Scottish Terrier Pumpkin Stencil

If this darling Scottish terrier pattern doesn't fit your pumpkin after you've printed it, you can always alter the pattern size with a photocopier. Enlarging a pumpkin stencil is usually an easy fix, but reducing a stencil size can sometimes lead to fine details becoming too small to carve. If that's the case, we recommend buying a bigger pumpkin and using your smaller pumpkin for pie!

To carve:

1. On the underside of the pumpkin, use a thin, serrated knife to carve a circle. Remove the circle, and scoop out the pumpkin innards with your hands or an ice cream scoop.

2. Select the pumpkin side you're intending to carve (preferably a smooth, flat side), and scrape the pumpkin's interior wall to no more than 1" thickness on that side.

3. Tape your printed stencil to the pumpkin and use a poking tool to prick holes along the stencil lines. Puncture through the paper into the surface of the pumpkin, keeping pin marks close together.

4. Remove the stencil, and etch areas on the stencil that are surrounded by dotted lines. To etch, simply use a gouging tool to peel away the pumpkin's skin.

5. Carve areas on the stencil that are surrounded by solid lines with a skinny, serrated woodcutting knife. Use the pin pricks as a cutting guide, and saw gently from dot to dot.