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 60-90 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

1. Cut along the body slits first. Carefully saw the edges of the two thin white lines that separate the owl's body from its wings. Work slowly here; those narrow white strips must stay intact or the wing shape is lost.
2. Work the feathered wing edges. Cut around both outstretched wings, taking each feather point as two cuts that meet at the tip. Start at a wingtip and work toward the body so any slip runs into waste area.
3. Cut the ear tufts and head. Round the top of the head and the two small pointed tufts, sawing toward each tuft point from both sides.
4. Release the body. Cut the rounded tail and lower body last, leaving a small tab under the tail. Support the large plug from inside before cutting the tab; the piece is heavy and the feather edges are delicate.

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.