Make Halloween decorating easy with these pumpkin carving tips to make your jack-o-lantern look great and last a long time.
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When I originally wrote this post in October 2011, I had just spent an afternoon with a bunch of bloggers in the Central Market cooking school to get some professional instruction from a pumpkin-carving expert.
Normally around Halloween, I have my husband do the knife-wielding honors. However, with what I learned from the expert, I felt confident that I could turn out a decent pumpkin myself.
Since then I’ve rounded up the best pumpkin carving tips I could find to make my family’s Halloween fun and creative.
Are you good at carving pumpkins into jack-o-lanterns? Apparently, I’m not – or at least I wasn’t. Now that I have these pumpkin carving tips, my jack-o-lanterns look impressive – but they’re actually easy.
Central Market pumpkin carving tips
1. Make it oddly shaped
When cutting a hole in the top, don’t make it round. Aim for a teardrop with an easy-to-identify corner. It will be loads easier to fit it back on the right way without spinning it around much.
2. Use school glue
Glue your pattern – if you have one – onto your pumpkin so that it will be still while you follow the next step. If you use regular school glue, it will peel right off.
3. Connect the dots
Use a pointed object, such as an awl or the tool from a carving kit, to create a dot-to-dot pattern.
4. Dust with flour
After you remove the pattern, rub a bit of white flour on the surface. This will make those dots stand out.
5. Seal the cuts
When you’ve finished cutting out your design, rub the edges with Vaseline. You will give your pumpkin a few extra days of attractiveness before, well… you know.
6. Try LED lights
Instead of a candle, use an LED dot light to light up your pumpkin. Not only are they cheap and energy-efficient, but they also will not heat up and burn your pumpkin!
Easy jack-o-lantern ideas
7. Make cleaning easy
Use a hand mixer to remove the insides. (A Wonderful Thought)
8. Drill holes
A drill is perfect for making round holes. (Design Love Fest)
9. Try cookie cutouts
Use cookie cutters for unique, custom cutouts. (Better Homes and Gardens)
10. Make it last
Skip the bleach and try this homemade pumpkin preserving spray. (Chemistry Cachet)
11. Accessorize
Dress up your jack-o-lantern with accessories, like plastic vampire teeth. (Martha Stewart)
12. Open the back
Don’t just cut the top off, cut the back out too for easy access. (Make Community)
13. Turn it sideways
Turn the pumpkin a different direction before carving, such as using the stem for a nose. (various)
What’s next? Try these other fun and creative ideas on One Mama’s Daily Drama:
Awesome. If I lived in a country where Halloween meant anything I would so carve a pumkin like you said – what a difference to stabbing your fingers while trying to cut and eye-hole!
I have taped on pattern and done the poking with awl thing but not the flour or Vaseline so great ideas. Might just have to carve one to see how it works. Got a Winnie Pooh pattern off line and sure have the electric tea lights.
These are very helpful tips! I’ve tried the pattern thing and with gooey hands the tape came off. Must try glue! Thanks for linking up with From the Archives Friday!
Oh yes, pumpkin carving is so messy! Thanks for visiting!
I love these tips! Last year we painted our pumpkin. I will keep these in mind for this year. Thanks for linking up at FTAF!
Erica
Thanks! We like painting pumpkins too. They definitely last longer that way.