Pumpkin Stencils

Why not use some more adventurous and interesting pumpkin stencils for your Halloween pumpkin patterns this year?

Click here to checkout my selection of stencils to buy...

Its that time of year again, Autumn is rolling in with crisp nights, the smell of wood smoke is in the air, and the leaves are turning brown.  The farm stands are full of sumptuous orange pumpkins.  Your thoughts turn to Halloween parties and decorating the yard for the most entertaining party of the season. The kids are excited and you want to make it really special this time. 

So, the pumpkin carving.  What are we going to do this time?  Pumpkin carving has become a real art form in recent years.  Two triangles for eyes, and a slit mouth are just not going to cut it any more!  Thankfully help is at hand, and you don't have to be an expert artist, or a creative expert to do a great job and impress the kids and your neighbours.

So whether you make your own, or use someone else's halloween pumpkin designs, there are lots of pumpkin stencils to choose from.  Trace a picture from the kids favourite book, tape it to the pumpkin and transfer the design using a pin or nail through the paper.  Even better let the kids do it themselves.  There are some safe pumpkin decorating kits and carving tools on the market now which make it fun and simple for the youngsters. 

There are lots of pumpkin carving templates available these days, and you can find a great choice on Ebay and in department stores.

You can even get disney pumpkin carving patterns too. 

How to use your pumpkin stencils

Its a great idea to photocopy your stencils before use, in case they get damaged and then you can use them again next year. Trim the stencil so it has only ½ inch edge all round. Tape to the pumpkin, folding to make it sit smoothly. 

Trace the image onto the pumpkin by puncturing along the lines every 5mm with a pin or nail. 

Remove the stencil and make the lines darker with a pencil or marker pen. Colour in any areas which are going to be completely cut out, so you can make sure they don't join up with any other areas and weaken the structure. 

Cut out those areas with cuts straight through the pumpkin and they can then be pushed out with a finger. 

Any other lines don't need to go right through, but can just be cut into the surface.

And if you really want to be spooked by a pumpkin carving, look at the pictures on this site of the carvings done by Sam Gendusa, who even wrote a book about his Jack O'Lantern carvings.

For more tips on making Halloween pumpkin decorations:

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