How to Carve a Pumpkin
Author: Elana Farrar
There are many ways to carve a pumpkin but ever since I was a little girl my family and I have done the same thing. We always do it either the weekend before or a few days before Halloween which is the best time to do it so your pumpkin doesn’t go bad before Halloween. Below are the steps we do traditionally which always make for an excellent carved pumpkin.
Step 1: The first and maybe the most important step is to find a pumpkin that is round and tall that doesn’t have any bumps or bruises. You don’t want the pumpkin to be too big or too tall. This pumpkin will be your canvas so you want it to be as smooth as it can be so that when it comes to cutting pieces out it will be easier for you.
Step 2: The second step is to cut the top off of the pumpkin and start cleaning the inside of it. When you cut the top you want to cut it at a slanted angle so when you put the top back on it, it doesn’t fall through. You can use your hands to clean the inside or use a tool that can help you scrap the sides. You want to make sure you get all the goo out and it's as clean as it can be.
Step 3: The third step is to pick out the design you want for your pumpkin. The best thing to get is pumpkin carving stencils which gives you many designs and pictures to choose from. You can choose from many different designs and characters so once you pick your favorite you are ready for step 3.
Step 4: Take your pumpkin carving stencil and tape it to your pumpkin. Taping it to the pumpkin keeps it steady and still when you are outlining the design. Once it’s tapped then you can start punching holes in the pumpkin with a plastic design transfer tool. These holes will allow you to see the outline of your design so you can start carving it.
Step 5: Once the holes are punched and you have completed your full design then you can remove your stencil and start carving. Take a pumpkin carving knife and follow the format of the picture referring back to the stencil to see which parts need to be pushed out. The most essential thing in this step is not to accidentally cut out a piece that was needed. So be careful of what you need to cut out
