How to: Sailboat Pumpkin Carving

A sailboat will make a striking jack-o'-lantern carved pumpkin.

Carve a unique jack-o'-lantern this year by making a sailboat Halloween pumpkin. Simple sailboat designs are ideal for young children or novice pumpkin carvers. The most difficult part of pumpkin carving is in the details. Round shapes are difficult to carve also. Simple sailboat designs can be created without curves or details. If you have experience carving pumpkins and are seeking a more challenging design, consider carving a pirate ship or tall ship.

Things You'll Need

• Newspaper
• Sharp knife and spoon or pumpkin carving kit
• Pattern printed on a piece of paper
• Scissors
• Tape (any kind)
• Flour
• Potato peeler

Instructions

1. Start by covering your work surface with newspapers. Choose a pumpkin that has flatter sides. Pumpkins with rounded sides are more difficult to carve. Cut a lid for your pumpkin. Make 7 or 8 straight cuts in a circle around the stem. Hold the knife at an angle so that you create a lid where the outside orange skin is bigger than the inside fleshy part. This will prevent the lid from falling into the pumpkin. Ensure that the lid is big enough for your hand to fit inside the pumpkin comfortably. Remove the lid and scrape the pumpkin pulp off the bottom.

2. Use the spoon to scoop out the pumpkin seeds and pulp and place them on the newspaper. Choose which side of the pumpkin you will carve the sailboat on. Scrape the inside wall until it is about 2 inches thick; thinner walls are easier to carve. Discard the wall scrapings and the pumpkin pulp.

3. Print out a picture of the sailboat you want to carve. If you are new at carving, or if you are supervising young children, choose a simple picture with straight lines. For the more adventurous, a pirate ship is the perfect pattern for a Halloween pumpkin. Cut around the picture to remove excess paper, and tape the picture to the side of your pumpkin.

4. Using the tip of your knife, make small perforations in the pumpkin along the outlines of the picture. Remove the picture and rub flour over the surface of the pumpkin. The flour will get stuck in the holes and will accentuate the outline.

5. Cut on both sides of the floured holes. For the curved parts of tall ship sails, make several short incisions to create the curves. Cut thicker lines for the hull and sails and thinner lines for ropes. Use the potato peeler to remove the pumpkin between the lines. You can dig all the way through the pumpkin or leave a thin layer of pumpkin. Once you have removed all the pumpkin between the lines you cut, replace the lid, and your jack-o'-lantern is ready for display.

Tips & Warnings

• Roast the seeds in a pan or under the grill and season to create a healthy snack.

• You can illuminate your pumpkin by placing a votive candle into the pumpkin cavity. Light it using a barbecue lighter, or light it through the design so you don't burn your hand.

• Do not leave candles unattended.

• Supervise younger children when they are using the knife or the potato peeler.

References

• Spook Master: Pumpkin Carving 101
• DLK: Halloween Carving Patterns