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View all stencils →About this stencil
Two crosses stand side by side, each framed beneath its own tall rounded arch like twin chapel windows. The arch outlines and the crosses are cut through the wall as narrow channels, so light traces the frames while the solid rind inside each arch makes the crosses read boldly. At medium difficulty the slim arch bands are the fragile part, so cut them in short segments and leave the interior panels firmly attached. 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 65-90 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
- Open the two unequal crosses. Cut both regions marked 1. Preserve their separate horizontal arms and long lower stems. Keep the broad white fields around each cross intact.
- Trace both open-bottom arches. Cut both narrow regions marked 2, following their curved crowns and long upright sides. Each arch is open at the bottom; preserve the white interior connection to the surrounding shell.
- Finish the narrow arch ends. Support each curved strip while completing its lower ends. Keep the two arches separate, and leave all white material between each arch and its cross untouched.
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 ↗
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IntermediateCross With Ten Rays
A bold cross anchors the center of the design while ten tapered rays burst outward around it like beams of light. The cross and every ray are pierced through, leaving dark shell between them that frames the radiating pattern. Cut the large cross first to relieve pressure on the wall, then work each ray from its wide outer end toward the narrow tip so the points finish clean.
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A tall Christian cross glows from the center of the pumpkin, with slightly tapered arms that give the shape a hand-hewn, rustic feel. The entire cross is cut through, so candlelight pours out in one bold symbol while the rest of the shell stays untouched. Since this is an easy single-opening design, take the vertical beam in two long, steady strokes and the crossbar last to keep every edge crisp.
AdvancedCross in an Oval Ray Field
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Beginner-friendlyTriangle Eyes and Long O Mouth
Two crisp triangle eyes sit above a tall oval mouth frozen mid-gasp, the three-hole formula that has decorated doorsteps for generations. All three shapes cut straight through, so the whole face can be finished in minutes, making it the ideal last-minute design. Cut each triangle with three straight strokes that overlap slightly at the corners so the points pop out cleanly.