Toddles the Little Mummy

From pumpkin to porch

1. 1

   Pick a tall pumpkin and open the back

   Choose a rounded, fairly tall pumpkin with a smooth front panel big enough for a full standing figure. Cut a hatch in the back, not the top, so the stem stays intact and the front wall is uninterrupted. Scoop the inside and thin the front wall to about one inch so your blade passes through easily. A thinner wall makes the narrow bandage gaps much less likely to crack.','

2. 2

   Transfer the mummy pattern

   Tape your stencil flat against the front, snipping the edges so it hugs the curve without wrinkles. Poke the outline with a transfer tool or push pin, marking the eyes, every horizontal wrap band, the two arms, and the small feet. Step back and check the figure sits centered and upright before you cut. Clear dotted lines now save you from guessing later.

3. 3

   Cut the interior wrap gaps first

   Start with the horizontal stripe gaps in the middle of the body, working from the center outward. Cut each gap fully through and leave the skin band between stripes untouched so it stays a dark solid bridge. Make relief cuts in long thin gaps to release tension gradually. These interior cuts are the safest place to build your rhythm before you reach the fragile edges.

4. 4

   Free the eyes and open the arms

   Cut the two round eyes as clean full openings so they read as bright dots. Move to the outstretched arms, cutting the gaps between the trailing bandage strips while keeping each strip connected at one end. Work slowly here since the arms stick out from the body and have less support. If a strip feels loose, leave a little extra skin to anchor it.

5. 5

   Cut the feet last

   Save the two round feet and the narrow arch between them for the very end, exactly because those bridges crack when the wall is still tight. With most of the design already open, the surrounding skin is relaxed and the feet cut cleanly. Use short, gentle strokes and support the wall with your free hand from inside the hatch. Cut the small gap between the feet last of all.

6. 6

   Light it and photograph

   Drop a battery LED or two inside through the back hatch and skip candles, since the thin bands can scorch. Angle the light low so it fills the feet and rises through the stripes evenly. Photograph in a dim room with the pumpkin slightly above eye level to show off the standing pose. A dab of petroleum jelly on the cut edges keeps them from drying out for a day or two.

Written with AI to match this design