About this stencil
Download the Cute Starfish pumpkin stencil as a free printable PDF, then tape the pattern to your pumpkin and trace the lines. A stylized starfish with five rounded arms and a cute cartoon face, including two large round eyes with small lashes, a button nose, and a gentle smile, sits symmetrically centered in this hard pumpkin stencil. The arm openings and facial features are cut through while the narrow bands between the arm segments stay solid, framing the starfish shape clearly when lit. The thin band between the two eye holes is the most vulnerable bridge; cut the right eye last so you can brace the section from both sides during that final cut. It works as a carving template for a Halloween jack-o'-lantern or a fall porch display. It is rated Advanced. Estimated time: 90-150 minutes. Actual time varies with preparation, pumpkin size and experience. Fine details and narrow supports need careful planning. Follow the cutting and shading key in this design’s PDF.
Pumpkin size guide
- 🎃 Small (5 to 7"): print at 80%
- 🎃 Medium (7 to 10"): print at 100% (recommended)
- 🎃 Large (11 to 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 the pattern at 100% for a 7 to 10 inch pumpkin, 130% for 11 to 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 to 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 help it last longer.
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
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 90-150 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
- Cut the face details first. Carve the small chevron nose, the tiny oval mouth below it, and the lash spikes at the outer corner of each eye. These are the smallest cuts, so do them while the wall is fully rigid.
- Open the two round eyes. Cut each large round eye, working around the small scalloped notch at its lower edge. A narrow white bridge runs between the eyes down to the nose; cut the left eye first, then brace the bridge with a finger while you finish the right eye.
- Cut the thin outline slivers. Remove the long curved slivers that trace each of the five arms, including the arcs above the head and beside the lower arms. Saw toward every pointed tip from both directions; these fine strips crack if you pry them.
- Open the arm tips. Cut the triangular window inside each of the four side and top arm tips, keeping the white band between the window and its outer sliver intact.
- Cut the two big lower wedges last. The large openings in the bottom arms come out last. Leave a short edge of each attached until the outline is finished, support the plug, and lift it free without stressing the surrounding white bands.
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.
Tools you'll need
For a advanced carve like this you'll want a fine-detail pumpkin saw, spoon / scoop, pin transfer tool, and small gouge if the pattern includes shading. Here's the kit we reach for, but 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 ↗
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