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177 free printable patterns

Animal Pumpkin Stencils

Animal pumpkin stencils cover everything from cats and dogs to owls, sharks, horses, and dinosaurs, so there is a pattern for every animal lover in the house. Silhouettes carve fast; portraits with fur and feathers take longer and reward the effort.

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177 animal pumpkin stencilsShowing 1 to 48

Harbor Moonbather pumpkin stencil
Expert

Harbor Moonbather Pumpkin Stencil

A harbor seal rests on the shore with its head raised and tail curled up, backed by a huge full moon, drifting clouds, and bands of rippling water below. The entire scene is skin-shaved shading with no pierced holes, so the moon glows brightest behind the seal's darker sculpted body. Expert carvers should establish the moon's deep, even shave first, then build the seal with shallower graded layers so its whiskered face keeps crisp contrast.

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Spread Wing Bat pumpkin stencil
Expert

Spread Wing Bat Pumpkin Stencil

A lifelike bat spreads its wings across the entire pumpkin, with big upright ears, a furry textured body, and scalloped wing membranes ribbed by long finger bones. Nothing is cut through; the whole animal is sculpted in relief by shaving the background away and layering shallow cuts for fur and wing veins. This expert design is a true sculpting project, so work with gouges and a paring knife, establish the outline first, and build the fur texture with hundreds of short flicking strokes.

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Deep Sea Dancer pumpkin stencil
Expert

Deep Sea Dancer Pumpkin Stencil

A tilted jellyfish drifts with its domed bell up high and dozens of ribbony tentacles flowing down through strands of seaweed, while small bubbles rise around it. Every element is shaved into the skin at varying depths rather than cut through, creating layers of soft glow. This expert etch is all about depth control: shave the bell and bubbles deepest for brightness, keep the tentacles mid-depth, and leave the seaweed shallow so the jellyfish floats forward.

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Moonlight Drifter pumpkin stencil
Expert

Moonlight Drifter Pumpkin Stencil

A ribbed jellyfish bell hovers near the top of the pumpkin, trailing eight long wavy tentacles that flow all the way to the base, with small bubbles rising on either side. The bell segments and tentacles are shaved to glowing flesh while thin strips of dark skin separate every ribbon, and the bubbles are pierced through. This expert shading design demands a steady hand; work each tentacle top to bottom in one continuous peel so the curves stay smooth and evenly lit.

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Fantail Goldfish pumpkin stencil
Intermediate

Fantail Goldfish Pumpkin Stencil

A plump fantail goldfish glides across the pumpkin as one big glowing silhouette, with a rounded body, sweeping double tail, and small notched fins along the belly. The entire fish is pierced through in a single connected shape, so it lights up like an aquarium at night. At medium difficulty the low fin notches are the detail work; cut the broad body and tail first, then nick out the small fin points with short careful strokes.

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The Sprinting Raptor pumpkin stencil
Intermediate

The Sprinting Raptor Pumpkin Stencil

A velociraptor sprints across the pumpkin in full silhouette, head low, clawed legs mid-stride, and its long tail sweeping behind for balance. The entire dinosaur cuts through as one glowing shape, with the narrow tail and slim legs providing the medium challenge. Carve the thin tail and leg sections first in short segments, then remove the large body last so the delicate extremities are never left unsupported.

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Midnight Wingspan pumpkin stencil
Intermediate

Midnight Wingspan Pumpkin Stencil

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.

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Cruising Hammerhead pumpkin stencil
Easy

Cruising Hammerhead Pumpkin Stencil

A hammerhead shark cruising in full profile, its wide flattened head, tall dorsal fin, and forked tail all reading instantly in silhouette. The complete shark is one cut-through opening that stretches across the pumpkin's widest face for a dramatic glowing display. An easy carve with one caution: the slim notch between the tail forks is delicate, so cut it before removing the large body piece.

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The Quiet Cottontail pumpkin stencil
Intermediate

The Quiet Cottontail Pumpkin Stencil

A seated rabbit in profile with two tall split ears, a rounded back, and tucked front paws, cut through as a nearly single silhouette with slim gaps defining the ears and feet. The shell around the bunny stays whole so the glowing shape reads crisply from a distance. Carve the narrow gap between the ears first; it is the finest cut on an otherwise smooth outline.

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Leaping Dolphin pumpkin stencil
Intermediate

Leaping Dolphin Pumpkin Stencil

A leaping dolphin caught mid-arc, its curved body, pointed snout, dorsal fin, and sweeping tail all glowing through one sculpted cut-through opening, with an intact rind island shaping the pectoral fin and belly. The interior island is the key feature: cut the outer outline in sections and leave the connecting bridges to the island untouched until the very end, then trim them carefully to final width.

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Fang Snarl pumpkin stencil
Easy

Fang Snarl Pumpkin Stencil

A long-bodied dachshund trots across the pumpkin as one big glowing silhouette, with a dog bone floating above and a row of four oval accents below like little paw steps. The dog, bone, and ovals are all pierced through, so the whole scene lights up brightly with just a handful of cuts. Start with a hole in the dog's belly and saw outward, taking the thin legs and tail slowly so they stay crisp.

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Dreaming of Bones pumpkin stencil
Easy

Dreaming of Bones Pumpkin Stencil

A patient pup sits in profile, ears perked and tail resting, while a bone floats nearby with a trail of small dream-bubble dots connecting them. The dog's body, the bone, and the dots are all cut fully through as bold, separate openings, so the scene reads instantly from the street. This easy design has no fragile interior bridges; just cut the large dog body in two or three sections and pop the bone and dots out last for a tidy finish.

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Fetch Time pumpkin stencil
Easy

Fetch Time Pumpkin Stencil

A four-toed paw print floats above a big classic dog bone, a simple two-part salute to the family pup. Both shapes cut fully through: the four toe pads and rounded palm glow as separate openings, and the chunky bone shines below them. It is a forgiving beginner carve because every shape is wide and rounded; just space the toe pads carefully when transferring the pattern so the skinny walls between them stay intact.

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Pitter Patter Paw pumpkin stencil
Easy

Pitter Patter Paw Pumpkin Stencil

A big glowing paw print built from four oval toe pads arranged above one broad heart-shaped main pad. All five shapes cut cleanly through the wall, and the generous spacing between pads makes the layout very forgiving. Drill a starter hole in the center of each pad and saw outward to the line; the smooth convex curves are ideal practice strokes for young or first-time carvers.

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Big Softie Paw pumpkin stencil
Easy

Big Softie Paw Pumpkin Stencil

A big friendly paw print with a broad rounded pad below four plump oval toes arranged in a gentle arc. All five shapes are cut fully through, turning the pumpkin into a glowing tribute to your favorite four-legged friend. This is one of the easiest patterns to carve well; cut each oval toe first while the wall is strongest, then remove the large pad in two halves for clean edges.

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Treats and Tracks pumpkin stencil
Intermediate

Treats and Tracks Pumpkin Stencil

A large dog bone glows across the lower face of the pumpkin with two paw prints stamped above it, each paw built from a rounded pad and four little toes. All pieces are cut fully through, so the bone and paws shine like a porch sign for the neighborhood's favorite dog. A gentle medium carve; punch out the sixteen small toe and pad holes first, then saw the bone in halves, meeting in the middle.

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Love and Paws pumpkin stencil
Intermediate

Love and Paws Pumpkin Stencil

A large heart glows at the center flanked by a full paw print on each side, every pad and toe pierced clean through the wall. It is a natural fit for pet lovers, veterinary clinics, and rescue fundraisers. Cut the eight small toe ovals first while the shell is sturdy, then the two big pads, and finish with the heart, easing around its top notch so both lobes stay symmetrical.

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Good Boy Stamp pumpkin stencil
Easy

Good Boy Stamp Pumpkin Stencil

A giant dog paw print glows from the pumpkin, four rounded toes arched over one big slightly uneven main pad. Each pad is a separate cut-through opening with plenty of rind between them, so nothing fragile is left behind. That spacing makes this an easy first carve for pet lovers; scoop each toe in a single smooth circuit and the edges will glow clean and bright.

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The Muddy Paw pumpkin stencil
Easy

The Muddy Paw Pumpkin Stencil

A giant dog paw print glows from the pumpkin: four oval toe openings arc above one broad rounded pad, five simple pierced shapes in all. There are no bridges or fine details, making this a perfect quick carve for pet lovers and first-timers. Trace the pad first and cut it in one continuous pass, then space the toe ovals evenly so the print looks like it stepped straight onto the pumpkin.

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Best Friend Paw pumpkin stencil
Easy

Best Friend Paw Pumpkin Stencil

One oversized paw print fills the pumpkin: four tall oval toes arranged in an arc above a big rounded pad with a gentle notch along its top edge. Each toe and the pad are separate cut-through openings with sturdy skin bridges between them, so the print glows in five clean pieces. It is an easy, satisfying carve for pet lovers; cut the four toes first, then the large pad, angling your blade outward so each plug pushes through cleanly.

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Bright-Eyed Bear Cub pumpkin stencil
Hard

Bright-Eyed Bear Cub Pumpkin Stencil

A round-eared bear face grins from the pumpkin, with big circular eyes holding attached pupil tabs, a shiny nose, two little teeth, and a crown of twelve teardrop openings fanning above like fur tufts. The eyes, muzzle, teardrops, and ear rings are pierced while pupils and outlines stay connected. Rated hard for the hanging pupil tabs, so leave their bridges thick and cut them dead last.

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Trusty Triceratops pumpkin stencil
Intermediate

Trusty Triceratops Pumpkin Stencil

A friendly triceratops in full profile, cut through as one connected silhouette with its tall neck frill, three horns, sturdy legs, and thick tail all glowing. The single-opening design keeps things straightforward despite the detailed outline. The horns and the gaps between the legs are the trickiest spots; drill small relief holes at each tight corner so your saw can turn without tearing the rind.

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Gentle Giant Dino pumpkin stencil
Easy

Gentle Giant Dino Pumpkin Stencil

A gentle brachiosaurus in full-body silhouette, its long neck curving up to a small head while a thick tail sweeps out behind sturdy rounded legs. The whole dinosaur is cut through as one connected opening, so the friendly giant glows edge to edge. An easy favorite for dino-loving kids; start cutting at the wide belly and work outward so the slender neck is supported until the very end.

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The Night Watcher pumpkin stencil
Expert

The Night Watcher Pumpkin Stencil

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.

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Deep Sea Drifter pumpkin stencil
Expert

Deep Sea Drifter Pumpkin Stencil

A dramatic jellyfish drifts down the tall face of the pumpkin, its ribbed bell crowning a tangle of long ribbon tentacles surrounded by fifteen bubbles of varying size. Everything is shaved relief with no pierced holes, and the overlapping tentacles at different depths are what make it an expert etch. Vary your shaving depth deliberately, deepest where tentacles cross behind others, to build the layered, flowing effect.

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Fancy Fins pumpkin stencil
Hard

Fancy Fins Pumpkin Stencil

A fancy fantail goldfish glides across the pumpkin with billowing fins, a sweeping double tail, and a body covered in overlapping scale rows. This is a continuous-wall shading design: the skin is shaved away at varying depths so fins glow softly and each scale reads in relief, with no pierced holes. Rated hard for its texture work, it goes best if you outline the fish first, clear the background layer, then carve the scales one row at a time.

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Tidal Dancer pumpkin stencil
Hard

Tidal Dancer Pumpkin Stencil

An elegant seahorse posed upright with a ridged, segmented body, a ribbed fan fin on its back, and a tail that coils into a tight spiral. This is a shading pattern: you carve away skin at varying shallow depths to sculpt the plates, fin ribs, and curl while the wall stays solid. Rated hard for its fine detail, it rewards a light touch; work the tiny tail spiral with a small gouge last.

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Treetop Grazer pumpkin stencil
Intermediate

Treetop Grazer Pumpkin Stencil

A long-necked brachiosaurus stretches up toward three tropical leaves floating above it, its full body cut through as one flowing silhouette from tail tip to tiny head. The leaves are separate cutouts with notched edges that add extra glow around the dino's snack. Cut the leaves first for practice, then work the dinosaur from the tail forward, saving the slender neck for careful final strokes.

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Eight-Point Buck pumpkin stencil
Intermediate

Eight-Point Buck Pumpkin Stencil

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.

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Clingy Gecko pumpkin stencil
Intermediate

Clingy Gecko Pumpkin Stencil

A gecko sprawls diagonally across the pumpkin as one bold silhouette, splayed toes gripping and its thick tail curving away. The entire lizard is a single cut-through aperture, so the whole body glows as one connected shape with those distinctive rounded toe pads catching the light. At medium difficulty, the toes are the trick: cut each tiny pad by connecting it to its leg with a short channel, and remove the big body piece last.

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Dashing Dachshund pumpkin stencil
Easy

Dashing Dachshund Pumpkin Stencil

A full-body dachshund silhouette trots across the pumpkin, long low back, floppy ear, upturned tail, and short legs all captured in one clean glowing shape. The entire dog is removed as a single cut-through, so light floods the whole outline. This easy design has just one tricky zone: the narrow gaps between the legs. Cut the big body outline first, then carve carefully around each leg so the slim wall strips between them survive.

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Quiet Cottontail pumpkin stencil
Hard

Quiet Cottontail Pumpkin Stencil

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.

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Steady Sheldon pumpkin stencil
Hard

Steady Sheldon Pumpkin Stencil

A gentle box turtle strolls across the pumpkin, its domed shell divided into raised seams and its legs dotted with rounded scale spots. The whole design is skin-shave work with no pierced holes; you strip the skin inside each shell panel and body section while leaving the seam lines dark and raised. Vary your shaving depth slightly between panels to give the shell dimension, and save the tiny scale dots for last.

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Salty Claws pumpkin stencil
Hard

Salty Claws Pumpkin Stencil

A full lobster stretches sideways across the pumpkin with segmented tail, walking legs, long antennae, and two oversized claws rendered in shaved-skin relief. Nothing is pierced through: the body shapes are peeled bright while the segment lines and joints remain as dark etched divisions. This is a hard shading project because of all those segments, so map the outline first with shallow V-cuts, clear the large claw and tail areas, and save the skinny legs and antennae for careful final passes.

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Elegant Seahorse pumpkin stencil
Hard

Elegant Seahorse Pumpkin Stencil

An elegant seahorse curls down the pumpkin in profile, its coronet, snout, banded belly plates, back fin, and spiral tail all rendered in carved relief. This is a shading design: the body is shaved to a pale glow while the plate lines and outline are left or scraped at different depths for dimension, with no pierced openings. Rated hard for its fine segmentation, shave the belly bands one at a time and keep each dividing ridge intact.

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Snowy Chick pumpkin stencil
Hard

Snowy Chick Pumpkin Stencil

A plump baby penguin stands in profile facing right, with a dark head and back, a softly glowing belly, and tiny webbed feet. The design is shaded rather than pierced: you shave the belly and face patches thin so they shine brightly, leave the flipper and back skin dark, and feather the transition between them. Work the big belly area with broad shallow strokes and save the fine downy texture lines for the very end.

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Stained Glass Wings pumpkin stencil
Hard

Stained Glass Wings Pumpkin Stencil

A detailed butterfly with open wings, slender body, and curled antennae, its wing panels divided by intact rib lines into a stained-glass pattern of glowing cells. Each wing cell is shaved down to pale flesh while the ribs and outline stay as raised skin, and nothing is pierced. Shave every cell to a matching depth so the wings light evenly, checking with a candle as you work.

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The Big Catch pumpkin stencil
Easy

The Big Catch Pumpkin Stencil

A plump fish silhouette with a notched triangle tail swims across the pumpkin, trailed by three round bubbles rising toward the stem. The fish body and each bubble cut completely through, giving anglers a bold, glowing catch with almost no fine detail to fuss over. An easy pattern; remove the large body in two pieces split at the tail notch, then drill or carve the bubbles smallest to largest.

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Dragonfly with Reeds pumpkin stencil
Hard

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.

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Spotted Glider pumpkin stencil
Hard

Spotted Glider Pumpkin Stencil

A diamond-bodied stingray glides diagonally across the pumpkin, its spotted back, curled wingtips, eye ridges, and long trailing tail all shaved into the skin with no pierced openings. The spots are left raised while the surrounding body is etched down to glow. Outline the ray first, then shave patiently around each spot; those raised dots are what sell the texture.

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Desert Stinger pumpkin stencil
Hard

Desert Stinger Pumpkin Stencil

A menacing scorpion with pincers spread wide, eight angled legs, a segmented body, and a tail curling up to a poised stinger. The entire creature is shaded work: each segment and claw is shaved to glowing flesh while the skin between stays dark, giving the body its armored look. Carve the segment gaps as narrow untouched skin lines, working from the body outward so the skinny legs keep clean edges.

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Silent Slither pumpkin stencil
Hard

Silent Slither Pumpkin Stencil

A serpent winds across the pumpkin in three graceful S-curves, its head raised with a forked tongue flicking out and its whole body filled with a diamond scale pattern. The design is continuous-wall shading, so the snake is shaved into the skin at varied depths with no pierced holes. Rated hard because of the scales: peel the full body smooth first, then press in the scale texture row by row with a small gouge.

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Spotted Eagle Ray pumpkin stencil
Hard

Spotted Eagle Ray

A spotted eagle ray glides diagonally across the pumpkin, its wide wings dotted with rows of round spots, a long whip tail trailing off behind, and a curled loop near the tail base. The whole creature is rendered by etching the skin: outlines and spots are shaved to glow softly while the wall stays sealed. Rated hard for the fine linework; carve the spots with a small round gouge and keep your outline strokes shallow and consistent.

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Honey Buzz pumpkin stencil
Intermediate

Honey Buzz Pumpkin Stencil

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.

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Penguin Strut pumpkin stencil
Intermediate

Penguin Strut Pumpkin Stencil

A plump penguin stands in profile with its beak raised, and the design is built entirely from skin shading rather than pierced cuts. You shave away the rind across the penguin's white belly and face for a bright glow, leave the darker back and flipper as untouched skin, and etch a fine outline around the whole bird. For this medium etch, remove the belly in shallow, even layers and stop as soon as light glows through at test lighting.

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Chubby Waddler pumpkin stencil
Intermediate

Chubby Waddler Pumpkin Stencil

A chubby cartoon penguin stands front and center with round eye patches, a little triangle beak, stubby flippers, and wide webbed feet. The design uses skin shaving instead of holes; you peel the pale belly, face, and feet down to the flesh so they glow softly while the outline stays raised. Trace the border with a shallow V cut first, then peel inward for tidy edges on this medium carve.

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The Happy Frenchie pumpkin stencil
Intermediate

The Happy Frenchie Pumpkin Stencil

An adorable French bulldog face with the breed's signature upright bat ears glowing at the top, round eyes, a button nose, and a tidy mustache-like muzzle with a small mouth below. The ears, eyes, nose, and muzzle are pierced openings while the skin between them shapes the flat Frenchie face. At medium difficulty the big ear panels are easy, but take care around the narrow gap between the nose and mouth so the bridge stays intact.

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Loyal Lab pumpkin stencil
Intermediate

Loyal Lab Pumpkin Stencil

A lovable Labrador face with two glowing floppy ears, round eyes, a rounded triangle nose, and an open smiling muzzle beneath. The big ear panels and the mouth cut fully through, while narrow skin bridges separate the nose from the jowl lines. A medium carve thanks to those bridges; cut the small eye and nose openings before the large ears so the face area keeps its strength while you work.

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Carving guide

How to carve an animal pumpkin stencil

For a silhouette, cut the whole animal shape through as one opening, working around the outline in short strokes and finishing ears, tails, and legs with a craft knife. For a portrait, cut the eyes and nose through, then scrape the fur or feather texture in short strokes that follow the direction the hair grows.

Animal pumpkins are great for a family porch. Carve the family pet on the biggest pumpkin and let each child pick an animal for a smaller one.

Questions

Animal stencil questions

Which animal stencils are easiest to carve?+

Silhouettes: a sitting cat, a bat, an owl on a branch. They are one large opening with a few details and are marked Easy.

How do I carve fur texture?+

Do not cut it through. Scrape the skin with a linoleum cutter in short strokes following the fur direction, deeper near the highlights and lighter in the shadows.

How long do animal pumpkin stencils take to carve?+

Between 30 min and 4 hours depending on the design. Cruising Hammerhead Pumpkin Stencil is the quickest on this page, and Harbor Moonbather Pumpkin Stencil is the most detailed.

Browse related stencils

More pumpkin stencils

Pick an animal design, print it, and light up the porch.

Browse 177 designs
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