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Carved pumpkin with the happy face pattern, lit by a candleHappy Face pumpkin carving stencil, printable pattern

Black parts are cut out, white parts stay. The lit example shows the finished look.

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Happy Face Pumpkin Carving Stencil

  • LevelEasy
  • Timeabout 30 min
Pumpkin size

Not sure? Measure the smooth front of your pumpkin side to side with a tape or string. Pick a design width about two thirds of that.

Printed design: 6 × 4.4 in (15.2 × 11.1 cm)
Fits on 1 US Letter page.

Shown to scale on a pumpkin about 9 in tall.
6 in wide · 1 page · no sign-up
Printed too small or too big?

Your printer shrank the page to fit. Print again and change the scale:

  • Computer: in the print window, set Scale to 100% or pick "Actual size". Turn off "Fit to page".
  • Phone or tablet: open the PDF, tap Share, then Print. Turn off "Scale to fit" if you see it.

Then measure the 1-inch bar at the bottom of the page.

How to carve it

  1. PrintPrint the PDF at 100% (Actual size). Check the 1-inch bar at the bottom of the page. No printer? Open the stencil full screen on a tablet, lay thin paper over it, and trace.
  2. Clean outCut a lid around the stem, scoop out the seeds, and scrape the front wall to about 1 in thick.
  3. PokeTape the pattern on and poke holes along every line with a pin tool, about 1/8 in apart.
  4. CarveSaw out the black parts, smallest pieces in the middle first. Push the pieces out from inside.

You will need

A pumpkin with a smooth front, a small serrated carving saw, a big spoon or scoop, a pin tool or pushpin, tape, and a candle or LED light.

Difficulty

A few big cut-outs. A good first carve; kids can poke the pattern while an adult saws.

Full guide: how to carve a pumpkin with a stencil

See all pumpkin carving stencils