Similar to This
View all stencils →About this stencil
A chunky Erlenmeyer flask with three round bubbles rising from its neck, giving off a mad-scientist potion vibe when lit. The flask body and each floating bubble are cut cleanly through, so the brew appears to glow and fizz after dark. This easy design suits first-time carvers: cut the big flask opening from the bottom up, then punch out the three circles with a small round cut or an apple corer. 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.
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.
Related stencils
Carvers who liked this one also downloaded these.
IntermediateGear Cross and Three Dots
A chunky steampunk gear glowing around a solid crossbar, with three round rivet dots floating beside it like escaping sparks. The spaces between the gear teeth and the four windows inside the cog are cut through, while the cross-shaped bar stays attached to the pumpkin wall and holds everything together. Carve the small dots first, then the gear windows, and keep the crossbar at least a finger wide so the design stays rigid.
Beginner-friendlyFour Diamonds and Eight Dots
Four diamonds run in a straight column down the front of the pumpkin, flanked by a staggered row of round dots on each side, turning a tall pumpkin into a modern lantern. All twelve openings are cut through, and their regular spacing is what sells the design. Mark the vertical centerline first and measure each diamond's position before cutting, since even spacing matters more here than fancy knife work.
IntermediateSnowcap Peaks and Moon
A wide arched window is carved through the pumpkin with three mountain peaks left standing in dark silhouette, while a full moon glows from a separate round opening above. The sky area around the peaks gets cut away and small snowcap notches pierce the summits, so light outlines the whole range. Keep the peak silhouettes attached at the base as you saw the sky sections, since they anchor the entire scene.
IntermediateThree Crescents and Six Dots
Three crescent moons of different sizes climb diagonally across the pumpkin, trailed by six small round dots like distant stars. Every crescent and dot is pierced fully through, giving a modern, almost tattoo-style celestial arrangement once the candle is lit. The medium rating comes from the crescents' thin inner horns, so drill or poke each dot first for practice, then cut the crescents starting at the fat middle and working out toward each narrow tip.
IntermediateBridged Peace Sign
A bold peace symbol fills the face of the pumpkin, its glowing ring and spokes formed by cutting away the four wedge-shaped spaces between them. Thin uncut bridges hold the outer ring to the pumpkin wall, which is exactly what makes this a medium carve. Cut each wedge slowly and leave the connecting bridges at least a finger-width wide; if a spoke feels wobbly, shave it thinner from the inside rather than recutting the front.
Beginner-friendlyUnequal Arms Saguaro
A tall saguaro cactus rises up the pumpkin with two curving arms set at different heights, one reaching high and one bent low. The entire cactus is a single pierced cutout, so the whole plant glows as one bold desert silhouette. This easy design has no fiddly interior pieces; just take the inside curves of the arms slowly so the elbow bends come out smooth rather than angular.