Two-Ring Concentric Spider Web Jack-O-Lantern

From pumpkin to porch

1. 1

   Gut and thin the walls

   Remove the top or bottom lid and scoop out the interior to a consistent half-inch wall thickness. A thin, even wall lets the spoke shadows read cleanly and reduces the risk of a cell cracking under its own weight.

2. 2

   Draw the full web layout

   Mark the central hub, then draw the two concentric ring lines and the radial spoke lines with a wax marker. Check that every spoke is at least three-quarters of an inch wide before you commit. Number each cell so you can track which ones remain to be cut.

3. 3

   Cut the radial spokes first

   Use a detail knife to score and then cut cleanly along each spoke edge from hub to outer wall, without removing any rind yet. These cuts define the boundaries of every cell. Confirm each spoke is anchored at both the inner hub and the outer uncut wall before proceeding.

4. 4

   Remove inner cells first

   Cut out the cells in the innermost ring first, working around the hub one cell at a time. Pop out each piece and clean the edges with a paring blade. The hub and spokes keep the shell rigid while the outer cells are still intact.

5. 5

   Remove outer cells and clean up

   Work through the outer ring cells one at a time, confirming spoke attachment after each removal. If a spoke feels loose, stop and leave that cell intact. Scrape inner cut edges smooth and coat them lightly with petroleum jelly.

6. 6

   Light and position

   Place a candle or LED at the center to throw spoke shadows in a radiating pattern on the ceiling. Step back after lighting to verify that every cell glows cleanly and no spoke appears darker than its neighbors, which would signal a structural weakness.

Written with AI to match this design