Preparation and Cleaning
When selecting pumpkins for carving, lighter colored ones carve easier, as they are softer. The downside is they do not last as long.
Pick a pumpkin with a nice stem and a carvable face.
Clean the pumpkins off outside by washing them off with plain water and a sponge. Allow to dry.
Keep the pumpkin outside, or in a cool place, until you are ready to carve it.
Cut open the top of the pumpkin and clean out the inside seeds and and guts. Be careful not to pull hard on the stem as it breaks easily.
Tip: When cleaning the inside of your Jack O'Lantern, scrape the inside wall to an inch thick. This will make carving a lot easier.
Save the seeds for roasting!
Carving
Select your design. Have kids draw a picture of what they want their pumpkin to look like. Even a toddler can draw a pumpkin, and it always comes out just the way he or she wanted it. For younger children, keep the design simple The fewer curves, angles, and cuts, the better the result.
We recommend a pumpkin carving knife. It is designed for carving pumpkins, and is less likely to cause injury.
Once you have mastered carving a pumpkin, you can graduate to a pumpkin carving design, or create your own. There are a wide variety of designs and are limited only by your imagination. To use a design,:
Buy or make your own.
Pick one that is sized for your pumpkin. Enlarge or shrink it on a copier if need be.
Transfer the design to the pumpkin. You can trace it with a small knife, a nail, a marker or a pencil.
Slowly begin to cut out the pattern.
Slow is the operative word, as a mistake in carving can alter or ruin the outcome.
Ideas and Tips
Use an ice-cream scoop to clean out your pumpkin instead of bending your kitchen spoons.
For a unique jack-o’ lantern, add a little glow paint, or fake blood.
Insert a bowl into a
carved pumpkin and add dry ice and warm water to create an extra spooky, smoke
filled jack-o’-lantern (being careful not to touch the dry ice with your bare
hands!).
Making Your Pumpkin Last
Apply a light coating of petroleum jelly on the cuts. It will seal the wound and the pumpkin will last longer. After carving, place the pumpkin in a cool, dark place. It will spoil quickly if left at room temperature and will attract fruit flies.
Did you know? You can usually revive shriveled pumpkins by soaking them in a bucket of water.