Pumpkin Carving Tips!

Boo! It's that time of year where the goblins come out and the little ones are jumping out of their skin with excitement! Mom's and Dad's a scurrying to find just the right costume, and thoughts turn to carving the jack-o'-lanterns.

This activity can really bring the whole family together.  Mom or Dad should be the one yielding the carving tool, but there's a lot of prep work that can be handled by the youngsters.

Here are some tips for pumpkin carving that will be fun for the whole family:

Selecting Just the Right Pumpkin

It was a tradition at our house to drive to the country and pick our pumpkin right off the vine.  There were acres and acres of pumpkins and of course we would pour over them for hours.  With four kids we'd each find the perfect pumpkin - that is until one of our siblings found and even more perfect one! Then the search would start again!  But whether you're picking your own from a local pumpkin patch or selecting one from the grocery store, look for pumpkins that are large, ripe and have smooth skin.  Make sure there is a stem of at least two inches, as stemless pumpkins are likely in decline and won't last as long.  If you're going to put a candle in your pumpkin with an actual flame, it should be a least nine inches high.  There are "fake" tea candles that run on battery these days -- they provide the same effect, but with no burning requirements -- and zero safety issues!

Make Your Pattern

The shape of your pumpkin is the first consideration. If the pumpkin has special features, try to incorporate those into your design.  Then you've got to decide what theme to use -- scary, funny, goofy, artistic or just plain weird!  Once you have an idea in mind, its good to sketch it out on paper.  We'd use paper bags from the grocery store, so once we got the exact design we could pin it to the pumpkin and use it as a stencil.

If you've got artistic abilities, you can sketch you design directly to the pumpkin or you could try down-loading some of the many free designs on the Internet.

Cutting into the Pumpkin

Once you have the design you've decided on, you'll know whether you'll need to cut out the top or the bottom.  To cut out the top, measure a circle at least 5 inches in diameter around the stem.  To keep the lid from sliding into the pumpkin after it has been emptied, make sure to make the cuts on a diagonal so that the outside edge is larger than the inside edge.  This is best done with an actual pumpkin saw, but if you don't have one available you can use a sharp pairing knife.  Of course, this is a job for mom or dad.  The cutting motion should be steady and gentle -- keep the knife in the pumpkin at all times.  When the lid is free, then the young ones can scoop out all the seeds.

If you've decided to remove the bottom instead of the top you can basically follow the same procedure.

Cleaning out the Insides

A great tool to use for the little ones cleaning out the seeds and wonderful smelling slime is an ice cream scoop.  If you don't have one of those, a large metal spoon works great.  Cover the table or floor with newspaper to make clean up easy!  Once the seeds are gone, stronger hands can take over to scoop out any remaining stringers, and to scape the walls as clean as possible.  Remember carving is easier as the wall get thinner so you might want to do a little more scraping here.

If you making a place for a candle -- smooth out a spot for it on the bottom, but don't make it too deep or the bottom will rot out.

Transfer the Pumpkin Pattern

If you drew your initial pattern onto paper, you can either tape the pattern to the pumpkin, or you can transfer it freehand.  If you are using a paper pattern, once taped to the pumpkin, score the pumpkin with a nail or the tip of a knife to outline the design. If drawing directly onto the pumpkin, use a water based-marker so mistakes can be easily erased with a damp paper towel.

Carving the Pumpkin

You are ready to start the sculpting process!  Start at the center of your design and work out ward.  This enable the strength of the pumpkin to remain in place while carving.  Start with the most intricate design elements first -- for example carve the thin eyebrows before carving the gaping mouth.  Use gentle cutting strokes -- don't try to get all the way through the pumpkin on the first try.  When you've finally cut through, gently push the piece out with the eraser tip of a pencil -- this could be a good job for little kids.  Larger shapes may need to be cut into smaller pieces to get out. The key is to have patience and work slowly and gently.  If you cut out a piece by mistake, you might be required to perform "pumpkin surgery": stick a toothpick through the flesh side of the piece and stick it back into place.  Perfect!

Shading

You can create dramatic effects by not cutting all the way through the skin of the pumpkin. If you want to experiment, try making a shallow, angled or "V" shaped cut to within 1/2 to 1/4 of an inch from actually poking through.  The light from the candle will still glow through the thin skin making a very cool look!

Lighting the Pumpkin

If you are going to use a real candle in your pumpkin, go for votives over tapers -- they are more stable and not as likely to burn the lid. A very good bet is to use the electronic votives -- they are inexpensive, will last for the entire season, won't go out in a stiff breeze and are totally safe.

However, if you've decided to go with real flame, you'll want to make sure the air flow in the pumpkin is good.  Place the candle in the bottom, light it, replace the lid and turn out all the lights to enjoy your handi-work.  If the candle doesn't stay lit, increase the size of some of the holes or carve a vent in the lid.

Remember -- your jack-o'-lantern is flammable, so take care and make sure you blow the candles out before going to bed!

Happy Halloween!