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View all stencils →About this stencil
This elevated take on the traditional face pairs slanted triangle eyes topped with thin brow slits, a triangle nose, and a deep zigzag grin, then adds three small diamond cutouts on each cheek for extra sparkle. Every element is pierced through the wall. The brow slits and little diamonds are what push it to medium; cut the big shapes first, then handle each diamond with a narrow saw, working point to point so they stay crisp. This design is rated Intermediate and takes most carvers around 75 minutes from trace to glow. Comfortable knife handling required. Small details and curves.
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
This is a cut-through stencil: the dark numbered regions on the printable pattern are the pieces you remove, and everything white stays attached. The numbers give you the safest carving order, and the steps below walk through them one by one. Plan on about 55-85 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 two sloping brows. Cut both regions marked 1. Keep the two narrow brow strips separate from the triangles below them, preserving the white shell between each brow and eye.
- Open three triangle features. Cut all regions marked 2: two tall unequal eyes and the smaller central nose. Preserve their wide shell bridges and follow the slightly sloping bases.
- Add the six cheek diamonds. Cut all six regions marked 3, three on each cheek. Preserve the staggered arrangement and the narrow white separators between neighboring diamonds.
- Follow the zigzag mouth. Cut region 4 as one broad zigzag ribbon. Preserve every pointed white projection from the upper and lower edges. Support the long plug and finish one bend at a time.
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 region is open, wipe the cut edges dry and drop in a battery LED puck.
Tools you'll need
For a intermediate carve like this you'll want a x-acto knife, poker tool, ribbon scoop, and painter's tape. 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
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AdvancedBarred Eyes and Serrated Grin
This wicked traditional face stacks barred triangle eyes with heavy slanted brows above a huge serrated grin, then flanks the mouth with rows of small wedge and diamond accents across both cheeks. Everything is cut through, and the eye bars are thin strips of shell left inside each triangle. Cut on both sides of each eye bar before removing the surrounding pieces, and save the tiny cheek diamonds for last.
IntermediateAngry Sawtooth Grin
A fierce take on the traditional jack-o'-lantern, this design pairs sharply slanted triangle eyes with a long sawtooth mouth that zigzags across the lower face. Both eyes and the jagged grin are pierced completely through the wall so the whole snarl blazes with candlelight. The narrow zigzag points make this a medium carve; cut each tooth with short strokes toward the point so the tips stay crisp instead of snapping off.
IntermediateAlmond Eyes and Seven Teeth
A wide, low jack-o'-lantern face with sly almond-shaped eyes, a small triangle nose, and a long jagged mouth packed with alternating square teeth top and bottom. Everything is pierced through, and the horizontal layout suits squat, wide pumpkins. At medium difficulty the tooth row is the main work; cut the mouth's outer outline first, then remove the gaps between teeth one at a time so each block keeps support while you work.
IntermediateSloping Eyes and Unequal Fangs
A classic evil jack-o'-lantern with steeply slanted triangle eyes glaring downward and a wide jagged mouth of uneven fangs, some long and some short for extra menace. All shapes are pierced through for a fiery glow. Rated medium because of the zigzag mouth; cut each fang point with two clean strokes meeting at the tip, and bevel the eye edges outward so more light escapes upward.
Beginner-friendlySlanted Eyes and Zigzag Grin
The timeless sinister pumpkin: two sharply slanted eyes with hooked inner corners, a small angled nose notch, and a long zigzag mouth that saws across the lower face in jagged peaks. All five openings are cut clean through for maximum glow. It is rated easy because every shape is bold and open; the one spot that needs care is the zigzag mouth, where cutting into each point from both sides keeps the teeth from rounding off.
Beginner-friendlySlanted Eyes and Twin Fangs
A wicked jack-o'-lantern with sharply slanted eyes, a small triangle nose, and a curling grin pierced by two long fangs hanging from the upper lip. All the features cut straight through, and the fangs read as solid pumpkin left inside the glowing mouth opening. It is an easy carve overall; just remember the fangs are attached only at the top, so slice along their sides gently and never lever the knife against them.