How to Carve and Decorate With Gourds

Gourds have functional uses as water dippers and bowls.

Gourds are members of the squash family and come in many shapes, sizes and colors. Traditionally, they have been used to craft functional pieces like bowls, baskets and water dippers. Today, they are crafted into decorative objects with simple or ornate designs on them. You can do this at home with a steady hand and artistic eye. Use gourds that are completely dry before starting to work. When finished they make nice gifts or add to a particular decor.

Things You'll Need

• Steel wool
• Mini jigsaw
• Sandpaper
• Soft cloth
• Fine-tipped marker
• Hand-held rotary tool
• Fine bur head
• Stump bur
• Ball-tipped bur
• Flat black paint
• Acrylic paint
• Paint brushes
• Acrylic satin finish

Instructions

1. Clean the outside of the gourd using steel wool. Cut off the top using a mini jigsaw, scoop out and clean the insides by scraping it clean and making it smooth with sandpaper. Gently dry the gourd with a soft cloth.

2. Mark the pattern that you want to carve on the gourd, using a pencil. Think about how you want to use the white space. Keep the design simple if you are a beginning carver. Retrace the pencil lines with a thin magic marker.

3. Cut away pieces along the top to open the gourd up as much as desired using the mini jigsaw. If you are making a bowl you want the gourd mouth to be quite wide. Make the opening smooth or create an artistic look with a jagged opening.

4. Carve the large design elements out of the gourd using a hand-held rotary tool like a Dremel or Foredom. Use a fine bur head that makes smooth even cuts in the gourd. Work slowly and carefully. Don't try to carve too much at once or you may slip and ruin the piece. Small mistakes are easier to fix. Incorporate small mistakes into the design by modifying the design.

5. Use a stump bur for carving figures or more detailed, mid-sized elements. For fine details, use a ball-tipped bur.

6. Spray the inside of the gourd with a flat, black paint. Use acrylic paint to add color to the gourd and spray acrylic satin finish to seal it.

7. Add carved gourd elements around the home. They work well as centerpieces and can hold things like decorative rocks or potpourri. Use them in the center of a table, on side tables or next to the bed. Create gourds with designs that go with the colors and themes of the room for a personalized centerpiece.

References

• Gourds and Pyrography: Harvesting and Drying Gourds
• Gourd Visions: Carving Gourds

Resources

• Basket Makers: Gourd Tutorial Index