With the spooky holiday quickly approaching, you will soon see everyone’s front steps adorned with pumpkins and jack-o-lanterns. It’s time to put your creative skills to work and carve out your pumpkin. Not sure where to begin? Check out these tips from the Family Handyman on how to make pumpkin carving simple.
Select a Design & a Pumpkin
First things first, you’ll want to have a design in mind before you even pick out your pumpkin. If you can’t find a pumpkin that meets your needs, then make sure to have a backup design in mind. You’ll also want to test your pumpkin before purchasing to check to see if it wobbles because you’ll want your candle to stay centered. You can also check the pumpkin’s ripeness by knocking on it; the more hollow the pumpkin sounds, the easier it will be to carve.
Pumpkin Carving Tips and Tricks
- Have Room To Scoop – When you cut the lid off the pumpkin, you’ll want to ensure you give yourself enough room to scoop the innards out. Leave the hole big enough to fit your arm inside and the scoop. You’ll also want to cut the lid off at an angle so it doesn’t fall through the pumpkin after you finish carving.
- Use An Ice Cream Scoop – You can speed up the pumpkin carving process using a sturdy ice cream scoop. For any leftover innards, you can remove them using a fork. The more gunk you remove from the inside, the easier it will be to carve the pumpkin.
- Use A Stencil – No matter if it’s a stencil from the carving kit or one you found online, it can make cutting lines easier. Consider using a dry-erase marker instead of a Sharpie if you make a mistake.
- Grip Is Key – Ensuring you have a good, firm grip on your pumpkin is essential when carving a pumpkin. When carving features, place the pumpkin in your lap so you can maintain how the pumpkin moves; this will help you avoid making mistakes.
- Carve Two Days Before Halloween – Pumpkins won’t last more than a couple of days, so to ensure your pumpkin looks its best for Halloween, you’ll want to carve it two days before this spooky holiday. You can also help the pumpkin last longer by putting petroleum jelly on all the cut pieces.
- Fix Carving Mistakes With A Toothpick – You made a mistake? No biggie, grab a toothpick. If you accidentally cut a piece that wasn’t meant to be cut, you can just put it back in its place using a toothpick. You can also use toothpicks to create 3D features.
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Start Carving Your Pumpkin Today
Now that you’re prepared to create the best pumpkin for this fall season, head to your local pumpkin farm to pick out the pumpkin with everything you’re looking for and more. You can also take your pumpkin carving a step further by saving the pumpkin seeds to make homemade roasted pumpkin seeds. You can also make your pumpkin smell like a delicious pumpkin pie by putting cinnamon around the lid of the jack-o-lantern. Enjoy your jack-o-lantern this season!
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