Free Printable Pumpkin Carving Stencils and Patterns | Tools and Tips

Carving pumpkins is a Halloween holiday tradition that has been around for many years. Jack-o'-lanterns were originally used by believers of the supernatural to welcome lost loved ones but were also used in daunting not so welcomed visitors. These carved pumpkins, gords and even sometimes turnips were placed on porches holding burning pieces of coal to light up the night.

Since then the whole ritual has shed its religous undertones and has became a great holiday tradition for anyone young and old to participate. I will show you not only where to find free printable and downloadable stencils and patterns but, show you where to find the tools to complete the perfect Jack -o'- lantern.

Throughout this article you will find tips on carving and maintaining your Jack-o'-lantern. Be sure to check them out so you are able to not only carve your pumpkin but keep it fresh even after Halloween night. Your pumpkin will thank you.

I scoured the web and came up with the best places to find free printable and downloadable patterns and stencils for your pumpkin carving needs. In hopes that you will be the proud owner of the best Jack-o' lantern on the block.

Along with printable and downloadable patterns for carving your pumpkin I have also include some videos of some cool pumpkin carvings and tips for carving your Jack-o'-lantern as well. So enjoy good luck and HAPPY HALLOWEEN.

The best place to start would of course be with the tools. You maybe a dad, a mom or a big brother or you maybe that guy looking to enter a pumpkin in the annual county fall fest. In any case you want to start with the best tools for completing your jack-o'-lantern. Now that we have that settled lets move on.

Tools for Carving Your Pumpkin

Depending on how you want your pumpkin to look is completely up to you. This is why I have provided a wide range of carving tools from Amazon. You may have a simple project or you might have a big and tedious project ahead of you. Some projects may simply call for manual pumpkin carving tools while others will call for dremel style tools for completing your project.

Choosing a pumpkin is a critical part of completing your Jack-o'-lantern project. If you choose one to small your pattern may not fit. If you choose one that's to big it may overwhelm your pattern or stencil. So I recommend that before you choose a pumpkin you pick your pattern first. This way you know you have picked the perfect pumpkin.

When you're looking for that perfect pumpkin make sure you find one that meets your projects needs. You should find one that is evenly colored and well rounded. Having an evenly colored pumpkin will help make your pattern stand out and a well rounded pumpkin will make it much easier to attach your stencil.

Also make sure that your pumpkin hasn't prematurely rotten. Having a pumpkin that has the slightest bit of mold may speed the process of aging in your pumpkin and also may spread to other parts of your pumpkin. This is a bad thing and should be avoided at all cost. Now you have the perfect pumpkin for your Jack-o'-lantern.

Like the video above shows I like to start by cutting the bottom out of my pumpkin. This not only helps to remove most of the guts and seeds, but also allows for a flat surface for your pumpkin to rest. If you are going to cut out the bottom of your pumpkin be sure to cut a hole out near the top so that the hot air from your candle can escape think of it as a chimney. This will help keep your pumpkin from becoming scorched.

Another great thing about this method of cleaning out your pumpkin it will allow for you to make it kid and pet friendly.

Instead of using a traditional candle. You can use an LED push light. It will Light your pumpkin just the same as and if not better than a candle. You will now have a safe and spooky pumpkin without the worry of harming your children and pets.

If you plan to use a LED light instead of a candle another good tip to make your pumpkin stand out and be more attractive to the eye you can buy a sheer piece of black fabric to place inside the pumpkin on the back of your carving. You can use push pins to attach the fabric without damaging your pumpkin and this will pull the fabric tight against your carving. Make sure the fabric is sheer so that the light from your LED will still show through.

There are a few different places to find free stencils and patterns for your pumpkin. The one that's right for you is of course once again completely up to you. You should have no problem finding something that's right for you, but in case you don't I have provided you with some options from Amazon.

• Better Homes and Gardens - This site has 38 free printable stencils it includes a crow, a spider and a flying witch among a host of others. Registration Required
• CyberHaunt.com- This page has 20 different Jack-o'-lanterns to choose from ranging from an Alien, a cat and a wolf.
• PumpkinGlow.com - This site has wide assortment of some very recognizable characters from popular culture. If you're into crazy and unique pumpkin designs you're sure to love these.
• NickJr.com - This site of course offers characters your children know and love from T.V. shows by the network of the same name. Print stencils of Dora, Moose and some of the gang over at Yo Gabba Gabba!
• HP.com- That's right the computer giant has joined in on the Halloween fun with some great printable stencils.

These are for the are for the enthusiast looking to carve that ultra spooky Jack-o'-lantern. I particularly prefer one of these myself. I might be carving a few pumpkins this Halloween season and I enjoy carving something a little more spooky and frightening than others. They always seem to help enhance the mood for the season.

If you're looking to make those older trick or treaters think twice about rolling your yard this Halloween then it might be a good idea to check out these great stencil and pattern books. I believe if this is what you're looking for then you won't be disappointed.

Kids love pumpkins carved to look like their favorite cartoon character. Disney and Marvel along with others have some great pattern books with Characters like the cast of Cars or Spiderman. You may even be glad you went with a classic cartoon character like Mickey Mouse or Goofy once you see the finished product.

Maybe you're looking to show your team spirit (get it... spirit) and go with your favorite NFL or MLB team. There are some great collections of sporting team stencils and patterns available. Maybe you like the Atlanta Falcons or The New York Yankees. No matter the case you're sure to find something you like and a pattern your whole family will enjoy. Heck, you're in-laws might even be impressed.

• Soaking your pumpkin in you a five gallon bucket right after carving it for a day or so is a good way to lock in the moisture it quickly starts to lose shortly after surgery. Some people like to use a bleach water solution. I have not tried the bleach water myself but have read that it works well.
• Make sure that when scarping out the inside of your pumpkin not to scrape to deep. This will help it hold whatever moisture it still has.

• Earlier I gave a tip telling you to use petroleum jelly on all cut edges. It would be a good idea to go ahead and maybe touch up some areas that you might have missed during your first application.