Do you ever wonder how people carve Halloween pumpkins in such intricate designs? You can too, with a few basic tools, this tutorial and free printable pumpkin carving stencils.
You will need:
- Grapefruit knife. This is a paring knife with serrated edges on both sides. Pick up a pack of two at Bed, Bath and Beyond for about $5.
- Serrated grapefruit spoon. This spoon has a jagged edge along the top and makes gutting pumpkins easier.
- Vegetable peeler
- Metal cookie cutters–the outline kind that are hollow in the middle. You might be able to use the flat solid kind, but not as successfully. Plastic cookie cutters won’t work except as templates.
- Hammer or wooden mallet.
- Free printable pumpkin carving patterns from Pumpkin Pile–hundreds of designs: animals, vehicles, classic jack-o-lantern, logos, sports, celebrities, cartoons, superheroes, designs, spooky and more.
- More free printable pumpkin carving stencils from Family Fresh Meals (click listed links to get printables).
To make carve pumpkins with cookie cutters:
- Clean pumpkin.
- Align metal cookie cutter on pumpkin exterior.
- Gentle tap edges of cookie cutter with hammer to press into pumpkin.
- Remove cutout piece.
- If cookie cutter doesn’t go all the way through, cut along pattern lines on the inside of pumpkin.
To carve pumpkins with grapefruit knife and/or potato peeler:
- Print pumpkin stencil and cut out black parts (this is what you’ll carve away)
- Trace printable pumpkin pattern on pumpkin.
- Use grapefruit knife to carefully carve out design.
- Or peel off top orange layer of pumpkin skin along design pattern. Yellow rind will show through. Use curved end to dig out small areas of pumpkin rind. The deeper you pare, the thinner the rind and the more light will show through.
Place wax votive or battery operated candle in pumpkin and display!
Printable pumpkin carving stencils
How do people carve those awesomely intricate pumpkin patterns at Halloween? Is it magic? Are they wizards? Nope! All you need are free printable pumpkin carving stencils and a few basic tools.
Halloween pumpkin carving tips
Remember when carving pumpkins
- work outside for easier cleanup and mess containment
- supervise children using sharp tools
- wear old clothing
- leave pumpkin guts for squirrels!
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Links
- Free printable spooky Halloween crafts, paper toys and creepy decorations
- Free printable Day of the Dead skeleton crafts
- Free printable Day of the Dead or Dia de Los Muertos coloring pages
- Free printable Halloween masks for kids to color and make
- Find local U-pick apple orchards, pumpkin patches, corn mazes here
