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View all stencils →About this stencil
This is the timeless jack-o'-lantern face: two bold triangle eyes, round cheek dots, a circle nose, and a wide grin broken up by chunky snaggleteeth. Every shape is cut all the way through, so the whole face glows brightly at night. Because the openings are large and simple, it is a perfect first carve; just leave the tooth tabs attached to the rim of the mouth as you saw around them. This design is rated Beginner-friendly and takes most carvers around 30 minutes from trace to glow. Great for kids and first-timers. Big shapes, short cuts.
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 beginner-friendly carve like this you'll want a paring knife, spoon / scoop, marker, and led pumpkin light. 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.
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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.
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Speedball 4131 Lino Cutter Set
Handle + 5 interchangeable cutters
Interchangeable cutters for peeling and shading the face. Useful for the finer details.
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Community Pumpkin Carving Ideas
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Beginner-friendlyRound Eyes and Two Short Teeth
Round eyes, a small triangle nose, and a broad grin with two stubby square teeth give this jack-o'-lantern a warm, welcoming personality. The eyes, nose, and mouth are cut through, while the two little teeth stay attached along the top of the smile. On this easy carve, cut carefully around each tooth so it remains anchored to the wall; everything else is simple circles and one flowing mouth curve.
Beginner-friendlyTriangle Eyes and Crescent Grin
A bold traditional design pairing two big triangle eyes with a wide crescent grin crossed by chunky square teeth top and bottom. All openings pierce the wall completely, so the face burns bright on any pumpkin, including green or white varieties. An easy carve with generous shapes; free the tooth gaps first, then cut the long smile curve in sections so the grin keeps its clean sweep.
Beginner-friendlyTall Eyes and Twin Upper Teeth
The timeless jack-o'-lantern: two tall triangle eyes, a small triangle nose, and a broad smile notched by two square upper teeth. Every element cuts straight through with simple lines, making this the ideal very first pumpkin carve. Use long, steady saw strokes and keep the blade perpendicular to the shell so the triangle points stay sharp, then pop each piece out from the inside.
Beginner-friendlyLeaning Eyes and Square Teeth
The timeless jack-o'-lantern: two leaning triangle eyes, a triangle nose, and a huge crescent grin interrupted by two blocky square teeth, one up and one down. Everything is a straightforward cut-through, which is exactly why this face has been a first-timer favorite for generations. Cut the mouth last and leave the tooth tabs generous; you can always trim a tooth thinner, but you cannot put pumpkin back.
Beginner-friendlyWide Crescent and Short Teeth
The timeless jack-o'-lantern: two triangle eyes, a triangle nose, and a wide crescent grin broken by a few short square teeth left in place. Every shape is a straightforward cut-through, making this an ideal first carve of the season. Cut each triangle in three straight strokes that meet at the corners, and leave the teeth generous so they do not snap off.
Beginner-friendlyTall Triangles and Twin Teeth
The timeless jack-o'-lantern: two tall triangle eyes, a smaller triangle nose, and a wide friendly smile interrupted by two blocky teeth, one dropping from the top lip and one rising from the bottom. All four shapes are cut straight through for that classic warm glow. This easy pattern is ideal for a child's first supervised carve; make each triangle in three straight cuts and push the pieces out from inside the pumpkin.