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View all stencils →About this stencil
Two round eyes, a small triangle nose, and a tall oval mouth give this design a permanently startled expression, sized for long narrow pumpkins. Just four openings are cut through, which is why it works so well for beginners and quick porch displays. Scoop the big oval mouth in stages rather than one deep cut, and the tall shape will stay smooth from top to bottom. 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.
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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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Community Pumpkin Carving Ideas
Carving ideas that use stencils like this one.
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Two crisp triangle eyes sit above a tall oval mouth frozen mid-gasp, the three-hole formula that has decorated doorsteps for generations. All three shapes cut straight through, so the whole face can be finished in minutes, making it the ideal last-minute design. Cut each triangle with three straight strokes that overlap slightly at the corners so the points pop out cleanly.
Beginner-friendlyTall Narrow Oval Surprise
A surprised, ghost-like expression designed for very tall, skinny pumpkins: two long oval eyes stacked high, with a bigger gaping oval mouth below. All three ovals are pierced through, and the stretched proportions make the face look like it is mid gasp. This easy design works best when the ovals stay vertical and parallel, so lightly trace all three before cutting and check the alignment from a step back before you commit the knife.
Beginner-friendlyTall Oval Surprise Face
Two tall oval eyes hover above one big oval mouth, giving a tall pumpkin a startled, ghostlike gasp that reads perfectly from the street. All three shapes are pierced through, and with no corners or fine details it is about as beginner-friendly as carving gets. Rotate the pumpkin instead of your wrist as you saw each oval so the curves stay smooth and symmetrical.
Beginner-friendlyUneven Eyes and Tall Mouth
A comically startled face built from two round eyes set at slightly uneven heights and one tall oval mouth frozen in an open gasp. The three openings are pierced through, and the design shines on bumpy or warty pumpkins where the texture adds to the goofy shock. As an easy carve with only three shapes, the tip is to embrace the asymmetry: keep the eyes deliberately offset rather than trying to level them perfectly.
Beginner-friendlyTriangle Face and Lower Teeth
The most traditional face in the patch: two triangle eyes, a triangle nose, and a wide smile interrupted by two square teeth rising from the lower lip. All five shapes cut straight through with no curves to fight, making this an ideal first carve. Push the saw in straight vertical strokes and finish each triangle corner cleanly from both sides before popping the piece out.
IntermediateCross With Ten Rays
A bold cross anchors the center of the design while ten tapered rays burst outward around it like beams of light. The cross and every ray are pierced through, leaving dark shell between them that frames the radiating pattern. Cut the large cross first to relieve pressure on the wall, then work each ray from its wide outer end toward the narrow tip so the points finish clean.