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GOURD LANTERNS
Drill patterns into hard-shell gourds and
let the light shine through. By Diane Gilleland
Hard-shell gourds, sometimes called calabash
gourds, are some of the world’s first cultivated
plants. They are harvested from their vines in the
fall and then air-dried for several months. When a
gourd is fully dry inside and out, it forms a woody
shell that can be cut with simple tools.
Cultures all over the world fashion hard-shell
gourds into vessels or musical instruments. Here,
we’ve turned them into festive outdoor lanterns,
using a drill to create patterns for light to shine
through.
MATERIALS
Hard-shell gourd A good source online is
welburngourdfarm.com.
Bucket of water
Scrubbing sponge
Newspaper
Surgical mask (optional)
Pencil
Small paring knife
Pumpkin-carving tool kit yankeeharvest.com
Handheld drill with various drill bits
Large spoon
Mineral oil (optional)
String of Christmas lights ( 25–50)
NOTE: This project is fairly messy, making it
a good outdoor build.
1. Clean the gourd.
Hard-shell gourds develop a coating of dirt and
mold as they dry out. You can buy them already
cleaned, but you’ll save a lot of money by cleaning
them yourself.
Begin by soaking the gourd in a bucket of water
Photography by Diane Gilleland
128 Make: Volume 21
