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6 free printable patterns

Tombstone Pumpkin Stencils

Tombstone pumpkin stencils show rounded grave markers, RIP lettering, cracked stone, and sometimes a skeletal hand or a crow on top. Letters need clean cuts, so go slowly on the text.

  • Free PDF, no watermark
  • Prints on letter or A4 at 100%
  • Carving guide with every stencil
Graveyard Shift pumpkin stencilThree Graves Moon pumpkin stencilRIP Graveyard pumpkin stencil

Carving guide

How to carve a tombstone pumpkin stencil

The tombstone is usually left uncut with the sky cut around it, so the stone shows dark against the glow. Cut the sky first, then the lettering. Letters like R, P, and O have enclosed centres; leave a thin bridge to hold them or scrape the letters instead of cutting them through.

A tombstone pumpkin beside real foam tombstones looks like part of the yard. Two or three with different epitaphs make a mini cemetery on the steps.

Questions

Tombstone stencil questions

How do I carve RIP without the letters falling out?+

Either scrape the letters into the skin so nothing is cut through, or cut them through but leave a small bridge of pumpkin connecting the middle of the R and P to the outside.

Can I put a name or a joke on the tombstone?+

Yes. Print the stencil, write your own text on the stone in the same style, and scrape the letters. Short words with no enclosed shapes are the easiest.

How long do tombstone pumpkin stencils take to carve?+

Check the individual stencil's carving guide for its time estimate. Preparation, pumpkin size, wall thickness and your experience affect the total; difficulty alone does not determine carving time.

Which tombstone pumpkin stencils are the easiest?+

2 of the 6 are easy, 4 of the 6 are hard. Compare the difficulty labels and carving guides to choose a design.

Pick a tombstone design, print it, and light up the porch.

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