of drying, may rot or have a shell too thin to work with.

I’m in favor of buying gourds that have already dried. This way surprises and disappointments can be reduced. You still may have a few along the way though. When gourds dry they produce a moldy skin that eventually dries on the gourd. This skin has to be removed before art work can begin. After the skin is removed you may discover some holes or warts on your gourd. Or during cleaning you might discover your hard gourd has turned soft once you got it wet. This is the sign of a thin shell. There are things that can be done with a thin shell, but for the most part, we look for gourds with thick, sturdy shells.

To avoid these problems, look for cleaned, ready to craft gourds. These gourds have been cleaned for you. Cleaning is a messy job and you may not have the desire or area in which to do it yourself.

So come and join in the fun and find out for yourself the addicting powers of the gourd.

Martha Bloom: Grower and crafter of gourds. Find gourds, ready to craft when they arrive at your door. Martha’s Gourds

Add comment April 12th, 2006

Crafting With Gourds

Gourds are so versatile and there are so many different things you can do with them. When you think of a gourd, think of a wood product. That will help you when you start asking what type of materials can be used with them.

Gourds can be painted, burned, stained, dyed, cut, or if you find one that is just too beautiful to do a thing with, leave it natural.

There are a few basics to gourd crafting. First start with a dried gourd. Different shapes will lend themselves to different projects, so find a gourd that will be the best for the project you will be working on.

Next you will need to clean the gourd. Why do you need to clean it? Because the dried mold and skin will flake off eventually if you ty to paint over it.

So to clean, you wet down the gourd and then scrub the skin and mold off. A copper scrubber works well, plus a knife and small wire brush for the stem.

To wet the gourd, you can just place it in a sink full of water and turn the gourd over a few times, letting it soak for 1/2 hour or more, depending on the skin. Some skin is harder to remove.

Remember, cleaning is a messy job and you may not want to use the kitchen sink. I am lucky enough to have a laundry tub to use when cleaning in the house. If it’s warm outside you may want to find a large tub to use. Another method you can try on a nice sunny day, is to put the gourd or gourds in a black plastic bag. Spray in some water and close it up. Let it sit in the sun for a couple of hours and then work on cleaning them. The secret is to get the skin good and soft. If you are having rainy weather or using a sprinkler to water the lawn, just place your gourd out in the lawn and let it get wet that way.

When the skin is softened, it is time to clean your gourd. I like to use rubber gloves when I am doing this. I’ve talked to some people that have broken out in a rash because they were allergic to the moldy skin.

Take your scrubby and start rubbing all over the gourds. Use the wire brush on the stem and on the bottom where the blossum was. Sometimes you need to use a knife for stubborn areas. When everything is cleaned off, let the gourd dry a couple days before working on it.

When going through the cleaning process you will sometimes find a gourd that has a soft spot. That means the shell is very thin in that area and may not be worth keeping. Sometimes parts of the gourd can be salvaged and used as pieces in other projects.

Martha Bloom

More information on gourds can be found at Martha’s Gourds.

1 comment April 10th, 2006