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Everything You Need To Know About Pumpkin Carving

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By relache


Ready, Set... Carve!

Many of the customs and traditions of Halloween first came to the US in the 1800s, brought by Irish immigrants who were practicing variations on old Celtic traditions. The modern practice of pumpkin carving has its roots in the carving of gourds and other large root vegetables. 

What used to be simple, scary faces and expressions has now grown to be just about any image the carver desires. By peeling the outer shell as well as making cutouts, even more detail and shading is possible. This hub has just about everything you need to know about pumpkin carving!

"There are three things I have learned never to discuss with people: religion, politics, and the Great Pumpkin." - Linus Van Pelt



Click thumbnail to view full-size
Finished pumpkin design
Finished pumpkin design



Tips For Better Carving

  • Get a big pumpkin so that you have a larger surface to work with.
  • Using modern pumpkin cutting knives is a lot safer and allows for better detailing than using any old knife you grab out of your kitchen.
  • Instead of cutting the top, try cutting out the bottom of the pumpkin. This lets it sit flat and then you lift the pumpkin up and set it down over the candle/light.  Cutting a chimney hole to let out heat is a good idea with this method.
  • Take your time. The best way to get a great looking carving is to have plenty of time and work slowly. This lets you get all the details just right.
  • To get the design on the pumpkin, it's best to tape the pattern to the pumpkin and then makes lots of little pricks along the lines to be cut. You can do this with an icepick or a special pumpkin tool make for the job.
  • Scrape the pumpkin thinner behind where you are carving.  This is going to make the cutting out part a LOT easier.
  • If you are using one of those great new types of pumpkin tools that can't cut fingers, here are some tips for use.  Hold the tool gently, saw briskly and saw at a 90-degree angle, or you risk snapping off the blade.



Jack Skellington's Just Right For A White Pumpkin

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Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King, from "THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS"
Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King, from "THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS"


Keeping Your Pumpkin Fresh

The number one thing you can do to keep your pumpkin looking fresh for the holiday is to not carve it too far ahead of time. After all, this is an unrefrigerated vegetable that you've just hollowed out. Suggestions include

  • Don't carve out the shell to thinly. Leave a little meat inside the pumpkin as this helps it retain moisture.
  • Soaking the pumpkin in water every few days is a trick some folks use to keep their pumpkins hydrated longer.
  • Keep it in the refrigerator during the day and only put it out at night.
  • Bleach water - some people soak their pumpkins in a bleach water solution to kill mold.
  • Commercial "pumpkin spray" is mostly a borax solution which works to kill mold and fungus.


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Pumpkin Comments

RSS for comments on this Hub

ianbrad55 profile image

ianbrad55  says:
4 weeks ago

great tips, love that jack skellington pumpkin

sabbatha1 profile image

sabbatha1  says:
4 weeks ago

Great information provided. Very Scary pumpkins. Thanks for all the great ideas. They are fantastic!

Lisa HW profile image

Lisa HW  says:
4 weeks ago

This is nice. Your Hub and my daughter's and her boyfriend's beautiful pumpkin carving have all combined to make me re-consider the basic "two triangles for eyes, one for the nose, and whatever I'm managed to cut out for a mouth" that I usually do. :)

MikeNV profile image

MikeNV  says:
5 weeks ago

Cutting it out from the bottom is a great idea. It's like people who never figure out that banana are easier to open from the bottom.

chesversem profile image

chesversem  says:
5 weeks ago

nice hub makes me want to start carving pumpkins again.

beccas90 profile image

beccas90  says:
5 weeks ago

Wonderful resource for parents and kids alike.

khmohsin profile image

khmohsin  says:
5 weeks ago

Great Information provided...cool stuff.

pinkhawk profile image

pinkhawk  says:
5 weeks ago

happy halloween!... i want to try this!.. thank you for the information! great! :)

prasetio30 profile image

prasetio30  says:
5 weeks ago

thanks for the great information. Nice tips. Unfortunately there is no Halloween celebration in my country. But as a n art...I like it.

Sandyspider profile image

Sandyspider  says:
6 weeks ago

Great hub about carving pumpkins. You didn't leave anything out.

Cindy Lietz profile image

Cindy Lietz  says:
6 weeks ago

Great hub! The kids and I love to carve pumpkins. We each get one and carve our own. Patterns are fun because the result id perfect, but making your own designs makes them more unique! Have fun carving everyone!

KevCC profile image

KevCC  says:
2 months ago

Can't wait to get my pumpkin and start carving. nothing too fancy though.

Gemsong profile image

Gemsong  says:
2 months ago

Your timing is as exquisite as always. On my way to and from work there is a spot where they are selling pumpkins and I was considering buying one.

Ashley Carew  says:
2 months ago

Cool, my kids will be well pleased if I manage to successfully carve a pumpkin this year!

dusanotes profile image

dusanotes  says:
2 months ago

Wonderful hub. I enjoy carving pumpkins. Maybe that's because I'm part Irish. If you take away religion and politics, that leaves very few subjects on which to comment with any kind of fervor. You run a good blog over here. Keep up the good work. Don White

Laurel Oakes profile image

Laurel Oakes  says:
2 months ago

Great Hub,I love carving pumpkins.

C.S.Alexis profile image

C.S.Alexis  says:
2 months ago

thumbs up!

BigGirlBlue profile image

BigGirlBlue  says:
2 months ago

The best thing about pumpkin carving? Baking and eating the seeds. :D

Catchy Hubs profile image

Catchy Hubs  says:
2 months ago

Hey very cool HUB

Diecast Guy profile image

Diecast Guy  says:
2 months ago

Great hub and great video.

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