Beginner Guide 2015.indd

The Beginner’s
Guide to
Gourd Crafting
Gourd art by:
Christy Barajas
How to Select, Cut, Clean, Stain, Paint,
Woodburn, Weave, and Decorate Gourds!
Introduction:
Thank you for your interest in gourds! Every year
thousands of people visit the Welburn Gourd Farm
and our web site looking for answers to all their
gourd questions.
Gourd art by
Denny Wainscott
Valued at $12,995
The Beginner’s Guide to Gourd Crafting answers the
most commonly asked questions AND gives you
great tips and resources to save you both time and
money when working with gourds!
The Welburn Gourd Farm, located in Fallbrook,
CA, is the largest supplier of quality, hard shell
gourds and grows over 350,000 gourds per year!
Best of all, the gourds are grown organically so
when you purchase a Welburn Gourd, not only
are you helping to protect and preserve the environment, you are also avoiding
health risks that can be associated with chemical
sprays being embedded in the gourd shell.
If you’re in the area be sure to come by and visit
the farm, where all gourds are sold at discounted
wholesale prices! Every month we offer classes
instructed by professional gourd artists.
To learn more about our farm and to see a current class schedule, please visit
www.WelburnGourdFarm.com or call us toll free at 1-760-728-4271.
The Beginner’s Guide to Gourd Crafting is jammed-packed
with great information, and even if you already have some
experience working with gourds, you’re sure to find new
ideas and great techniques in the pages that follow!
Take special note of the Insider’s Tips sections of the book,
where you’ll find priceless insider secrets and short-cuts to
make your gourding experience fun and exciting! You’ll
discover everything from easy methods for cleaning and
cutting gourds to simple methods for designing an art
piece, including what colors and finishes to use!
“Autumn Gourd Pot“
By Laura Welburn
Valued at $85
This incredible “Bird of Paradise Gourd” by Gloria Crane was made
using GourdMaster™ Transparent Acrylics and relief carving.
If you would like to share copies of this book and post it on your web site,
please do so! Copyright law prohibits the sale of this book without permission,
however sharing without charging for it is fine! Also, if you have new or
additional information to add, we’d love to hear from you! Please send us an
e-mail at info@welburngourdfarm.com or give us a call at the farm, Toll Free
at 1-760-728-4271.
Gourd Vessel by Bill Colligen
Valued at $250
Selecting Gourds:
One of the best ways to create a beautiful gourd piece is to start with a top
quality gourd!
Gourds that are symmetrical in shape, and have a smooth,
thick shell with no holes or damage are prized by gourd
artists. These are what we refer to as “Premium Quality”
gourds and represent the majority of gourds that we ship.
(See photo, right)
“I am exceptionally pleased with the box of mixed size canteen gourds I
received...Any gourds I purchase in the future will only be from Welburn Gourd
Farm. It’s kinda like cooking, if you want your food to turn out good, you must
only use the highest quality ingredients. I feel the same way about my art.”
-Marjorie A.
Gourds are priced by the diameter at the widest
point using a sizing board with holes cut into it. A
gourd that is just under 10 inches in diameter will fall
through the 10-inch hole on the sizing board so it
will be priced as a 9-inch gourd.
Valued at $3500
Pictured left, customer
Jordan Straker excited to
receive his gourd shipment.
Pictured right, carved gourd
art by Jordan Straker
Insider Tip for Ordering Gourds Online or Over Phone:
• Remember, a gourd is classified as a 9-inch diameter gourd if it passes
through the 10-inch ring but not the 9-inch ring.
This means if you order 9-inch gourds, you will receive gourds that
are actually over 9 inches, so keep that in mind and adjust your order
accordingly if you need specific sizes for your project.
Ordering:
You get the lowest prices when you come to the farm to purchase your gourds,
but if you can’t make it out to Fallbrook, California, we are happy to select
your gourds for you and ship them! There are two options for mail order:
(1) Place a Custom Order.
A Custom Order is one that meets your specific needs, including size, shape,
and also specific criteria such as “gourds with stems” or “gourds that sit flat.”
(2) Order Pre-Selected Gourds.
Want to save an average of 30%-70% off Custom Order prices? Order PreSelected Boxes of Gourds!
When you purchase Pre-Selected Gourds, the labor cost is
greatly reduced because the shapes and sizes are consistent and
we can pre-box many identical orders at once, which means
you save money!
They come in two different qualities: “Premium Quality” and
“Standard Quality”. Visit our website or order our catalog for
a complete listing of Pre-Selected Gourds!
Washing Gourds:
One of the least favorite tasks among gourd artists
and crafters is washing the gourd. You can avoid the
messy task altogether by purchasing your gourds
already cleaned with Gourds-by-the-Box, or you can
roll up your sleeves and do your own cleaning!
To clean your gourd, soak it in a bucket of water for
about 15 minutes. Since gourds float, it is helpful to cover the gourd with a
wet towel while it is soaking.
Gourd covered with wet
towel.
Gourd ready to clean using a
wire, mesh pot scrubber.
After trying every possible tool, we found the best thing for washing gourds
is a wire, mesh pot scrubber. It does a great job of scrubbing away the dirt and
dried skin, and it won’t scratch the surface of your gourd!
Welburn Gourds are famous for two main reasons: their exceptionally thick
shells, and being easy to clean. So even if you decide to purchase unwashed
gourds, either at our farm or with your Custom Order, cleaning them is pretty
simple (especially if you have kids to do the job!).
Insider Tips On Washing Gourds
• If you live in a dry climate like Arizona, do not place your wet gourds in the
direct sun as they may crack! Ironically, very thick shelled gourds have more
of a tendency to crack in the sun. This is because the hot air that expands
inside the gourd cannot escape as quickly as with a thin shelled gourd.
• If your gourd has any areas with shell damage or small cracks
(often where the gourd was lying on the ground) be careful not to soak it
too long; the water may seep into the shell and weaken it.
Cutting Gourds:
Safety Note: Gourd dust can irritate the
throat and respiratory system so please
use a face mask when cutting open and
cleaning the inside of your gourds.
A simple, paper mask usually works
fine, but if you are extremely sensitive,
please use a professional face mask like
a Respirator. Always cut your gourds on
a solid, non-slip surface. A piece of rubber shelf liner on a
table works great!
Making An Even Cut: To make an even, circular cut, use
an embroidery ring, mason jar lid, or cardboard template
and mark the gourd with a pencil. Make a narrow slit in
the gourd using a Hobby Knife so that you can insert your
saw blade.
You can now either make your cut manually with a saw
blade attachment for your Hobby Knife, or with an
electric jigsaw or Mini Jig Saw.
Art by: Mary Segreto
Keep in mind that some Welburn gourds are extremely thick shelled, so a
Hobby Knife with saw blade attachment may be hard work! To make the job
go quickly, a Mini Jig Saw is the way to go.
Another great benefit of using a Mini Jig Saw is that it allows you to make
precision cuts that would be near impossible with a regular saw. The intricate
leaf cut-out design on the previous page was done using a mini saw.
Insider Tip: The Mini Jig Saw has a very fine blade so go slow when cutting
thick gourds, otherwise you will break your saw blades.
Cutting so the Lid Fits Back On: For a snug fit, use
a fine saw blade. A regular saw blade can be too
thick and the lid will sink down leaving a gap.
Also, a notch in your lid can be helpful so you
know which way the lid fits back on!
Step-by-step instructions available on DVD,
“Oak Leaf Gourd with Decoupage Lining”
with Gloria Crane.
Pictured above is a gourd bowl. The cut was made so seamlessly, at first glance you
may not realize the top is a lid! This project is offered in complete detail on DVD!
Cleaning the Inside:
The inside of a gourd contains the dry seeds and membrane, which you can
discard or save for creative decorating of your gourd! Again, a face mask is
recommended for cleaning the inside of gourds.
You can clean the inside of your gourds one of two ways:
the first is using a hand scraper, as shown on the left.
The second is with an Easy Cleaner Ball, which
attaches to any standard drill and makes the
cleaning process ten times as fast and easy as
shown on the right.
“I used my new Easy Cleaner Balls… I am in Heaven! They are GREAT!!!!!!!!
No more sore fingers, hands, wrists etc... In 5 short minutes I cleaned a gourd
that would normally take hours.” -Ivy A., South Jordan, Utah
The Easy Cleaner Ball comes in both coarse and fine grit, which enables you to
create a smooth, professional finish on the inside of
your gourds.
It is available in different diameters and different
lengths, so you can even clean
tall gourds!
The Easy Cleaner Ball is one of our top
selling products! In fact we are so sure you will love it, it
comes with a 100% satisfaction guarantee!
Insider Tip:
Use the side of the Cleaner Ball rather than pressing straight down with the
ball. Keep your drill speed low until you feel comfortable.
The REAL Shortcut to Cutting and Cleaning:
If you really want to take the shortcut on cutting and
cleaning your gourds, you can let us do it for you! Order
Pre-Cut, Craft Ready Gourds!
Pre-Cut, Craft-Ready Gourds are available in several sizes and options, including V-Cut Canteen Vase, 4 size options of Mini Vases, Tall Body Gourd Vases
pictured below. To see the selection, please visit our web site or view catalog
for a complete listing.
Repairing Cracks:
Gourds are very similar to wood and cracks are easy to
repair using wood filler.
The wood filler provided by GourdMaster™ Products is designed not to
flake off or shrink, and once it is dry
and sanded you won’t be able to tell
where the crack was!
Insider Tip:
Before you use wood filler, drill a tiny hole at each end of the crack using a
Micro Hand Drill. This will ensure the crack does not spread.
Troubleshooting:
Gourds that do not stand: Often times you will find a gourd
that is perfect in every way except it does not stand or has a
slight lean to it.
Don’t put that gourd back on the rack, put it on a stand!
(Pictured right, gourd art by Gloria Crane)
There are many different options for stands.
A grapevine wreath like those found at craft
stores also works well and can serve as a nice
compliment to the natural qualities of the
gourd.
The reversible, metal gourd stand is very popular because it is 2
stands in one. Set it one way for a larger gourd or flip it over to
hold a smaller gourd (pictured right)!
The most economic option is to create your own stand using
pieces of a gourd!
The size gourd you use to make your rings will depend on
how wide and thick you want your gourd stand to be.
Valued at $175
Insider Tip:
To get your rings straight and even, try using masking tape as a marker. You can
peel it off and re-position it several times, and if you want wide rings, 3-inch
masking tape is available on our web site.
One of the best parts about using gourd pieces for a stand is you can stain your
stand to match your gourd using Ink Dye!
Keep in mind gourd shells of separate gourds take stains and
dyes differently, so there may be a slight variation in the color.
Replacing Stems: One of the most attractive features of a gourd
is the stem, but unfortunately stems fall off or break, often
before they have a chance to make it into the shipping racks!
To replace a broken stem, first use scissors or pruning shears to
remove as much of the broken stem as possible.
Next use a metal file or rasp to file down the stub so it is flush with the gourd,
making sure not to scratch the shell of the gourd with the file.
Drill a ¼” long hole in your stem and insert a piece of wooden dowel, gluing it
into the replacement stem with gourd glue.
Use a drill to make a hole in your gourd slightly bigger than the size of the
wooden dowel you inserted in the stem.
Make sure the stem attaches correctly and sits the way you want, and then glue
it into the gourd using a strong bonding agent such as Gourdmaster™ Gourd
Glue.
Allow to dry 24 hours before handling, or whatever your glue instructions
recommend. You can order replacement stems for your gourds through our
web site or catalog.
Design Transfer:
As you get into gourd crafting, you will find a
woodburning tool (more formally known as a
“pyrography” tool) is almost indispensable!
To woodburn images onto your gourd, such as the
hawk on the gourd pictured right, by Carrie Dearing, in
the past you had to first draw the image on your gourd
or transfer it using carbon paper.
Valued at $150
Design transfer with carbon paper can be discouraging, with images coming
out crooked and incomplete and rubbing off easily. Plus it is time consuming
since the image must be traced over again using your woodburner.
That all changed with the introduction of Stick n’ Burn Design Transfer
Sheets. The sheets are made to go through your printer, so you can copy or
print your design right onto the sheet.
Once printed simply cut out your image, peel away the
backing, stick the image directly on your gourd shell,
and start tracing your lines with your woodburner right
through the micro-thin film.
No need to do double work drawing your design, then woodburning over the
lines. Stick ‘n Burn lets you combine both in one easy step.
Plus Stick n’ Burn can be peeled off and repositioned before you start
woodburning, so you can be sure to get your design on straight and even, right
where you want it.
A variety of Pre-Printed Stick ‘n Burn design packs are available! To see more
design options visit our web site at: www.WelburnGourdFarm.com
Pictured below, gourd art by Christy Barajas, images were
transferred with Pre-Printed Stick ‘n Burn.
Choosing a Woodburner:
The basic woodburner is economical and offers several
different branding tips. Even though the temperature is
not adjustable as in the higher end woodburners, you
can still do basic lines with the standard wedge tip.
There are several higher-end, professional woodburners
on the market, which have an adjustable temperature dial and professional tips,
which are called “pens” because they are most often sold as a full handpience
not just a tip.
The adjustable temperature allows you to move slowly when necessary, such as
when you are burning an intricate design or shading, or more quickly, such as
when you are burning straight lines.
Valued at $150
Gourd Art by:
Pamala Redhawk
Another huge advantage of the professional woodburner
over the basic woodburner is how quickly and easily you
can change the pens.
To change from a blade tip, used in the straight-cut lines
of the feather pictured below, to a more rounded tip used
in the shading of the hands, simply unplug one pen from
your unit and plug in the other. The pen is hot and ready
to use in about 10 seconds.
Is is important to woodburn your images first
because it gives your design definition and helps
contain your ink dye or acrylic colors so they do not
bleed into unwanted areas of your gourd.
For more assistance on picking the right burner,
please call our office and speak with one of our
helpful customer service representatives.
Valued at $150
Gourd Art by:
Carrie Dearing
Polishing Gourds:
Polishing gourds is not necessary, however it’s an
alternative that many artists prefer. Pictured right,
polished gourd ginger jar by Gloria Crane.
Polishing a gourd gives the gourd a beautiful, natural
smooth, high-polish finish similar to wood.
Valued at $150
It’s recommended to polish your gourd after all the woodburning has been
done, to eliminate any rough edges and to prevent slipping while working on
your gourd and before you add any color or finish.
A gourd can be polished by hand using different sanding grits but the quickest
way to polish a gourd is using a Gourd Disk Sander or a 3D Sander (Pictured
below).
To learn how to get a high-polish finish on your gourd,
visit FREE tutorials on our web site, www.WelburnGourdFarm.com
Valued at $175
Once the gourd has been completely sanded and
stained, seal with GourdMaster™ Protecting Wax for
a deep, lustrous finish. Simply apply with a soft rag or
felt. Let the gourd sit for about 5 minutes until the
wax takes a slightly cloudy appearance, then buff with
a piece of soft rag until the surface looks shiny and
smooth.
Carving Gourds:
Are you ready to add beautiful carving techniques like
filigree and carved “basketry” into your gourd art? Turn
beautiful carved gourd art to AMAZING gourd art. Pictured
right, filigree gourd vase by Jonna Anderson. This popular
filigree effect can be achieved using a certain type of pointed
burr, such as the Fili-Point Burr.
To achieve superior gourd carving you will need
a professional rotary tool. There are several rotary
tools available in the market. It is best to select a tool that
offers a variable speed. Cordless carvers are not recommended
for gourd carving since they lack power plus they frequently
require battery charging.
Polished Ginger Jar by
Gloria Crane
Valued at $75
One of the hottest carvers in the market is the
GourdMaster™ Pro Carver II. Since it’s release it has
been in high demand by most gourd artist around
the country.
But what makes this carver so special? The
GourdMaster™ Pro Carver II was designed for gourd
carving. It has power and speed up to 45,000 RPM for
smooth carving. It comes with a foot pedal and a small
lightweight handpiece with low vibration that minimizes stress on hand and wrist. Best
of all, it’s very affordable!
Carved Canteen Gourd by Denny Wainscott
Valued at $2,995
Carved Gourd Art by Jordan Straker
Valued at $2,500
Insider Tip:
• Always carve your gourds on a solid, non-slip surface. A piece of rubber
shelf liner works great!
Selecting Burrs: There are a variety of different
burrs available.
Structured tooth carbide burrs cut with
many randomly-positioned teeth working
simultaneously. They have a smooth cutting
action and they are very easy to control which
make them ideal for cutting large areas quickly.
Valued at $25
Gourd Art by Carrie Dearing
High speed cutters are great for texturing, inlay and engraving. Their low cost
make them indispensable for all beginner carvers.
Diamond burrs are ideal for adding details to any previously carved area of
your gourd.
Safety Note: Gourd dust can irritate the throat and
respiratory system so please
use a face mask or professional
respirator when carving your
gourds.
The most common carving you
will find on gourds is “stipple carving”, pictured left.
First, carve away the gourd skin using a structured
tooth carbide burr such as an inverted cone. Then
use a high speed ball cutter to incise small pits
evenly over the entire carved surface.
Valued at $175
Get simple tips and
techniques for carving. This
and much more is featured in
the DVD, “Carved Gecko”
with Gloria Crane
Insider Tip:
• Once you have carved away the outer shell of your gourd, the porous
surface takes stains and dyes much differently, and you will find they will
soak in and become very dark and unattractive.
To add beautiful color to your porous gourd surface, simply mix a few
drops of Ink Dye into Gourd Varnish or Gel Glaze on a palette and
paint on with a paint brush. Works great on the rim and inside of your
gourd too! (technique featured in the Ink Dye video)
Gourd Colors and Finishes:
Until recently gourders had to depend on products
that were created for other mediums to stain their
gourds, such as shoe polish and leather dye.
Leather dye quickly became the most popular
because it is available in a wide
range of colors. However, leather dye was
Gourd art by Christy Barajas,
featuring GourdMaster™
created for leather, not gourds, and along with
being messy and difficult to work with, the colors Transparent Acrylics
will fade A LOT.
Now there is Gourd Ink Dye and Transparent Acrylics
created by GourdMaster™ Products. Formulated to
provide rich, vibrant colors that look great on your
gourds. They are both fade resistant, semi-translucent,
non-toxic, and very easy to work with. Plus they are
extremely concentrated and a little goes a long way. Simply apply using a piece of felt or
cotton round. For detailed areas, use the microbrush
Gourd art by Laura
Welburn, featuring
or fine tip applicator.
GourdMaster™ Ink Dyes
Valued at $225
Transparent Acrylics have the same transparent beauty
of Ink Dyes, but they have more body in them so colors
are much bolder and more vibrant therefore they can be
worked like an acrylic paint and used with a paint brush.
Ink Dye and Transparent
Acrylics will air dry, but it’s
much faster and easier to
Gourd art by Gloria Crane,
use a heat tool. Not only does featuring GourdMaster™
it speed up your drying time, Transparent Acrylics
but it also heat sets the color
making it even more durable and permanent.
When you first apply your Ink Dye or Transparent
Acrylic, it will look very glossy and shiny. When
it dries, the color will dull a bit. To bring back the
glossy, vibrant look, and to give your artwork a longGourd Tree Lamp by
Pamala Redhawk, featuring lasting, durable finish, apply GourdMaster™ Varnish
GourdMaster™ Ink Dyes
or GourdMaster™ Protecting Wax.
Valued at $250
Painting Gourds:
Every coloring agent out there has probably been tried on a gourd at some
point, including water colors, oil paints, acrylic paints, colored pencils, and
more.
It’s always great to experiment and try such products for
yourself. For painting gourds, acrylic paints are extremely
popular.
Unfortunately most acrylics you find in the craft stores are
low quality and you will see they scratch easily when applied to a gourd. (If you have a gourd painted with acrylic
paint, pick it up and look at the bottom; you will most
likely find scratch marks from where the gourd has been
turned or moved.)
Gourd artists and crafters want a higher quality product for their work, and
GourdMaster™ Products fulfill that demand with Gourd Paint.
Not only does Gourd Paint resist scratching and flaking, it
is made to be combined with GourdMaster™ Ink Dyes and
powders to create an almost infinite line of custom colors!
Instead of wasting money buying a whole bottle of lowerquality acrylic paint, you can mix White Gourd Paint with
any of the Ink Dyes in whatever amount you need!
If you want to mix enough custom color Gourd Paint to save the color for later
use, simply store in a small airtight jar.
More Ways to Decorate Gourds:
A popular technique used in gourd art is inlay, which
also calls for a carving tool.
The gourd pot, pictured left, was done by artist and
instructor, Gloria Crane, and incorporates precious
stones and matching beads inlaid into the gourd
Step-by-step instructions surface.
available on DVD,
”Inverted Gourd”
Valued at $150
Coiling pine needles along the rim of your gourd is a
beautiful compliment to the natural look of gourds,
and it’s easy!
First, make sure your ink dye and final varnish have
been done before starting your coiling. Then mark
where you will drill your holes along the gourd rim.
Gourd art by Sue Welburn
Valued at $150
Use your GourdMaster™ Pro Carver or electric drill
with a drill bit to drill the holes along the rim.
Once you have your holes
drilled you are ready to attach your pine needles.
The best thread to use is Wax Linen Thread because
it will not slip around as you are working, and it
comes in several different colors to compliment
your gourd art.
Insider Tip:
•
To get your holes evenly spaced it is helpful to use a product like the
Designer’s Template we carry, which is a flexible, plastic sheet with a grid
marked on it. Cut a thin strip from the sheet, then use a hole punch to
punch holes in it at even intervals. Now you can use and re- use your
template for marking evenly spaced holes for coiling.
Use a needle large enough to accommodate the
thickness of the thread; use a small bundle of pine
needles and sew onto your gourd
rim, adding more pine needles as
needed.
This is a very basic use of pine needles with gourds, but
you can create incredible works of art using techniques like
the one pictured right, bear grass free-form coiling by Sue
Brogdon.
Valued at $150
Conclusion:
When it comes to working with gourds, the possibilities are literally endless!
Be sure to experiment with your own decorating ideas and most importantly,
have fun!
To learn more about these and other techniques, sign
up for the Welburn Gourd Farm newsletter. You’ll
receive free gourd crafting videos (viewed online
only), special offers on gourds, gourd tools and
supplies, notices of upcoming classes and events, and
much more!
This beautiful gourd pot (pictured above, left) by Christy Barajas was made using
the “Native Southwest Designs” Stick n Burn pack. (Pictured above, right)
With “Stick ‘n Burn” Design Transfer Sheets your design is printed
directly on the clear transfer sheet and because it has an adhesive
backing, all you have to do is cut it out, stick it to your gourd and start
woodburning!
The micro-thin film easily curves with the surface of your gourd, plus
Stick ‘n Burn is re positionable!
To request a FREE Catalog from the Welburn Gourd Farm, visit our web site
at www.WelburnGourdFarm.com or call our office at 1-760-728-4271.
© 2015 Welburn Gourd Farm, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
“Just wanted to let you know that my gourds arrived today and
WOW!!!!!! ...the gourds FAR EXCEED my expectations - they
are HUGE and fantastic..I am truly impressed with the quality,
size, color..They are beautiful and I can’t wait to cut into them......
Thanks again!” - Mary Papp, Ohio
Pictured above, aerial view of the Welburn Gourd Farm at harvest time, after the gourds
have been cut from the vine and put into ‘windrows’ (the brown fields have tiny lines
through them, which are actually thousands of gourds lined up in rows to dry).
Visit us online at:
www.WelburnGourdFarm.com
Video: Woodburning a Faux
Basket Weave on Gourds
Video: Creating a Gourd Vase with
Flowers and Fancy-Cut Rim
Be sure to sign up for our online video tutorial series
at www.WelburnGourdFarm.com/tutorials
Welburn Gourd Farm, Inc.
40635 De Luz Road
Fallbrook, CA 92028
1-760-728-4271
The Beginner’s Guide to Gourd Crafting