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This free Fetus in Womb pumpkin stencil is a printable PDF pattern you can print at home, tape to your pumpkin, and trace. A fetus-in-womb pumpkin stencil showing a curled embryo silhouette floating inside a large circular womb shape, with a crescent arc cut above it and a curved base piece below, suggesting the rounded cavity of the uterus. The fetus itself remains solid orange with detail cut-outs defining tiny clenched fists and a rounded head, while the surrounding womb sections are pierced to glow. Cut the large curved womb sections first, then the small fetal detail cuts, leaving the fragile umbilical cord line as the very last cut. Use it as a carving template for your Halloween jack-o'-lantern. It is rated Intermediate. Estimated time: 45-60 minutes. Actual time varies with preparation, pumpkin size and experience. Comfortable knife handling required. Small details and curves.
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 45-60 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 thin sliver on the right. Start with the narrow leaf-shaped sliver on the right side. It is the most fragile piece; saw down one side, then the other, and lift it out without twisting.
- Cut the head and back sweep. Cut the large upper piece that curves from the tapering tail at the top around to the face. Go slowly around the small bumps of the profile and the narrow arm notch; the tip of the top curve is thin, so cut into it from both sides.
- Cut the lower body piece. Cut the blocky piece at the lower left. Keep the white diagonal strip between it and the upper piece intact; it is the bridge that holds the design together, so stay on your lines on both sides of it.
- Cut the bottom crescent last. The long curved crescent at the bottom tapers to a fine point on the right. Cut the point from both directions, then leave a small tab on the thick left end, support the piece, and release it.
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 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, 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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