Six-Point Badge Silhouette Police Pumpkin Carving

From pumpkin to porch

1. 1

   Hollow the pumpkin

   Cut a lid through the back or base of the pumpkin and remove all seeds and stringy pulp. Scrape the interior carving wall to about an inch thick for clean, even light transmission. Dry the outer surface with a paper towel before templating.

2. 2

   Transfer the star outline accurately

   Print a six-point star template sized to fill roughly half the pumpkin's face diameter, then tape it securely and trace every edge with a pin tool. Remove the paper and connect the dotted points with a fine pencil line. Step back and check that all six points look equal before picking up the saw.

3. 3

   Pierce and approach each inner corner

   Push the saw tip through the rind just inside the pencil line to create a starting hole. When the blade approaches an inside corner of the star, withdraw it and re-enter from the opposite direction so both cuts meet cleanly at the corner rather than overshooting. This two-direction technique keeps the inside corners crisp.

4. 4

   Complete the full perimeter cut

   Saw around all remaining straight sides of the star, maintaining consistent blade angle. Remove the large plug when the cut is complete. If the plug sticks, run the saw back along any segment that did not cut all the way through.

5. 5

   Smooth the aperture edges

   Run a detail knife along the inside walls of the star to remove any ragged fibers or torn rind. Clean inside corners with a pointed knife tip. The smoother the walls, the sharper the projected star shape on the wall.

6. 6

   Light and display

   Place a bright LED candle centered inside the cavity. Position the pumpkin near a light-colored wall and watch the star project across it. Coat cut edges with petroleum jelly to slow drying. The display works equally well on a front step or an indoor display shelf.

Written with AI to match this design