Making a Gourd Bowl with Proxxon Tools

Supplies Needed for this Project:

Proxxon Jig Saw

Proxxon Belt Sander

Proxxon Rotary Tool

Wooden Balls for feet

Bottom piece of round gourd

Alcohol Ink (Meadow)

Small piece of felt

#3 Round Reed in Blues and Green

Fancy Yarn In Blues

Large hole beads in blue and green

Pencil

Ruler

Napkin

Plaid Mod Podge-Glossy

Paint Brush

X-Acto Knife
Glue (Weldbond)

This is the majority of the items used in this project. I also used a napkin and Plaid Mod Podge to finish the inside of the gourd. Begin with cleaning the piece of bottom from a gourd that you want to use.  Then glue large wooden balls onto the bottom for feet. Using the Alcohol Ink and a piece of felt, apply the Alcohol Ink to the outside of the piece of gourd.

Spread the Plaid Mod Podge onto the gourd with a brush. Center your napkin and press out any air bubbles that you might have. Once the napkin has dried enough, trim around the edge with an X-Acto knife. Spread a layer of Plaid Mod Podge on top of the napkin and let dry.

Using your pencil mark spots for the holes that the spokes go into evenly around the gourd. If you are going to use a triple twine as was done here then you need to have an uneven amount of squares as in a number divided by 3-1 such as 29, 32 etc.

After the holes are marked use the Proxxon Rotary Tool and drill bit to make your holes approximately 1/4" deep. Drill the holes at an angle.

This is what the holes should look like. Insert a corresponding amount of spokes tipped with glue (I used Weldbond) , 14" long into the holes. I used a triple twine with a light blue, dark blue and dk. green reed. I did three rows. Make sure that you keep your reed moist and pliable by spraying them regularly with water. Then use the fancy ribbon to weave around your gourd twice. ( I doubled the ribbon when weaving). Use one light blue reed, and one dk. blue reed and do a double twine around the gourd bottom twice. Add your beads onto the spokes, first green then blue. Then use three light blue reed and do another triple twine around the gourd. Those are the final rows and the spokes are now woven into the top in a simple design.

The woven gourd bottom should look like this when finished. After you have finished weaving and your reed has dried, trim off the long ends left inside the bowl.

I hope you liked this piece and that it inspires you to give weaving on gourds a try. There are several places that you can go to purchase books on the subject. Proxxon Tools certainly do help in creating many things. Check out their online store at: http://www.proxxon.com and see if there isn't a tool that you might want. Check out the Mod Podge at: http://www.plaidonline.com

Leave me a comment while you're here. I enjoy reading them.

Barbara