Pumpkin carving instructions
The custom of using jack-o'-lanterns for Halloween actually came from the Irish who carved out turnips or beets to use as lanterns. On Halloween, these lights represented the souls of the dead or goblins freed from the dead. When the Irish emigrated to America, they found that turnips were scarce but pumpkins were abundant. Pumpkins have been a part of Halloween celebrations ever since.If you are a child then it is a good idea to get an adult to help you - and you shouldn't use a sharp knife.
Hollowing out the lantern
First you need to make a lid for your pumpkin. Use a pen to mark a rough hexagonal
shape on the top of your pumpkin. The opening should be large enough for you
to get your hand into. Use a long thin-bladed knife cut out the top of the
pumpkin around the stem.
Slice off the string pieces from the inside of the lid.
Dig out the seeds and the inner flesh from your pumpkin with the large spoon or ice cream scoop. You can use the flesh to make pumpkin pie or soup with and you can roast the seeds to eat.
Make sure you leave the walls about an inch thick and scrape the inside walls clean.
Tips:
- Cutting a five or six sided opening will work better than trying to cut a circle.
- As you cut out the top hole, angle the knife so that the lid and hole will be somewhat cone shaped, this will help prevent the lid from falling into the hole. You can also cut a small notch in the lid to help with removal if you fancy.
Creating the design
Select the flatest side of your pumpkin for the design if you want to make
your own design then mark it out with a marker pen or just freestyle carve if
you feel confident enough. Then use your knife to carefully cut out the individual
parts of the face.
Templates and stencils
If you are not sure about creating a design then use one of ours. We have a
range of templates for you to choose from.
Print off the design - cut around the outline and then attach it to the pumpkin with sticky tape.
Use something sharp (such as a nail) to prick holes along the edges of the design coloured in black. The black areas are the ones that will be removed. Once you have finished pricking out the whole of the design you can remove the pattern. Some experts recommend that if you are finding it difficult to see the design you rub a little flour in the holes which makes it easier to see the dots.
Start off by making any of the very small holes such as the eyes. Then using a sharp knife carve the rest of the design into the pumpkin taking great care at any narrow points. Make the cuts straight into the pumpkin - not at an angle and to get straight corners remove the knife and or tool and reinsert it at another angle. It is generally easier to cut the "inside" lines of any pieces before you cut the "outside" lines.
When you have finished cutting, carefully push out the pieces from the inside to view the final results. If any of the pieces are reluctant to come out then make sure you have carved all the way round them - or perhaps if it is a larger piece then cut it into smaller pieces.
Make sure that you have scraped the bottom of the pumpkin flat, so that the nightlight will sit level in the pumpkin and it might be safer to put the nightlight in a jam jar. If using a candle it can be sensible to cut or drill a small hole in the lid to allow heat to escape.
REMEMBER: Never leave a burning candle unattended.
