If you haven’t gotten around to carving pumpkins yet, then you should be happy you waited because now you get to hear some advice for carving the perfect pumpkin. Once you learn our tips and tricks, head over to your nearest pumpkin patch and start making a pumpkin masterpiece!
- Selecting the Perfect Pumpkin
If you’re stuck between choosing the right pumpkin, make sure to take the following recommendations into consideration. You’re also going to want a pumpkin that is the perfect size for your design, has a smoother surface, and sits flat. Watch out for pumpkins that are soft or have blemishes, these pumpkins are more likely to go bad. If you want a fresh pumpkin, look for ones with a green stem!
- Find a Template
Finding the perfect design is probably one of the most important steps in carving your pumpkin. You can go free hand, or you can print off a template! All you need to do is tape the template onto your pumpkin and poke holes (using push pins) in the pumpkin where the design outline is. After you’re done, take off the template and begin carving where you’ve poked these holes!
- Removing the top or bottom
Most people go the traditional route of cutting the top off of the pumpkin to clean out the insides and put the candle inside. Though, you can just as easily cut the bottom off! This makes placing the candle in the pumpkin a lot easier since you don’t have to reach your arm inside the pumpkin. If you prefer cutting the top off, we suggest cutting at a 45 degree angle so that the top doesn’t fall through!
- Get Creative!
If your pumpkin has a great stem, consider making it a part of your design. You can flip the pumpkin on it’s side and make a face using the stem as a nose! This makes for a fun, easy, and creative design. Another great idea is buying a smaller pumpkin that fits in your jack o’lanterns mouth. This requires a bit more skill, but it’s definitely worth the extra effort!
- Use an Ice Cream Scoop
If you don’t have many tools around the house for carving pumpkins, one easy tool for getting the insides out of your pumpkin is an ice cream scoop. This works better than big flimsy spoons and faster than small spoons. Also, it’s just more fun to use!
Lake Geneva Digest 