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Pumpkin Carving Tips and Ideas!

One of the most fun and creative Halloween traditions is Pumpkin Carving. With care and attention, you'll be able to produce something quite impressive. especially when the candle is in place. Here we give you a few tips to make the best of your pumpkin and a few printable designs to get you started.

Please remember that when working with blades of any kind you must take the greatest of care. Children should be closely supervised when carving pumpkins.

Firstly, pick a pumpkin which "sits" well. When the pumpkin's finished, you'll want it to be stable on a flat surface. This is especially important if you're lighting it with a candle, but more about that later. Have a gentle feel around the pumpkin to make sure it's firm and hasn't been bruised. Don't be too concerned with getting a perfect-shaped pumpkin. Lumps and bumps add personality, and if you're clever, you can incorporate these into the design

You'll need a kitchen knife with a thin blade, a large spoon or rounded spatula for scraping and scooping out the poor Pumpkin's innards and we'd recommend you have a bin bag handy to put them in.

Let's Go!

The first thing you need to do is cut a hole in the top. Remember that you'll be putting this back on as a lid, so be careful and keep it neat! Cut the lid at an angle so that it doesn't fall in when you've finished! it needs to sit on the top nicely. Rotate the pumpkin as you work so that you are always cutting at 90 degrees and PLEASE be careful with that sharp knife! Make the hole big enough to get your fist in, as you'll be scooping out the insides in a moment!

Now you need to gut the pumpkin! Kids love this part (as with all slimy gooey things), so get them involved! Use the spoon to gently scrape the inside of the pumpkin so that as much of the soft fruit is removed as possible. Remember the bin bags? Now's the time. If you are to light the pumpkin, make sure that the bottom of the inside of the pumpkin is flat enough to support a candle.

Print out the template of your choice from the selection below or get a permanent marker to draw on the face that you intend to cut out. If you are using a template, it might be worthwhile taping it in place with some craft tape while you work. If you are drawing a design yourself, make sure it'll hold together once the supporting pieces have been removed.

Once again, please be careful with that knife! When cutting around the design, it's safer to always point the knife towards the center of the pumpkin and work with a gentle sawing motion. Try not to make the edges jagged, but the odd slip shouldn't matter once a candle is in place.

Candles should only be used if the lantern is to be placed outside, away from combustable materials. A little melted wax on the inside will hold the candle in place. If your cut outs are small, cut an extra air vent in the lid to allow in more air.

If you are using Jack-o-lanterns you must position them where there is enough room for ventilation and not close to the area where people will be walking. A much safer alternative than a live candle is a bright glow stick inside your hollowed out pumpkin. You can then replace the lid of the pumpkin without the risk of the candle burning it.

I'm told that applying lemon juice to the cut areas will extend the life of the pumpkin, but they are not made to last. For a macabre treat, watch the pumpkin sag and decay over the next week or two, and the face will contort horribly (cue sinister laughter)...!