- Choose a large pumpkin. The larger the pumpkin, the easier it is to carve. Pumpkins with a lighter color tend to be softer and easier to carve.
- When cutting out the top, place the knife at a 45 degree angle so the lid will have a place to rest when you replace it. If you cut straight down, the lid will fall through.
- When cleaning the pumpkin, save the seeds. Toasted pumpkin seeds make a healthy as well as tasty snack. A 1-inch
thickness of the pumpkin wall is optimum.
- Print out or draw the pattern on a piece of paper. Use small sharp scissors or a razor knife to cut out the areas you will be carving into the pumpkin. Tape the template onto the pumpkin and use a marker to trace the carving lines. Cutting slits in the paper will help it to conform to the round surface.
- As an alternative, you can tape the outline to the pumpkin and use a nail or large pushpin to score the carving lines onto the pumpkin. Connect the dots as you carve.
- A long serrated knife or a pumpkin-carving knife with teeth will be necessary to cut through the thick flesh. Use a sawing motion and take your time cutting along the outside edge of the marker lines so there is no marker residue.
Consider cutting off the bottom of the pumpkin, as well as the top. The pumpkin will be more stable and also easier to carve. If you plan on using a candle to light your jack-o’-lantern, be sure the opening in the bottom is large enough to fit over the candle. Place the candle on a fire-proof base large enough to accommodate the pumpkin. You can then easily lift off the jack-o’-lantern to light the candle.
A small battery-operated flameless candleis a safer choice than traditional candles for lighting your jack-o’-lantern.
- Sprinkle the bottom side of the pumpkin lid with ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and/or cloves to let your jack-o’-lantern do double duty as an air freshener.