Carve it like a pro

Reading the pattern

Black: cut all the way through. Grey hatch: shave off the skin only. White: leave it alone. Red outline: a bridge. Bridges hold floating parts of the design in place. Leave them as skin.

You'll need

• A carving saw (a small serrated knife works)
• A lino cutter, loop tool or peeler for shaving
• A pin tool, awl or push pin
• Tape, scissors and a little flour
• A big spoon to scoop and thin the wall

Transfer the pattern

1. Trim the paper to just outside the corner marks.
2. Scoop the pumpkin and thin the carving side to about 2.5 cm (1") from the inside.
3. Tape the pattern smoothly to the pumpkin. Snip small darts at the edges so it lies flat.
4. Poke holes along every line, about 3 mm (1/8") apart.
5. Peel the paper off and rub flour over the dots so they show up.

Carve it, in this order

1. Score the outline of every hatched (shaved) area, then peel away the skin inside it.
2. Cut through the black areas from the centre outwards: small details and eyes first, the largest pieces last.
3. Leave cut pieces in place until everything is cut, then push them out gently.
4. Keep the reference page next to you and check it often.
5. Light it with an LED candle or tea light and step back.

Pick the right pumpkin

Choose a pumpkin with a smooth, flat-ish face at least as tall as your stencil. Our sizes assume the design covers about two-thirds of the pumpkin's height.

Carving with kids

Let kids do the poking and the flour; grown-ups handle the blades. Shaving tools are gentler than saws, so they're a good next step for older kids.