Carve a creative Halloween pumpkin

Jazz up your jack-o'-lantern with these easy templates

By Julie Stoyka

On the day before Halloween, my family always gathered around the kitchen table for “Operation Jack,” our annual pumpkin-carving event. Though my father did all of the carving, I spent endless hours pulling threads of pumpkin from the gourd and relishing the squishy goop between my fingers. Today the annual tradition of pumpkin carving lives on, but now I wield the carving knife.

We have created three pumpkin templates to make your Halloween masterpiece more interesting. Choose from a spooky skeleton face, a jovial jack-o’-lantern face or an easy star cut-out template. These three different design ideas offer some unique effects.

Even if you’re a neophyte carver, our straightforward tips and techniques will help you turn fall’s favourite fruit into a work of art.

Step 1: Preparing the template

Choose one of the three pumpkin templates above, and click on your preferred pattern.

• Save the file to your desktop and then open the template in Word.
• Insert label paper according to your printer specifications.
• Print the template in black and white.

Step 2: Preparing the pumpkin

Choose a pumpkin that has no bruises or cracks. The smoother the skin of the pumpkin, the easier it will be to carve. And always choose a ripe pumpkin; they are uniformly orange.

• Wipe the pumpkin with a soft, wet cloth to remove any dirt.
• Prepare your work area by covering the surface with a few layers of newspaper. Cleanup will be easier later.
• Using a sharp knife or carving saw, cut a hole around the stem of the pumpkin large enough to get your hand and a large spoon inside. Be sure to cut on an angle to keep the lid from falling into the pumpkin.
• Use the spoon to scrape the inside walls clean. Remember: the thinner the walls, the easier the carving. Be sure the bottom wall is level for your votive.

Select and print template.

Cut out black areas then affix template to pumpkin using toothpicks

Cut out black areas then affix template to pumpkin using toothpicks

Step 3: Applying the template

Once you’ve printed your template, cut out the black areas with a sharp utility knife. We used toothpicks to affix the template (after the black areas had been removed) to the pumpkin. That way we could easily remember where the black stickers would go.

• Remove adhesive backing on the black stickers and affix them to the pumpkin. Use the template as a guide.
• Once the stickers are in place, remove the template from the pumpkin. You’re now ready to carve.

Once all stickers are in place, remove template from pumpkin.

Carve around stickers

Insert candle and let it glow

Step 4: Carving the pumpkin

• Cut around the stickers with a sharp utility knife. For finer details, we found that a small chisel or flathead screwdriver worked much better than a knife — just carve away at the pumpkin, instead of slicing through it.
• Carve slowly. Leave yourself enough time to properly carve the pumpkin, because rushing is asking for an accident to happen.

Once you’ve finished your masterpiece, insert a votive candle or a flashlight and light up the Halloween night.

All styling and inset photography by Julie Stoyka of Zariel Creative.