I tried using a small gourd for a shot pouch, when I built my first tradegun over thirty years ago. I found they are delicate, and incredibly noisy for balls, or shot. But, I saw an old Ozark Mountain powder flask made from a small gourd that was wonderfully original, and quite artistic. They grew the gourd in an enclosed box of some sort with either woven basket material for the sides, or possibly some sort of chicken wire. So, the gourd when harvested had a woven pattern on the sides, and was flattened as well. Weather by age, or design, the pattern was darkened making the gourd look for all the world like it was woven.
My great grandmother, also from Arkansas, had a sewing “basket” that was made the same way. It was grown in a box and was square, with a wooden lid.
Hungry Horse
