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View all stencils →About this stencil
Download the Spider Silhouette pumpkin stencil as a free printable PDF, then tape the pattern to your pumpkin and trace the lines. A bold overhead-view spider silhouette with eight long tapering legs and a rounded abdomen below a smaller cephalothorax forms this easy spider pumpkin stencil, the entire body pierced through as one large connected cutout. The legs splay outward symmetrically, spanning nearly the full width of the design. Because the whole shape is one continuous cut, the chief challenge is the narrow neck pinch between the two body sections; cut that junction slowly with a fine blade to keep both halves from separating before you are done. It works as a carving template for a Halloween jack-o'-lantern or a fall porch display. It is rated Beginner-friendly. Estimated time: 60-90 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 60-90 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
- Start with the front legs. The spider is one connected piece, so open it up at the two long front legs that sweep upward. Cut each leg from its pointed tip toward the body, keeping the blade moving slowly; the tips are needle thin.
- Free the remaining legs. Work down through the middle and rear legs on both sides, alternating left and right so the wall stays balanced. Cut into each sharp knee bend from both directions instead of steering around it.
- Release the body last. Finish with the head and the large teardrop abdomen. Leave a short tab at the bottom of the abdomen until every leg is free, then support the whole spider with your free hand, cut the tab, and ease the piece out. The legs stay attached to the body plug, so lift it 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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Two fierce glowing eyes under sharply slanted brows, and nothing else. The eye shapes are cut clean through while the rest of the pumpkin stays untouched, so all the menace comes from those two narrow slits of light. The thin points where each brow meets the eye are the only tricky part; cut toward the wide end of each shape so the tips stay crisp. A fast, dramatic carve when time is short.
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