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View all stencils →About this stencil
A tall witch hat with a jauntily bent tip glows from the pumpkin, its wide oval brim carved as a separate opening beneath the crown so the solid hatband reads as a dark stripe between them. Around the hat, small circles and diamonds sparkle like scattered magic. This medium design hinges on that hatband bridge; cut the crown and brim as two independent openings and never saw across the band, then finish with the little sparkle shapes using a drill and detail knife. This design is rated Intermediate and takes most carvers around 75 minutes from trace to glow. Comfortable knife handling required. Small details and curves.
Pumpkin size guide
- 🎃 Small (5–7") — print at 80%
- 🎃 Medium (7–10") — print at 100% (recommended)
- 🎃 Large (11–13") — print at 130%
- 🎃 Giant (14"+) — print at 150% on tabloid paper
Frequently asked questions
Can I resize this stencil?▾
Yes. The PDF is vector so it scales cleanly. Print at 100% for a 7–10 inch pumpkin, 130% for 11–13 inch, or 150% for a giant. Use your printer's "Fit to page" or "Custom scale" setting.
What kind of paper works best?▾
Standard 20 lb letter or A4 printer paper is fine. Heavier paper is harder to bend around the pumpkin curve. If your printer supports it, set the quality to 'best' so the lines are crisp.
How long will the carved pumpkin last?▾
Usually 5–10 days. Coat all cut surfaces with petroleum jelly and store the pumpkin somewhere cool overnight. Avoid direct sun. Battery LED pumpkin lights produce no heat and double the lifespan.
Can I sell pumpkins carved with this stencil?▾
Yes, the carved pumpkin you make is yours. The license covers personal and small-scale commercial carving (selling carved pumpkins, photographing them, posting on social). You may not resell the PDF file itself.
What if my printer doesn't print the whole stencil?▾
Set 'Page scaling' to 'Fit' in the print dialog and uncheck 'Auto-rotate'. If it still cuts off, the design includes 0.25" of safe-area margin so a small crop won't ruin it.
How to carve this stencil
- 1Print it
Download the PDF and print at 100% scale on letter or A4 paper.
- 2Prep the pumpkin
Cut the lid at an angle, scoop the guts, thin the wall to ~1 inch.
- 3Tape it on
Snip darts in the paper so it lies flat against the curve.
- 4Transfer the design
Poke along every line — about one dot every 1/8 inch.
- 5Carve it
Connect the dots with short straight cuts. Center first, work outward.
- 6Light it up
Drop in a battery LED pumpkin light and you're done.
Tools you'll need
For a intermediate carve like this you'll want a x-acto knife, poker tool, ribbon scoop, and painter's tape. Here's the kit we reach for — start with whatever you already own.
Elmchee Pumpkin Carving Kit
13-piece kit with carrying case
Saws for the larger cutouts, plus a scoop for hollowing. Covers both jobs in one kit.
View on Amazon ↗
HOME MOST LED Pumpkin Lights
4-pack, battery operated, with remote + timer
Orange glow made for jack-o'-lanterns. The remote and timer light the pumpkin every evening without reaching inside.
View on Amazon ↗
Speedball 4131 Lino Cutter Set
Handle + 5 interchangeable cutters
Interchangeable cutters for peeling and shading the face. Useful for the finer details.
View on Amazon ↗
Community Pumpkin Carving Ideas
Carving ideas that use stencils like this one.
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Beginner-friendlyBent Crown and Broad Brim
A classic witch hat fills the pumpkin face, its tall crown bending over at the tip above a broad, gently curved brim. The whole hat is removed as one pierced piece, making a big bright silhouette with no interior details to fuss over. As an easy single-cut design, just keep your blade angled slightly inward as you saw so the large panel pulls free without wedging.
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Beginner-friendlyCauldron and Three Bubbles
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IntermediateRising Bat and Four Stars
A bold bat rises with scalloped wings spread wide while four small stars twinkle around it. The bat and every star are cut completely through the wall, turning the pumpkin into a glowing night-sky scene. The bat is one large connected opening, so it carves fast; poke a starter hole in the middle of the body and saw outward toward the wing scallops, finishing the little stars last.
IntermediateCat Head With Curled Hat
A cat's head wearing a floppy witch hat, carved as one connected glowing shape with the hat brim flaring wide and the tip curling over. Pointed whisker cuts flick out from each cheek, and the whole silhouette is cut through so it lights up as a single bold window. A manageable medium carve; the curl at the hat tip is the trickiest sliver, so saw it slowly and support the rind with your free hand.