Homemade Pumpkin Carving Pattern Ideas

Make Pumpkin Stencils – Kids or Cute Designs and Halloween Sayings

Oct 12, 2008 Lena Gott

Can't find a unique printable Jack-O-Lantern stencil? Consider using Disney coloring book pages, photos, or draw a template freehand.

Even with the abundance of free printable pumpkin stencils on the internet, sometimes just the right design isn’t there. The internet is not the final destination for pumpkin stencils. Templates are easy to find around the house or with an active imagination.

An Alternative to Printable Patterns: Homemade Pumpkin Carving Patterns

Want to get creative? Create a pumpkin carving pattern from scratch. Anything that can serve as a stencil will work. For the kids, consider using a coloring page as a template. Disney or other cartoon characters are always popular. Cinderella’s silhouette or the outline of a castle are two Disney coloring book ideas. Use the coloring book page the same as any other printable pumpkin carving pattern.

For non-kid designs, consider using a photo as the stencil template or perhaps a draw a pattern by hand. Sayings like “Happy Halloween” or “Boo!” are old standbys. Non-Halloween patterns are cool as well – consider hearts or a nighttime sky (stars and the moon). Attractive fall leaf patterns are also a good choice.

More Homemade Halloween Stencil Ideas: Kids, Cute, and Halloween Sayings

Objects from coloring books – unicorn, truck, sword, dog, bat, ghost, Scooby Doo, any Disney character, cat, letters of the alphabet
Cute pumpkin stencils - smiley face, flowers, butterflies
Halloween sayings – “Trick or Treat,” “Beware! Ghost Sighting,” “Mummy Crossing,” “Knock Twice for Dracula,” “Stay Away”
Miscellaneous – a tombstone with the letters R.I.P, a jack-o’-lantern with a crooked or jagged smile

Keep It Simple for Kids and Consider How the Light Will Shine ThroughTwo considerations for pumpkin carving at home:

If the kids are assisting, opt for large patterns and simple shapes (i.e. no jagged lines or intricate details) that are simply chunks cut out of the pumpkin. These are the easiest to carve. Note: Always supervise young children very closely during pumpkin carving activities.
There is more than one way to cut out most pumpkin designs, and homemade templates are especially open to interpretation because they don’t come with instructions. Consider how the light should shine through the pumpkin and decide on whether the light should illuminate the design from behind or if the light will be the design. In other words, either cut out the entire shape or only the outline of it.

The possibilities for homemade patterns are virtually limitless, and hopefully the ideas above will provide inspiration. For more ideas, simply look around the house or in nature and keep an open mind. If kids are involved, perhaps they will have truly unique ideas of their own.

Related Articles:

Free Pumpkin Carving Patterns

How to Carve a Pumpkin for Halloween

The copyright of the article Homemade Pumpkin Carving Pattern Ideas in Crafts is owned by Lena Gott. Permission to republish Homemade Pumpkin Carving Pattern Ideas in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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