How to Carve a Pumpkin Gourd
Pumpkins and gourds are most often carved on Halloween. When Halloween celebrations began many centuries ago, people commonly carved turnips and gourds. The pumpkin, a native squash of North America, was adapted for the purpose by early settlers, since its large hollow shape made it easy to carve. The same technique is used for ornamental, pumpkin-shaped gourds as for pumpkins. Creating an outline and carving a pumpkin or pumpkin-shaped gourd is relatively simple. Does this Spark an idea?
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- Newspaper
- Trash bag
- Sharp knife
- Big spoon
- Stencils, if desired
- Tape
- Stencil transfer tool
Instructions
-
-
1
Cover your work area with newspapers to protect the surface. Carving a pumpkin can get messy.
-
2
Cut out the top of the pumpkin to create a lid. Insert the knife into the pumpkin at a 45-degree angle, about halfway between the stem and the side of the pumpkin. Cutting the lid out at an angle will help keep the lid from falling back into the pumpkin after it has been carved.
-
-
3
Cut the top off the pumpkin, moving evenly around the stem. Ensure that the hole is large enough for you to stick your hand into.
-
4
Pull the cut top off the pumpkin. Use your knife to shave all of the strings from the bottom of the lid, making it a smooth surface. Discard all of the strings and seeds into the trash bag.
-
5
Tip the pumpkin to the side and pull out all the strings and seeds with your hand. Scrape the inside walls of the pumpkin with a big spoon to remove any leftover strings and seeds. Ensure that your pumpkin is smooth around the inside.
-
6
Apply the stencil to your pumpkin, if desired. Tape the stencil onto your pumpkin. Ensure that it is centered where you want it and is lying as flat as possible. If you are not using a stencil, use a marker to draw your idea right onto the pumpkin.
-
7
Use the stencil transfer tool to trace around the stencil. The transfer tool pokes small holes into the pumpkin, leaving you lines to follow underneath your paper stencil. Ensure that all of the lines are traced from the stencil. Remove the paper and tape when the tracing is complete.
-
8
Carve the pumpkin. Insert the knife into the pumpkin and carve along the dotted lines for the stencil or your drawn lines. Carve out all of the pieces. Make sure there are no marker lines left behind.
-
9
Push out any pieces that are stuck in the pumpkin after you have cut them out. Discard the pieces and place the lid back onto the top of the pumpkin.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Save the seeds from inside the pumpkin to cook or plant!
Preserve your carved pumpkin by rubbing Vaseline along the cut flesh.
Make sure to clean out the pumpkin thoroughly. If anything is left inside, it could catch on fire when it is lit.
References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
