Simple Glowing Sun Circle and Rays Pumpkin Carving

From pumpkin to porch

1. 1

   Prep and scoop the pumpkin

   Cut a lid at the back of the pumpkin and scoop the interior until the front wall is a consistent inch thick. A smooth front face gives the cleanest background for the geometric circle-and-rays design. Wipe the face dry before transferring the template.

2. 2

   Mark the center circle

   Find the center of the pumpkin face and use a compass or traced bottle cap to draw a circle two to three inches in diameter. Score around it lightly with a pushpin perforation. The circle will become the sun's bright core opening.

3. 3

   Divide and mark the rays

   Use a ruler to draw lines radiating outward from the circle edge to mark where each ray triangle will sit. Divide the space into even segments, aiming for six to eight rays depending on pumpkin size. Mark both outer edges of each triangle before cutting any of them.

4. 4

   Cut the center circle

   Insert a small jab saw at the circle perimeter and cut all the way around to remove the disc cleanly. Go slowly and keep the blade perpendicular to the rind. Pop out the circle piece and clean any rough interior edges with a detail knife.

5. 5

   Cut each ray triangle

   Cut each ray triangle working from the base nearest the circle outward to the point. Keep the triangle cuts fully isolated from the circle opening and from each other by leaving solid rind between them. Pointed tips benefit from a single smooth draw of the blade rather than multiple short strokes.

6. 6

   Place the light and display

   Center a bright LED tea light directly below the circle opening inside the pumpkin. The centered position maximizes equal brightness across all ray triangles. Display the pumpkin so the sun faces outward toward foot traffic.

Written with AI to match this design