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The Ghost with BOO Balloon pumpkin stencil is a free printable PDF template. Print it, tape the pattern on, and trace it onto your pumpkin. A small ghost holds a round balloon with the word BOO written on it in this hard ghost pumpkin stencil, the balloon rendered as a thin open circle with letter cutouts and the ghost below it as a rounded blob with oval eyes and a wavy hemline. Both figures are outlined by thin curved lines that remain solid orange, so when lit the design shows glowing ribbons of light tracing the balloon string, the ghost body, and the BOO lettering. The string connecting the balloon to the ghost's hand is a single narrow line that must be cut last to keep the two halves of the stencil from shifting apart mid-carve. It makes a fun jack-o'-lantern design for Halloween night. It is rated Advanced. 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
- Transfer the design carefully; the thin line work needs a clean needle-tool pierce at every bend before cutting.
- Cut the BOO letter interiors inside the balloon first, since they are enclosed and fragile.
- Carve the balloon circle outline, then the ghost eye ovals, keeping the blade perpendicular to avoid undercutting the thin walls.
- Work the wavy hem of the ghost and the ghost body outline next, cutting in short overlapping arcs.
- Cut the balloon string last, using a single smooth pull stroke to free the narrow line cleanly.
- Use a small LED tea-light; an open-flame candle can heat the thin carved lines quickly and collapse them before the night is over.
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.
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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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AdvancedLittle Boo Pumpkin Stencil
A wide-eyed little ghost with curled hands and a wavy hem floats in front of a big round glow, its startled O-shaped mouth mid-boo. The circular background is cut through around the ghost, so the figure stays as connected rind while light floods the disc behind it. Those slim connector bridges at the hands and hem are the whole design; cut the large background sections first and save every bridge for careful final passes.
AdvancedBig Boo Burst Pumpkin Stencil
A speech-bubble pumpkin stencil showing a ragged, ghostly cloud shape with wispy frayed edges and the word BOO! set in loose, spooky handwritten-style lettering inside the bubble, plus a small speech tail pointing from the lower corner. The cloud outline and the letter interiors are carved through so the whole design glows as a single bright speech burst, while the letterform strokes remain as solid orange bridges. Cut the outer cloud perimeter first as one smooth outline, then open each letter space individually from the center outward to avoid buckling the thin cloud walls.
IntermediateWaving Wispy Ghost
A friendly ghost with trailing wisps waves from the pumpkin, its oval eyes and mouth left as darker raised skin against the pale shaved body. There are no pierced openings; you peel the skin away inside the ghost outline so the flesh glows gently when lit. Shave in smooth, overlapping strokes and stop at the eye and mouth outlines so those features stay dark and crisp.
Beginner-friendlyThe Friendly Phantom Pumpkin Stencil
A single billowy ghost with two raised arms and a wavy hem ending in three uneven points, carved as one big glowing cutout. The entire ghost silhouette is pierced through, so candlelight fills the friendly specter from arms to tail. This easy one-piece design suits squat pumpkins with plenty of front surface; cut the smooth outer curves first and finish with the scalloped bottom points, which are the only fiddly bits.
Beginner-friendlyThe Friendly Waver Pumpkin Stencil
A friendly little ghost lifts one stubby arm in a wave, its four-lobed hem trailing below round eyes and a happy open mouth. The whole figure is shaved shading: you remove skin inside the body so it glows softly, then leave the eyes and mouth as raised uncarved pumpkin. Even, shallow shaving is all it takes, which makes this a forgiving introduction to etching.
Beginner-friendlyJust Saw a Ghost Pumpkin Stencil
A comically startled face made of just three openings: two slightly unequal oval eyes and a tall oval mouth frozen mid-gasp, like a pumpkin that just saw a ghost. All three shapes are cut straight through, with the ovals set high and the mouth low for maximum surprise. This easy pattern also works beautifully on craft pumpkins; use a fine serrated saw for smooth oval curves.