Curly the Grinning Spider

From pumpkin to porch

1. 1

   Prep and open the pumpkin

   Pick a large, round pumpkin with a flat, smooth face and cut a lid or a bottom opening so you can reach inside. Scoop the pulp and scrape the carving wall down to about one inch thick where the design will sit. A thinner wall makes both the cutouts and the shaded face easier to control. Let an adult handle all the cutting tools.

2. 2

   Transfer the pattern

   Tape your spider stencil flat over the face, then poke the outlines with a pin or dotting tool. Trace the oval abdomen, the eight curved legs, and the grinning face inside the body. Space the dots close together on the tight curves so the shapes stay smooth when you connect them. Peel the paper and lightly connect the dots with a marker.

3. 3

   Cut the abdomen opening first

   Use a fine saw to cut the round abdomen opening, which is your anchor for everything else. Cut slowly and let the saw do the work so the curve stays even. Cutting this big opening first lets you center the legs accurately around it. Push the piece inward and out to remove it cleanly.

4. 4

   Carve the legs outward

   Cut each curved leg as its own narrow channel, working out from the body one leg at a time. Keep the strips of skin between legs intact so the design does not collapse. Let two of the lower leg tips reach the edge of the face, which anchors the pattern and keeps the legs from sagging as the rind dries. Save the widest openings for last.

5. 5

   Shade the grinning face

   For the eyes, brows, and toothy grin, use a lino or ribbon tool to peel just the skin without cutting through. This leaves a dim orange glow that reads as a friendly face against the bright body opening. Keep the fangs as short, sturdy shapes rather than thin points so they hold up. Go slow and step back often to check the expression.

6. 6

   Light it and photograph

   Drop in a battery LED puck rather than a candle so the wide openings light evenly and safely. Face the pumpkin away from wind and set it at eye level for photos. Shoot at dusk so the glowing legs pop against the darker rind. Mist any cut edges with water and store cool to keep the spider fresh.

Written with AI to match this design