Continuing on our crackling gourd time of doodling, let's have a look-see at another time when doodling was popular, and now collectible. Delft pottery is a blue on white design that originate in the city of Delft, Holland in the 1700s when potters made imitations of Chinese porcelain with earthenware fired with white glaze and painted with blue designs. Only one factory remains in Holland that makes Delft designed pottery,
Royal Delft. Today the blue/white designs are still eye-catching and highly collectible.
How did we get to this area of study? One of the Crackles is a member of the
Guild of American Papercutters and in preparing to do an egg project, located a wonderful Ukranian egg
YouTube with Lorrie Popow. At a recent gourd patch meeting, as the group was discussing the contrast of blue and white we noticed our snack of the day was in a Delft-inspired bowl from Dollar Tree -- what a cowinkiedink!
By reviewing the YouTube, the snack bowl, and various Delft auction items on eBay, we found there are some basic lines similar to all. By repeating those lines in various combinations, and maintaining the blue lines on white background concept. The flower is built, as you see, from a center circle, by adding more and more petals. The petal tops can have different finish tips as shown. The basic long, curved line and scallops can have infinite variations. Why not apply Delft to gourds?
The first trial started as an exciting exploration until we found out using white gloss spray paint to produce the background made the surface too slick, and the Sharpies we were using would not always be clear so lines had to be re-drawn to strengthen them. Using a satin spray made that problem much better.
Once done, spraying to protect the design became a real challenge because of bleed. Krylon and Rustoleum clear acrylics made the Sharpies bleed, no matter how light the misting was applied. Using paint to do a one-stroke painting would have been far better -- if only any of us knew how to do that! [Another skill to investigate!]
One lesson learned, and only hindsight made this real to us, was the fact that applying spray paint to a gourd in a cold garage -- even though it dried hard -- did not keep the paint on the gourd! When trying this at home, spray a room temperature gourd with room temperature paint. Otherwise, everything can be flaked off with even a minor fingernail scrape.
So, lessons learned and explorations complete, we have a gourd bowl with a variety of Delft-inspired designs around the belly. In the next project attempt, we would choose one design and repeat it around the bowl for a more controlled and deliberate look. As of now, it has the look of a doodle. Eventually, this bowl will have a silk ribbon rim sown onto it after the edge has been cut to mirror the edge of the design for an uneven, dynamic top.
Great exploration Crackled Apples!
We started with a small gourd that was previously cleaned and gutted. Holes were drilled around the rim and then the sewing began. Initially, put glue on the floss before pulling the last bit through the hole. That secures it as you move around the rim. If you use up the thread, glue the last bit of thread before pulling it through the hole and begin with another thread through the same hole. There will be tails of threads hanging inside and outside, but those can be trimmed off at the end.
One tip that made a difference was using a looped flossing threader (for teeth, not an embroidery product). This was good because the embroidery floss slips right through a tight hole and the threader worked with bead holes of all sizes. Another product one of the members found, and brought, was a metal threader. This picture from Yarnplayer's Tatting Blog shows the differences. The metal versions can jam through tight holes easier than the plastic tooth flosser, but also experience metal fatigue after a while and break at the loop tip. Either way, it made doing small gourd bowls easier than using a regular needle that was too stiff to negotiate a small area.
[week later] The next week, the belly was burned with leaves while chattin' with the gourdheads at a patch meeting. Hours passed but look at the leaves -- it produced an overall design that is fun to touch as well as see. A chisel tip was used on a basic, Boy Scout-type burners purchased at a big box store.
How did we get to this area of study? One of the Crackles is a member of the Guild of American Papercutters and in preparing to do an egg project, located a wonderful Ukranian egg YouTube with Lorrie Popow. At a recent gourd patch meeting, as the group was discussing the contrast of blue and white we noticed our snack of the day was in a Delft-inspired bowl from Dollar Tree -- what a cowinkiedink!
One lesson learned, and only hindsight made this real to us, was the fact that applying spray paint to a gourd in a cold garage -- even though it dried hard -- did not keep the paint on the gourd! When trying this at home, spray a room temperature gourd with room temperature paint. Otherwise, everything can be flaked off with even a minor fingernail scrape.
Inspired by another Crackled Apple, Glenda, we crackled gourd enthusiasts have been working with Sharpees to do relaxation and meditative exercises. Glenda, a psychologist, explained the psychological release that focusing on a repetitive, yet creative, activity could be and showed us what she had been working....egg gourds.
The corn will rock side to side, the beans will jump up and down (I couldn't resist the jumping bean visual!), and the squash/gourd will spin around.
The beans, as you can see, are spinner gourds in side the handle of a dipper gourd. The bean will have white spots to replicate Jacoby Jack dried beans. Actualy Jacoby Jack beans will be a the ends of hair strands, again, for movement. You can see the bean reconstructed in the picture below, and the squash with a head. This week, it start coming together! Can't wait to put it some 'harvesty' music and let you have a gander. Stay Cracklin' all!
Another gourdhead, an herbalist, used pressed bleeding heart flowers to decorate an egg gourd. Again, the picture does NOT do it justice.
