Butterfly Jack-O-Lantern With Glowing Wing Panels

From pumpkin to porch

1. 1

   Pick a pumpkin and prep it

   Choose a pumpkin with a wide, fairly flat front face so the butterfly reads clearly. Cut a lid from the bottom or the back rather than the top, which keeps the stem intact and makes the pumpkin easier to set over a light later. Scoop the insides and scrape the inner wall of the carving face down to about one inch thick. A thinner wall makes the cells much easier to cut cleanly.

2. 2

   Fold and transfer a mirrored pattern

   Print or draw the butterfly, then fold the paper down the center line and trim both wings together so they match exactly. Tape the flattened pattern to the pumpkin and poke a series of small dots along every line with a pin or a poking tool. Space the dots close together on the tight curves of the small cells. Peel the paper away and connect the dots lightly with a marker if it helps you see the shape.

3. 3

   Score the body and veins to protect them

   Before any cutting, lightly outline the butterfly body and every wing vein with a detail blade so you know exactly what must stay solid. These dark dividers are what give the design its shape, so treat them as no-cut zones. Keeping them clearly marked stops you from accidentally widening a cell into its neighbor. Take your time here since the veins are narrow bridges.

4. 4

   Cut the small upper cells first

   Using a fine saw blade, cut out the small cells in the upper wings one at a time. Working small to large keeps the surrounding pumpkin firm, so the delicate veins do not flex or snap. Push the loosened piece gently inward or outward and ease it free rather than forcing it. Keep the blade moving slowly and let the tool do the work.

5. 5

   Cut the large lower cells last

   Now open the big lower wing cells, saving these for the end because they remove the most material and weaken the face. Cut just inside your marked lines so the veins stay full width. If a wall feels flimsy as you go, leave a tiny extra bridge to support it. Clean up any ragged edges with light passes so each window has a crisp outline.

6. 6

   Light it and set it by the door

   Drop a battery LED light or two inside, never a candle, since the enclosed cells and thin walls do best with cool, steady light. Set the pumpkin over the light through your bottom or back opening. Place it beside an entry door where the glowing wing panels show off against the dark. Rub a little petroleum jelly on the cut edges to slow drying and keep the shape sharp for a few days.