Basketball and Net Pumpkin on Garage Shelf

From pumpkin to porch

1. 1

   Prep for a multi-zone carve

   Refrigerate the pumpkin briefly to firm the flesh, then cut a bottom entry, scoop completely, and scrape the interior wall to a uniform three-quarter-inch thickness. Mark the horizontal line dividing the ball zone from the net zone on the pumpkin with a light pencil mark before transferring the stencil.

2. 2

   Transfer ball and net outlines

   Tape the stencil firmly and pin-transfer all ball panel outlines, seam rib locations, net lattice diamond outlines, and backboard score lines in one session. Mark all net perimeter anchor points explicitly so you know where the lattice must remain connected to the shell.

3. 3

   Score backboard and hoop contours

   Before cutting any panels, score the backboard rectangle and hoop arc with a paring knife tip, removing only outer skin. Scoring these while the shell is intact gives the cleanest, most controlled lines.

4. 4

   Cut ball panels

   Remove the ball panel openings with a medium saw, working opposite panels first as in the four-panel design. Confirm the seam ribs stay at least three-quarters of an inch wide before moving to the net zone.

5. 5

   Cut net diamond holes from outside edges inward

   Begin the net lattice by cutting the outermost ring of diamond holes, which are fully supported by surrounding rind, then work inward ring by ring. This order keeps maximum perimeter support intact as interior diamonds are removed.

6. 6

   Light and display

   Install a bright LED and view on the garage shelf at dusk. The ball glow and net glow should read as two distinct zones. Coat all cut and scored surfaces with petroleum jelly to extend the carving's display life.

Written with AI to match this design