Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Pysanky Style Gourds



In a few weeks I'll be taking a pysanky (Ukrainian dyed eggs) workshop for a third year in a row. And hopefully this year I can avoid the disaster that befell last year's egg!

But in the mean time I've been having tons of fun making these pysanky style gourds.


I got the inspiration from Pam's post at Gingerbread Snowflakes about decorating gourds using markers and colored pencils. It was a fantastic idea- that literally had me running down to the studio in the middle of the night to get my gourds and markers! (You should really check out the beautiful ornaments she made in her post!)

At first I did some flowered designs but soon realized that this idea could be used to make Pysanky-like patterns all over a gourd instead of on the traditionally used egg.

This is the first one I made. It was left natural and colored with markers.


On these two, I got brave and not only made more intricate designs but also painted the gourds white with acrylic paint before I started.


All of them were sprayed with sealer after they were finished.


  • If you'd like to try making your own gourds (or eggs for that matter) you can find free pysanky patterns here.
  • You can see more about the traditional process of making pysanky eggs here and here in my previous posts.
  • And this is a great place to buy materials for making the eggs.


13 comments:

  1. OMG Meg! I am totally freakin' out over here!

    Your gourds are beautiful! fantastic! Brilliant! Gorgeous! AND I love them!

    Funny, funny story about the exploding egg. I worried for a couple years about mine after making it, but it is getting so light now I imagine all danger has passed.

    But your story is so funny and you told it so well. thank you for including the link for those of us only just now getting to kn ow you.

    And thank you for the links to the Pysanky patterns and your previous how to links and the source for purchasing supplies.

    Great post! Fantastic gourds!

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  2. Thanks Pam! And seriously- THANK YOU for the inspiration for this project. I'd love to make a few of the ornament sized ones with Christmas pysanky patterns.

    And of course- since Halloween is never far from my mind, I'm already thinking of some Halloween designs!

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  3. OOh! I second that - these gourds are absolutely beautiful! The precision of your design is so impressive. I have a bag of jewelry gourds that is now officially insistently calling my name. :-)

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  4. Thanks Diane! I have been thinking that I definitely need to get some smaller ornament/jewelry sized gourds and make some more smaller sized ones.

    I'm also really interested in trying the exact pysanky resist process with dye meant for gourds.... funny how one project leads to two or three more.

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  5. So gorgeous! I would love to try this - but I simply can't keep up with all your ideas!

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  6. Aww thanks for the comment Jane, LOL maybe you'll be a holiday crafter yet! And maybe you can turn me to be a sewer, I absolutely love your sewing projects.

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  7. Oh my goodness these are BEAUTIFUL! WOW!!!

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  8. Thank you Lilaloa. I'd love to see you try some Pysanky cookies... I bet they'd be amazing!

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  9. I love your gourds (and eggs!)

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  10. Very cool, never thought of trying pysanky like this, thanks for sharing.

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