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View all stencils →About this stencil
The Harvest Grin pumpkin stencil is a free printable PDF template. Print it, tape the pattern on, and trace it onto your pumpkin. A jack-o-lantern-within-a-pumpkin stencil showing a grinning carved pumpkin face at the center, surrounded by a flowing arrangement of autumn leaves, curling vines, and a flying bat perched near the stem above. The inner pumpkin face, triangular eyes, jagged mouth, and stem, stays solid orange while the vine-and-leaf background area around it is pierced through to glow. Carve the outer leaf and vine shapes before opening the inner face cuts, so the decorative frame is complete and stable before you work near the center detail. 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 stencil and begin by cutting the flying bat shape at the top, it is an isolated element away from the main design.
- Work through the vine curls and leaf shapes framing the outer area, cutting each leaf individually and the vine lines as thin open channels.
- Once the decorative surround is complete, move inward to the background area around the inner pumpkin face.
- Open the background spaces between the leaves that directly surround the carved face, then cut the inner pumpkin's triangular eye cuts.
- Finish with the jagged mouth and the stem shape at the top of the inner pumpkin.
- A candle placed close to center makes the inner grinning face glow brightest, with the leaf frame lit more softly around it.
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.
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.
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Sharp slanted eyes glare from under heavy brows above a narrow triangle nose and a long menacing grin lined with thin vertical teeth. The eyes, nose, and mouth are cut through, and the row of skinny tooth bridges is what earns the hard rating. Cut the mouth outline first, then remove the gaps between teeth one at a time so the fragile strips never take sideways pressure.