How To Carve A Pumpkin!

A complete guide to easy pumpkin carving.

Carving a pumpkin is a beloved Halloween tradition. Whether you're looking to create a spooky jack-o'-lantern for Halloween or just a festive decoration, here's a step-by-step guide to help you carve your pumpkin with ease.

Materials You'll Need:

• A pumpkin - Choose one with a flat bottom that stands up straight. The surface should be smooth, and the pumpkin should feel firm to the touch. Please see our "How to pick the perfect pumpkin for carving guide".
• EasyCarve™ Cleanup Kit (Contains table cover & guts bowl)  - This is for easy cleanup.
• EasyCarve™ Carving Kit or equivalent (do not use a kitchen knife).
• EasyCarve™ Stencil Transfer Paper Printed with Your Stencil.
• EasyCarve™ LED Pumpkin Light, candle, or equivelent.

Steps to Carve a Pumpkin:

1. Prepare Your Workspace:

• Lay down the plastic table cover from the EasyCarve™ Cleanup Kit to make cleanup easier and get your guts bowl handy.
• Have all your materials ready at hand including carving kit, stencil transfer paper, and the pumpkin.

2. Choose a Side to Carve:

Determine which side of the pumpkin you'd like to carve. This should be the smoothest, flattest side. Take a damp cloth and wipe the pumpkin down to ensure no dirt is present.

3. Cut the Lid:

Using your carving tools, cut a circle around the stem at a 45-degree angle and e sure to carve a unique notch outward from the circle in one section. This makes it easy to know exactly how to replace the top for a tight fit and carving at a 45-degree angle makes sure your lid doesn't fall into the pumpkin!

4. Clean Out the Pumpkin:

• Using a spoon or the pumpkin scraper from our EasyCarve™ carving kit, scoop out the seeds and stringy pulp and place them into the pumpkin guts bowl we put out.
• Make sure to scrape the walls of the pumpkin to a thickness of about 1-inch for easier carving.
• Save the seeds in a bowl if you wish to roast them later. We have an amazing recipe for Roasted Pumpkin Seeds we can share!

5. Apply EasyCarve™ Stencil Paper To The Pumpkin!:

• Peel your pre-printed EasyCarve™ Stencil off the protective paper.
• Carefully apply the sticky side of the paper to the pumpkin. Do not worry if its not 100% perfect. You will be able to reposition parts of the paper to ensure it is exactly where you want it.
• Firmly press down the EasyCarve™ paper to ensure the stencil is properly adhered to the pumpkin. Now you are ready to carve!

6. Carve Your Design:

• Grab our EasyCarve™ Deluxe Carving Kit or any other safety carving kit. (Do not use a kitchen knife if you would like to keep all your fingers.)
• Begin carving the design by cutting out the dark sections of the stencil.
• For more intricate designs, start in the center and work your way out.
• Always use caution and keep your hands and fingers away from the blade's path.

7. Remove EasyCarve™ Stencil Paper

• Grab a sponge with some water and get any remaining stencil paper wet. It will shrink and pop right off. Wipe off any excess glue with the sponge.

7. Light Your Pumpkin:

• We highly recommend LED lights for pumpkins these days because they are much safer than candles and fire. LED  brighter as well.
• Our EasyCarve™ LED Pumpkin Light is designed specifically for lighting pumpkins and is safe for indoor or outdoor use.
• If using a real candle, make sure to create a small chimney hole in the lid or back of the pumpkin.
• Place your LED light or candle inside the pumpkin and put the lid back on.

8. Display Your Pumpkin:

• Set your pumpkin in a safe location, away from flammable materials.
• If using a real candle, never leave it unattended and away from flammable materials.
• Enjoy your masterpiece!