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Download the Sitting Bunny pumpkin stencil as a free printable PDF, then tape the pattern to your pumpkin and trace the lines. A plump, sitting rabbit faces left in clean silhouette for this beginner-friendly pumpkin stencil, with two tall ears, a rounded body, and chunky hind feet all carved as a single open shape. The entire figure is pierced through, so the warm glow of a candle outlines the bunny against the night. Because the ears are connected only at the base, cut them last to avoid accidentally snapping the narrow junction before the rest of the design is secure. It works as a carving template for a Halloween jack-o'-lantern or a fall porch display. It is rated Beginner-friendly. Estimated time: 45-60 minutes. Actual time varies with preparation, pumpkin size and experience. Larger shapes and shorter cuts. An adult should handle sharp carving tools.
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
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 45-60 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
- Cut the far ear first. Remove the separate back ear at the top. The thin white line between it and the front ear must stay intact, so saw its inner edge slowly.
- Cut the haunch slit. Follow the curved white line that defines the hind leg inside the body. Cut along both sides of that thin strip carefully; it stays attached and gives the bunny its sitting pose.
- Work the head and front ear. Cut around the tall front ear, the face, and the small nose bump, sawing toward the ear tip from both sides.
- Release the body. Cut the back, the round tail, and the feet last, leaving a small tab under the belly. Support the large plug from inside, cut the tab, and push it out gently.
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.
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, 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.
View on Amazon ↗
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IntermediateThe Quiet Cottontail Pumpkin Stencil
A seated rabbit in profile with two tall split ears, a rounded back, and tucked front paws, cut through as a nearly single silhouette with slim gaps defining the ears and feet. The shell around the bunny stays whole so the glowing shape reads crisply from a distance. Carve the narrow gap between the ears first; it is the finest cut on an otherwise smooth outline.
AdvancedQuiet Cottontail Pumpkin Stencil
A serene rabbit sits in profile with tall upright ears, delicate whiskers, and a rounded haunch, filling most of the pumpkin's face. The entire figure is shaved from the skin as a raised relief, with fine scored lines suggesting fur and limb contours, so nothing pierces the wall and it works beautifully as a table centerpiece. Shave the broad body areas first, then add the fur strokes with light flicks of a detail knife.
AdvancedEvil Rabbit Skull Pumpkin Stencil
A sinister rabbit skull stares from this hard-level pumpkin stencil: the elongated ears flow upward into wild flame-like wisps, and the face is a mask of interlocking oval and rectangular cutouts forming the eye sockets, snout bridge, and a row of small rounded teeth at the bottom. The entire composition is tightly packed with narrow white-line channels separating each island, so the lit jack-o-lantern glows with an intricate dark-rabbit visage. Begin by cutting the row of small round teeth at the base before moving up to the larger eye and snout openings, as the teeth are the most isolated and easiest to free without disturbing surrounding bridges.