How to Make a Gourd Bowl

Emily Wallace shows how to carve and stain a gourd bowl.

All About

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Emily Wallace lives on a 5-acre farm where her mother-in-law started a gourd garden. Intrigued with the odd-looking vegetables, Emily learned she could make unique artwork and bowls from them. Since then, she has converted a part of her land into her gourd-crafting area.

Materials and Tools:

gourd
dishwashing soap
pencil
flexible ruler
measuring device*
gourd saw
gourd scraper
decoupage medium
stain or leather dye
wood burner
handheld rotary tool with carving bit
spray polyurethane
paintbrush
shoe polish applicator
*Create a measuring device from wood blocks and wood dowel.

Figure A

Steps:

1. Clean the outside of the gourd in warm soapy water.

2. Mark the area to cut off the top of the gourd with a pencil inserted in a measuring device (made from wood blocks and a wood dowel) to keep the pencil level. Cut off the top with a gourd saw.