This is a cut-through stencil: the gray areas on the printable pattern are the pieces you remove, and everything white stays attached. The steps below give you the safest carving order. Plan on about 60-90 minutes from print to candle.

Set up first. Print the PDF at 100% scale on letter or A4 paper. Cut the lid at an angle, scoop the pumpkin clean, and thin the carving wall to about 1 inch where the design will sit. Tape the pattern on (snip small darts in the paper so it hugs the curve) and transfer every outline by poking dots along the lines, about one every 1/8 inch. Peel the paper away and carve dot to dot with short, straight strokes.

Carving order

1. Cut the enclosed counters first. Start with the small openings inside the letters: the notch in the B, the triangles inside both A letters, and the opening of the D. These are the most fragile areas, so use a fine saw and light pressure.
2. Mind the stencil bridges. Each letter has narrow white bridges that keep its center attached. Never cut across a bridge; stop each cut where the gray ends.
3. Cut the letters left to right. Remove B, A, D, then A. Pierce the middle of each letter and saw outward so you are not starting on a line.
4. Finish with the two S letters. The S shapes have tight inner curves; work each curve from both ends toward the middle rather than dragging the saw around the bend. Push all plugs out from inside the pumpkin.

Clear loose fibers out of each opening as you go, and never twist or pry the blade against the shell; back it out and recut instead. When every piece is out, wipe the cut edges dry and drop in a battery LED puck.