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View all stencils →About this stencil
A cat sits in profile with its ears up and its long tail curling around its feet, all rendered as one softly glowing shape. Instead of cutting holes, you shave away the skin inside the outline so the thinner wall lights up while the pumpkin stays sealed. Use a loop tool or vegetable peeler and keep the depth even; this easy shading style is very forgiving for first timers. 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.
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 ↗
Community Pumpkin Carving Ideas
Carving ideas that use stencils like this one.
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Beginner-friendlyRound-Eyed Cat With Whiskers
A sweet cat face built from simple shapes: two triangle ears cut near the top, round eyes, a small triangle nose, and three thin whisker slits fanning out from each cheek. Everything is a cut-through, so the ears, eyes, and whiskers all glow at night. It is an easy carve overall; save the skinny whisker slits for last and use a narrow saw with short strokes so the slits stay crisp.
Beginner-friendlyRaised Paw Cat with Tall Tail
A seated cat in full silhouette with one front paw playfully raised, pointed ears alert, and a long fluffy tail curling up beside its body. The entire cat is cut through as a single connected opening, so the whole figure glows warmly against the evening sky. An easy carve with one caution: the raised paw and tail tip are the narrowest sections, so cut them last with short gentle strokes.
Beginner-friendlyTall Toes Above a Low Paw Pad
A big glowing paw print built from four oval toe pads arranged above one broad heart-shaped main pad. All five shapes cut cleanly through the wall, and the generous spacing between pads makes the layout very forgiving. Drill a starter hole in the center of each pad and saw outward to the line; the smooth convex curves are ideal practice strokes for young or first-time carvers.
IntermediateLarge Heart and Two Paw Prints
A large heart glows at the center flanked by a full paw print on each side, every pad and toe pierced clean through the wall. It is a natural fit for pet lovers, veterinary clinics, and rescue fundraisers. Cut the eight small toe ovals first while the shell is sturdy, then the two big pads, and finish with the heart, easing around its top notch so both lobes stay symmetrical.
Beginner-friendlyFour Tall Toes and Notched Pad
One oversized paw print fills the pumpkin: four tall oval toes arranged in an arc above a big rounded pad with a gentle notch along its top edge. Each toe and the pad are separate cut-through openings with sturdy skin bridges between them, so the print glows in five clean pieces. It is an easy, satisfying carve for pet lovers; cut the four toes first, then the large pad, angling your blade outward so each plug pushes through cleanly.
Beginner-friendlyUpright Cat Beneath a Crescent
An upright cat sits in silhouette beneath a small crescent moon, just two cut-through openings on the whole pumpkin. The cat's ears, curved back, and tail all come out as a single piece, leaving the shell dark around two clean glowing shapes. Trace the cat's outline slowly in one continuous cut and push the piece out from inside the pumpkin for the cleanest edge.