Soccer Ball Pentagon Pumpkin on Grass

From pumpkin to porch

1. 1

   Set up and hollow

   Cut an entry hole from the base of the pumpkin and scoop out all seeds and stringy fibers. Scrape the inner wall in the carving area to about three-quarters of an inch for crisp light transmission. A round pumpkin displays the circular soccer ball shape most convincingly.

2. 2

   Mark the pentagon positions

   Print a soccer ball pentagon template scaled to your pumpkin face. Tape it on and prick the outline of each pentagon and the outer circle with a pin tool. Remove the template and connect the pinpricks with a marker, keeping lines sharp. The center pentagon and the five surrounding ones should have clear, even gaps between them.

3. 3

   Cut the center pentagon first

   Use a thin flexible blade to cut the center pentagon aperture. A pentagon has five straight sides, so short, straight saw strokes work better than long curved ones. Angle each cut slightly to clear the interior flesh without widening the aperture on the outside face.

4. 4

   Cut the outer five pentagons

   Work around the outer five pentagons in a star pattern, cutting opposite pentagons in sequence rather than going around in a circle. This even removal of material keeps the shell balanced. Leave at least one and a half finger-widths of rind between adjacent apertures.

5. 5

   Score the seam lines

   Use a small V-tool or linoleum gouge to score the seam lines connecting each pentagon in a shallow groove. These lines add the classic soccer ball graphic without being cut through. Score lightly and consistently, removing only the outer orange skin.

6. 6

   Light and display

   A ground-stake LED aimed upward through the base hole creates the stadium-floodlight effect described in the design. Alternatively, a warm-white LED placed inside the cavity glows evenly through all six pentagons. Display on a lawn or garden step for full visibility.

Written with AI to match this design