Beading a Bottle Gourd

From LoveToKnow Crafts

Beading a bottle gourd is an old and traditional craft. Originally the beading of gourds was practiced by the Huichol Indians in Mexico. Today, the craft is becoming increasingly popular.

Gourds of all shapes and sizes can be used for craft projects.

What is a Gourd?

A gourd is a member of the same plant family as cucumbers, squashes and melons. The gourd grows in many different shapes, but the bottle gourd is probably the most common. Its distinctive shape lends itself to a variety of craft purposes.

When dried and prepared, the hard structure of the gourd has many uses. The dried gourd has been used as a water vessel, as a musical instrument, a prayer bowl and for decoration. Today, many gourd artists draw inspiration from this interesting and varied international history to create highly individual works of art.

How Gourds are Beaded

The traditional way of beading a gourd is to create an inlaid mosaic style pattern which is formed from beads. The beads are pressed together into a waxed surface giving a rich textured design. These patterns often had sacred meanings and were rich in symbolism. The specially developed wax mixture would hold the tiny beads securely in place.

The method of beading a bottle gourd has not changed much over the years. Many of the traditional techniques are still used. A gourd artist today will still use a wax mixture and press a variety of small glass or ceramic beads and other materials into the wax to form the patterns and shapes. As well as beads, small pieces of shell, gemstone chips, even man made materials such shards of plastic are used to great effect. Beads can be purchased from craft and bead stores.

Preparing the Gourd

Before starting to bead the gourd, it needs to be prepared. This involves cleaning and cutting the gourd into shape. However, it is possible to buy ready prepared gourds for craft work. These are readily available from specialist gourd supply stores.

Preparing a gourd for craft work means letting it dry until it is free from moisture. During this time, a mold will have grown on the surface and this needs to be scrapped off and the gourd washed down. This mold is part of the natural drying out process, and is a sign that the gourd is ready to be prepared.

Once the gourd is completely dry, it can be cut and shaped as required. There are a few simple common sense health and safety rules that should be followed when preparing gourds for craft use. These include wearing a dust mask when preparing the gourd, in particular when cleaning it of mold and wearing gloves when handling the moldy gourd.

How a Gourd is Beaded

To bead a gourd, a layer of special wax needs to be applied to the surface of the gourd that is to be beaded. Typically the inner surface is beaded, the concave shape helping to hold the beads in place. The Huichol Indians traditionally used a mix of beeswax and pine resin. There are special propriety wax mixtures available today, and these can be bought from craft and bead stores.

The wax is prepared in one of two ways. It is possible to soften the wax in your hands prior to use, and then press this around the inside of the gourd. An alternative is to melt the wax in a double boiler and then paint the wax onto the surface.

The beads are pushed into place using a fine tipped tool. It is possible to improvise! A toothpick would work fine. There are instructions and tutorials available on the internet explaining the process in more detail.

Waxes Suitable for Beading a Bottle Gourd

Waxes suitable for beading a bottle gourd include:

Beadswax is a brand of wax widely available from suppliers such as FiremountainGems.com.
Tackee Wax is a special formulated wax and available from specialist suppliers such as TurtleFeathers.com and PrimativeOriginals.com.