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View all stencils →About this stencil
A wonderfully odd face with two unequal eyes split by vertical bar pupils, a diamond nose, and a huge grin whose lower edge scallops into rounded lobes, all surrounded by constellations of freckle dots and hanging teardrop points. Everything is cut through, from the big mouth down to dozens of tiny drilled holes. This expert design is a marathon of small cuts; drill all the freckle dots first, then carve the scalloped grin so the thin borders between lobes keep support. This design is rated Expert / Pro and takes most carvers around 240 minutes from trace to glow. Sculpting-grade work. Three or more depth layers, fine detail.
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 expert / pro carve like this you'll want a full ribbon tool set, clay sculpting loops, x-acto knife, and dremel (optional). 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.
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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.
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Speedball 4131 Lino Cutter Set
Handle + 5 interchangeable cutters
Interchangeable cutters for peeling and shading the face. Useful for the finer details.
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Community Pumpkin Carving Ideas
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Beginner-friendlyUnequal Eyes and Crooked Smile
A charmingly wonky face with one huge oval eye, one small squinting eye, and a crooked smile that tilts up at the corner. Everything cuts through, and the mismatched shapes are the whole joke, so wobbly lines only add character. This is a forgiving easy carve for kids' first attempts or oddly shaped pumpkins; cut the big eye last since the wall flexes more once the large opening is removed.
Expert / ProLong Pupils and Triangle Grin
A mischievous jester face topped with an arcing crown of small diamond cutouts, tall eyes with long slit pupils, diamond accents on each cheek, and a huge grin lined with pointed triangle teeth. Every diamond, eye, and tooth gap is pierced through, so the whole face sparkles like carnival lights. As an expert pattern full of tiny repeated shapes, cut all the small diamonds first with a narrow saw before opening the large mouth, which weakens the wall.
Expert / ProSorrow Brows and Falling Tears
A theatrically miserable face with layered droopy brow wrinkles stacked like ribs above two barred, half-lidded eyes, a long drooping nose, and a deep striped frown, all surrounded by cascading columns of teardrops. Every wrinkle, bar, and tear is cut through, creating an ornate pattern of dozens of small openings. This expert carve is all about sequence: work from the center outward and leave the fragile tear columns at the edges for last.
AdvancedFour Teeth and Notched Tongue
Arched brows curve over squinting eyes while a huge open mouth shows four top teeth and a notched tongue lolling below, with short laugh lines radiating from each cheek. The face is all pierced cuts, and it rates hard because the tongue and teeth stay attached by narrow tabs inside the big mouth opening. Cut the mouth outline first, then carefully notch around the tongue tab last so it does not break free.
AdvancedUnequal Eyes and Tongue Grin
This mischievous face pairs one big round eye with a smaller sly one under arched brows, above a sprawling grin full of gapped teeth and a tongue-shaped opening lolling out below. Clusters of drilled dots frame each cheek like a glowing gridwork of freckles. It is all cut-through work with many narrow tooth bridges, so use a fine saw, cut the dots first, and support each bridge as you free the mouth pieces.
AdvancedGoofy Pupils and Twelve Dots
A freckle-faced goofball with lifted eyebrow cuts, big eyes crossed by full-width pupil tabs, a round nose, twelve freckle dots, and a huge open grin with mismatched teeth. The openings are cut through while the pupil bars, teeth, and surrounding freckle rind stay intact. It rates hard because those wide pupil tabs span the entire eye: cut each eye as separate top and bottom windows, drill the freckles with a small round bit, and save the eyebrows for last.