SusieQ, I'm gonna try to talk you through this. If you have any questions, please email me.

I would suggest that you use Raffia to coil your first gourd. It's easier than pineneedles and looks good, also.

You need to mark a line around the top of the gourd about 1/2" down from the top. Take a pencil and make mark about 1/2" apart around the penciled circle. The marks will depend on the size of your gourd but, approximately, 1/2". If this look about right to you you need to drill holes in each of the marks.

Use waxed linen, sinew, etc. I have even used gold wire to coil. Have the raffia ready to coil. Cut a piece of linen or sinew long enough, plus a few inches, to go around the gourd. Use a needle big enough to thread with the linen. Start from inside the gourd and pull the linen or whatever through the first hole leaving about 1" inside the gourd. Place the raffia at that point laying it beneath the starting hole. Pull the linen up over the raffia and inside the gourd and into the next hole. What you will be doing is making a whip stitch. Keep the raffia taut and close together. Before you pull the line tight pull the 1" hanging piece under the piece now being pulled from the inside. This will lock the piece in place. I have, depending on the gourd, just made a small knot to hold the linen in place.

Continue around the gourd laying the raffia around the top and going in and out of the holes over the raffia. When you reach the point that you started you can leave a piece of raffia about 2" hanging loose or work the raffia into the starting place. Pull the linen into the gourd and finish with a small knot.

Look for a picture of a coiled gourd and you probably can see what is needed.

As I said, let me know if you have trouble with the instructions.

Nonnie