25 DIY Autumn Pumpkin Carving Ideas

25 printable diy autumn pumpkin carving ideas — ready to download, trace, and light up the porch.

1. Four Woodland Toadstools
Four spotted woodland toadstools cluster among curling leaves and grasses, carved in deep relief so the caps, gills, and stems stand out from the shell in true sculptural layers. Nothing is pierced; the design is built entirely by shaving and sculpting the wall to different depths, with the tall center mushroom's gilled underside as the showpiece. Rough out the deepest background first, then refine the gill lines last with a V-gouge while the ridges are still thick.
See template →
2. Wide Wings and Notched Tail
A bird bursts forward with both wings spread wide, every flight feather notched along the wing edges, above a fanned notched tail. The whole spread-wing shape is one dramatic cut-through, so the bird blazes as a single figure of light. Rated medium because of the many feather notches along the wingtips; cut the main body opening first, then nibble out each feather notch with short strokes so the points stay defined.
See template →
3. Crescent over Conifer Hills
A crescent moon hangs over rolling hills dotted with pine trees, while dozens of stars and pinprick lights scatter across the sky above the treeline. The entire scene is shaved at varying depths into the pumpkin wall, with the moon and hilltops thinned the most so they glow brightest, and the trees left as dark raised skin. Rough in the hills first, then refine tree silhouettes, and finish with the star pricks last.
See template →
4. Woodland Toadstool Relief
An enchanted cluster of spotted toadstools carved in deep relief: one grand mushroom with a striped, gilled underside towers over smaller caps, ribbed stems, and leafy ground cover below. There are no pierced holes; the whole scene is sculpted by shaving the wall to different depths so light glows warmest under the big cap. This expert design rewards planning, so rough out the major cap shapes first and save the fine gill lines and spots for last.
See template →
5. Crescent over Wooded Hills
A dreamy night landscape wraps the pumpkin: a large crescent moon and a sky full of four-point stars shine above rolling wooded hills dotted with pine trees. The whole scene is skin-shave shading with no pierced holes, so moon, stars, ridgelines, and trees glow at different intensities depending on how deep you scrape. As an expert design, map your depths first: carve the moon deepest for the brightest glow, the hills shallowest for a soft dusk.
See template →
6. Four Spotted Toadstools
Four spotted toadstools of staggered heights grow from a glowing patch of grass, the tallest cap arching over three smaller companions. This expert shading piece uses multiple depths: gills under the big cap are shaved brightest, stems and caps sit mid-tone, and the spots are left as darker raised dots. Map your depth levels before touching a tool, and carve the delicate gill lines with a fine gouge in single confident strokes.
See template →
7. Eight Petals and Three Seeds
Eight oval petals radiate from a dotted center like a stylized sunflower, with three small seed holes in the middle and a leafy stem opening anchoring the bloom below. Each petal is a pierced oval, and the skin spokes left between them hold the flower together while letting light pour through. Cut opposite petals in pairs, top then bottom, left then right, so the spokes never take uneven strain.
See template →
8. Ribbon with Flowers and Hearts
A large awareness ribbon loops down the center of the pumpkin, framed by flowering vines, leaves, and two small hearts tucked into the upper corners. The whole tribute is shave-carved in layered relief: the ribbon glows brightest, the florals sit slightly dimmer, and the background skin stays dark, with no pierced cuts. Establish three distinct depths early, ribbon deepest, then flowers, then leaf accents, and keep each layer consistent as you work outward.
See template →
9. Five-Petal Flower and Scrolls
An expert-level layered blossom: five broad veined petals fan around a raised dotted center, wrapped in overlapping leaves and curling scrolls that spill toward the pumpkin's edges. It is entirely surface work, shaving the skin at many depths with nothing cut through, so it looks striking even in daylight on a fall porch. Sharpen your gouges and work from the deepest petals outward, layer by layer.
See template →
10. Sunflower with a Curled Center
A show-stopping sunflower with two rings of layered petals around a big textured seed head, flanked by veined leaves below. This expert shading piece uses multiple depths: petals shaved smooth, petal shadows cut deeper where layers overlap, and the center stippled with dozens of tiny seed dimples. Rough in all the petal shapes at one shallow depth first, then return to carve the overlaps, saving the seed texture for last.
See template →
11. Sunflower with Layered Petals
A lush sunflower filling the pumpkin face, with a densely dotted seed head ringed by two overlapping layers of pointed petals and broad leaves fanning out below. It is carved entirely as continuous-wall relief, shaving the skin at multiple depths so petals overlap realistically with no pierced openings. As an expert project, plan your levels first: deepest around the outer background, shallower between petal layers, and the seed dome nearly untouched.
See template →
12. Wide-Eyed Owl on a Branch
A magnificent wide-eyed owl perched on a curving branch, rendered in layered relief: feathered brow tufts, a sharp beak, ringed eyes, overlapping wing feathers, and a scalloped breast. Nothing is pierced; the entire portrait is carved by shaving the skin to varying depths so backlight grades from bright to dim across the feathers. This is expert work, so sharpen your loop tools, carve the deepest layers around the eyes first, and build the feather texture in shallow passes.
See template →
13. Deer Head with Eight Tines
A buck's head glows from the pumpkin with a full eight-tine rack of antlers, alert ears, and a rounded muzzle, all carved as connected pierced openings. The antler beams branch symmetrically above the head, throwing dramatic spiky light. The narrow antler tines are the challenge here; saw each tine from its tip down toward the main beam and avoid twisting the blade so the slender channels stay clean.
See template →
14. Sitting Rabbit with Long Ears
A serene rabbit sits in profile with tall upright ears, delicate whiskers, and a rounded haunch, filling most of the pumpkin's face. The entire figure is shaved from the skin as a raised relief, with fine scored lines suggesting fur and limb contours, so nothing pierces the wall and it works beautifully as a table centerpiece. Shave the broad body areas first, then add the fur strokes with light flicks of a detail knife.
See template →
15. Two Hoofprints and an Oak Leaf
Two split deer hoofprints, each with a pair of dewclaw dots beneath, share the pumpkin with a lobed oak leaf and a few scattered accent dots for a woodsy, cabin-porch feel. Every track, dot, and the leaf is fully cut through with plenty of solid skin between elements. It is a comfortable medium carve; poke a starter hole in each small dot and cut those first, since tiny circles are easiest while the surrounding wall is still rigid.
See template →
16. Dragonfly with Reeds
A dragonfly hovers with all four veined wings spread wide, its long segmented tail trailing down among slender reed grasses and cattails. The whole scene is shave-carved: wings, body, and reeds glow through thinned skin while the background stays dark, with no pierced holes. The wing veining is the payoff detail, so shave each wing smooth first, then score the vein lines lightly with a knife tip rather than gouging them.
See template →
17. Apple Leaf and Four Holes
A plump apple with a stem and single leaf glows at the front, trailed by a diagonal line of four round holes like tumbling seeds. The apple body, leaf, and dots are all pierced through, with the stem notch left as dark shell between them. A great pick for classrooms and teacher gifts; punch the four small holes with a corer first, then saw the apple outline in slow curves.
See template →
18. Three Unequal Evergreen Trees
Three tiered evergreen trees of different heights stand side by side, each with a short trunk, forming a tidy little glowing forest. Every tree is cut through as its own complete silhouette, and since none of the shapes touch, each cutout releases cleanly on its own. It is an easy, satisfying carve; start with the tall center tree, cut each stepped branch layer from the outside tip inward, and finish with the little trunks.
See template →
19. Bee with Three Raw Stripes
A friendly bumblebee spreads four scalloped wings wide, with a round head, curled antennae, and a plump body banded by three raw stripes. This is a shading design with no pierced holes: the wings, head, and body stripes are shaved down to pale flesh while strips of dark skin form the outlines and bands. Shave the big wing panels first, then refine the narrow antennae with a small gouge.
See template →
20. Sunflower with Eleven Petals
A tall sunflower blooms across the whole pumpkin face, with eleven glowing petals radiating around a dark seed disc dotted with tiny pinprick holes, plus a straight stem and two leaves below. The petals, stem, and leaves are shaved to the flesh rather than pierced, while the seed dots are drilled through for sparkle. For this medium shading design, etch all the petal outlines first, then peel each petal evenly and finish by drilling the seed dots in a loose spiral.
See template →
21. Eight Petals with Leaf Pair
Eight almond-shaped petals radiate around a solid center in this graceful flower design, with a pair of pointed leaves below and small accent holes dotting each side like falling seeds. All the petals, leaves, and dots are pierced through while the round flower center stays intact, held by the uncut spokes between petals. For this medium carve, cut opposite petals in pairs as you work around the circle so pressure stays balanced and the center never loosens.
See template →
22. Fifteen Sweeping Almond Leaves
Fifteen almond-shaped leaves sweep upward in two mirrored arcs, curving around the pumpkin's face like a laurel wreath opening toward the stem. Each leaf is cut fully through, so the whole design becomes an elegant pierced lantern with no face at all. Alternate sides as you cut, removing one leaf on the left and then its mirror on the right, to keep the wall's strength balanced throughout.
See template →
23. Five-Petal Flower with Curls
A five-petal magnolia bloom with a dotted center opens across the pumpkin, framed by curling vine scrolls and shaded leaves. Everything is skin-shave work at layered depths: the petals glow brightest, the leaves and curls sit dimmer, and no part of the wall is pierced. Shave each petal from the center outward with a loop tool to build that soft gradient from bright to dark.
See template →
24. Pineapple with Split Crown
A plump pineapple with a dramatic split crown of long, splayed leaves and a body filled with a deep diamond crosshatch pattern. The whole design is skin-shave work: leaves and body are peeled to bright flesh while crosshatch grooves are cut deeper for a woven texture. Score the diamond grid lightly with a ruler-guided knife before carving so the lattice stays even across the pumpkin's curve.
See template →
25. Three Mushrooms and Four Dots
Three toadstool mushrooms of staggered heights cluster at the base of a tall pumpkin, with four round dots floating above them like drifting spores. The mushroom caps, stems, and dots are all cut fully through, so the whole woodland scene glows as connected pools of light. For this medium carve, cut the two small side mushrooms first to warm up, then tackle the big center cap; leave the narrow stem-to-cap junctions until your final passes.
See template →