Autumn has officially arrived – and with it, those wonderful little gourds and pumpkins that appear this time of year.
We’ve done the mini pumpkin tea-light holders and decoratively carved squash in years gone by, so we decided to try something new to us for fall 2006: hanging stacks adorned with raffia or ribbon bows.
These hanging decorations can be used on decks, patios or doors or anywhere you want a splash of autumn color.
The most important thing to remember when choosing gourds for a hanging stack is to think small. They may look little, but these mini fellows are hefty.
Select gourds with interesting shapes and color combinations, but keep them tiny and don’t use more than five or six per stack.
You’ll also need to string them on something that’s waterproof and up to the challenge strength-wise. We used a heavy vinyl cord called Jelly Yarn (more about Jelly Yarn in a future column), but you also can use heavy beading cord or vinyl strips sold in craft kits for kids.
In retrospect, a better way to make holes in the gourds might have been to use a small drill, such as a Dremel, with a long bit. But since we didn’t have anything but short bits on hand, we used a lightweight hammer and a couple of old aluminum knitting needles, sizes 4 and 5, to make our holes.
We poked the smaller needle all the way through the gourd – tapping gently with the hammer if it was a bit stubborn – and then ran the larger needle through the same hole and wiggled it around slightly to enlarge the hole.
Run the hole in the direction that best shows off the gourd. In other words, you needn’t run the hole from side to side or top to bottom; hang the gourd in a way that will add interesting shape and color to your stack.
Cut a length of vinyl or beading cord about twice as long as you actually need for the size of the gourds. This will allow you some room to make the hanging loop on top secure.
Using a crochet hook the same size or smaller (preferably a size D or E) with a large hook, insert the hook through the hole, loop the vinyl or beading cord around the hook on the opposite side and pull it back through. Secure the bottom gourd with a large knot or even a button on the bottom to hold the gourds on the string.
In previous columns, we’ve recommended Susan Bates crochet hooks because we like the smaller hook, but for this project a Boye brand hook works best.
Add the gourds, one on top of the other, in the best order for an interesting presentation.
When the gourds are stacked to your liking, loop the top end of the vinyl or beading cord around itself several times to form a hanging loop. Secure it with a couple of overhand knots.
To finish, cut raffia strips and make them into bows between each gourd. At the top of the stack, wrap raffia strips around the vinyl or beading cord to cover and secure with a bow or knot.
You can use ribbon in place of the raffia for a more refined, less rustic and outdoorsy look.
We had several larger gourds left over, and they really were too heavy to use in a hanging stack, so we made them into a standing stack instead.
Using the knitting needle as a foundation, we skewered the gourds and stacked them on top of each other, adding raffia bows between the gourds to finish.
Our standing stack ended up being pretty well balanced on its own, but you can shave the bottom of the base gourd with a knife to make it level.
Keep in mind that once you puncture the gourds, they will rot faster, especially if left outside in the elements. As of this writing, we’ve had our samples on the deck in the direct sun for about a week and they are going bad.
Temperature does make a difference, and we had rain followed by warm weather, but if you plan to use the stacks as decoration for a specific event, remember to add the fresher-the-better factor into the equation.
What you’ll need
* Small gourds
* Metal crochet hook or very long needle
* Narrow knitting needle
* Small hammer or mallet
* Heavy beading wire or strong vinyl
Readers’ recommendations
With the holidays approaching, many crafters will be holding workshops and classes with seasonal themes.
If a favorite instructor or craft shop of yours will be offering a holiday session, drop us a note and let us know. We’ll try to include as many suggestions as possible during the next few months.
Send information, including your name and phone number or e-mail address, the name of the instructor/shop and class, and a contact number for the class, to: Jonetta Coffin, c/o The Herald, Features, P.O. Box 930, Everett, WA 98206; e-mail to jrocoffin@aol.com; or call 425-238-4985 and leave a message and phone number for a return call.
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