How to Carve a Pumpkin

Step 1

Prep the carving area

You should do this messy job outside on a cheap, one-time-use plastic tablecloth that you can roll up and throw away when you’re done. It’s too cold outside. Eat your pumpkin at a kitchen table with the same tablecloth or kraft paper on it. Don’t use your old dining table as a work surface because it gets dirty quickly.

Step 2

Gather your pumpkin carving tools

Most pumpkin carving tool kits have everything you need to do the job. The wedge-shaped pumpkin scoop with a short handle can be used to scrape and smooth the inside walls after most of the strings and seeds have been taken out. The pros’ favorite tools, on the other hand, are probably ones you already have.

Ice cream scoop: This tool is great for getting rid of goop because it has sharp sides and is meant to be scraped.

For a filet knife, look for one with a thin, narrow blade. A wide blade isn’t as good at cutting through tough pumpkin parts.

Knife for carving: A paring knife is the right size and shape for the job. A sharp knife will make cutting easier.

You can use a lemon zester and a vegetable peeler to make creative effects and textures for your home decor. You can also use a melon baller to make eyes.

Step 3

Cut a hole in the back

Cut a square or diamond-shaped hole in the back of the pumpkin big enough for your hand and wrist to fit through. Then, take the pumpkin out of the ground. Don’t hurt the pumpkin panel that you took off; you’ll put it back when you’re done. Cutting a hole around the stem is the usual thing to do, but this weakens the pumpkin’s structure and makes it break down faster.

Step 4

Scoop out the guts

Put a big, empty bowl in the middle of the table to hold the string and seeds. Then, scoop up the gooey mess with your hands or an ice cream scoop. Make sure to get rid of everything to keep the pumpkin from going bad early and to keep squirrels and other animals away (this is especially important if your carved pumpkin will be outside). This job can be done with a tool-kit wedge.

Step 5

Do a design dry-run

You can draw your pumpkin design on paper first, and then use a dry erase marker, a washable colored marker, or a grease pencil to draw it on the pumpkin. These markers and pencils wipe off easier than a pen or Sharpie. For more complicated designs, you can put the design directly on the pumpkin with transfer paper. If you’re using a stencil to carve the pumpkin, put the printout right on top of the pumpkin and cut through the paper.

Step 6

Start cutting

Using the sharpest knife in the house, carefully cut along your design. Make sure the hand that is holding the pumpkin in place is not in the way of the hand that is cutting.

Push the piece you cut in if it doesn’t come out. (You can get it back through the back entry hole.) Cut it in half if it gets stuck. You cut too deeply, and a jack-o-lantern tooth fell out. Pick up stray pumpkin pieces with toothpicks and connect them.

Step 7

Preserve your pumpkin

Spray bleach-based bathroom cleaner all over your pumpkin, inside and out. Wait at least five minutes and let it dry out. Animals and squirrels won’t be able to get to the pumpkin because of this trick. It also keeps it from going bad too quickly.

Step 8

Light it up

Put LED holiday string lights inside your pumpkin and roll them up. Let the cord hang out the back and plug it into an outlet. Another way to glow is with battery-powered candles that don’t have a flame. Can’t say no to a real candle? Make a hole in the back of the top of the pumpkin so the smoke can escape.