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View all stencils →About this stencil
A timeless porch-ready jack-o'-lantern with two slightly uneven oval eyes, a small triangle nose, and a long friendly smile broken by a single square tooth. All four openings are generous cut-through shapes, so beginners can saw steadily without worrying about fragile bridges. Angle your blade slightly outward as you cut so each piece pops free toward you and the glow spreads wider at night. 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.
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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
Carving ideas that use stencils like this one.
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Beginner-friendlyTall Triangles and Twin Teeth
The timeless jack-o'-lantern: two tall triangle eyes, a smaller triangle nose, and a wide friendly smile interrupted by two blocky teeth, one dropping from the top lip and one rising from the bottom. All four shapes are cut straight through for that classic warm glow. This easy pattern is ideal for a child's first supervised carve; make each triangle in three straight cuts and push the pieces out from inside the pumpkin.
Beginner-friendlyTall Triangles and Broad Smile
This is the timeless jack-o'-lantern: two tall triangle eyes, a small triangle nose, and a broad crescent smile, all cut straight through the shell. With only four openings and no fragile details, it is an ideal first carve for a new pumpkin carver. Poke pilot holes at each triangle corner before sawing so your straight lines meet exactly where they should.
Beginner-friendlyPeaked Eyes and Offset Teeth
A timeless porch jack-o'-lantern with peaked half-round eyes, a triangle nose, and a broad smile broken by offset square teeth on the top and bottom lip. Every element is a full cut-through, so it lights up brilliantly at dusk. Cut the mouth last and remove it in tooth-sized sections; sawing the whole smile as one piece puts stress on the little tooth tabs.
Beginner-friendlySide-Glancing Two-Tooth Smile
This classic jack-o'-lantern face pairs two round side-glancing eyes with a triangle nose and a wide grin showing two blocky teeth. Every feature is cut all the way through, so candlelight pours out of the openings while the rest of the rind stays untouched. The shapes are big and forgiving, making this a perfect first carve; make small relief cuts at the corners of the smile so your blade can turn cleanly.
Beginner-friendlyCrescent Eyes and Curved Smile
Pure cheer: two upturned crescent eyes squint with delight above a huge toothless smile that curls up at both corners. All three shapes are pierced through so the whole face beams with candlelight, and the matching curves give it a warm, laughing character. This easy pattern rewards smooth cutting; saw each crescent in one steady motion following the curve, and round off the smile's corners rather than leaving sharp points.
Beginner-friendlyRound Eyes and Two Short Teeth
Round eyes, a small triangle nose, and a broad grin with two stubby square teeth give this jack-o'-lantern a warm, welcoming personality. The eyes, nose, and mouth are cut through, while the two little teeth stay attached along the top of the smile. On this easy carve, cut carefully around each tooth so it remains anchored to the wall; everything else is simple circles and one flowing mouth curve.