
The Ultimate Halloween Pumpkin Carving Guide
As the leaves turn crisp and the nights draw in, it’s safe to say that Autumn is officially upon us and that can only mean one thing – it’s nearly Halloween! With trick-or-treating on the cards and Halloween parties a plenty, there’s a lot of pressure when it comes to one vital decorative addition for the spooky season- the humble pumpkin lantern. If you’re a bit worried about how to pull off your own carved masterpiece, then worry no more as we've put together some top tips to help you create spooktacular pumpkin lanterns.


Preparation Tips
Pick of the Crop
As soon as October rolls around, it’s always tempting to immediately opt for the biggest, brightest pumpkin you can find when you’re at the supermarket. If you want yours to last however, it pays to be picky with your pumpkin.
Make It Last
Once you’ve scooped and carved your way to pumpkin perfection, you’ll want to make sure that your spooky masterpiece remains the talk of the neighborhood. If you’re planning to showcase your pumpkin lantern outside, there are a couple of things you can do to keep looking as fresh as the day it was carved.
Useful Tools & Appliances
Fix Up, Look Sharp
Sharp knives are essential when it comes to carving, especially when making those first cuts through that tough outer skin. As with most kitchen tasks, different knives are suited to specific jobs, so make sure you have an array of knives to choose from.
Get the Scoop
You’ll want to empty your pumpkin of as many of the inner fibres and seeds as you can. A range of different utensils can be used for this but it’s best to go for something like a serving spoon or ladle.
Waste Not, Want Not
The beauty of making pumpkin lanterns is that they not only look great but are very economical too. The innards that are usually thrown away over the Halloween period actually make a tasty ingredient for loads of different meals.
Kitchen Clean-Up
If you’re all pumpkin’d out and can’t be tempted by a steaming bowl of healthy soup, then Tower’s range of sensor bins will take the hassle out of the kitchen clean-up operation.
Carving Inspiration

Jack-o-Lantern
We’re starting simple with this classic face design that’s perfect for beginners. If you’re not feeling brave enough to freehand your design, we’ve even included a handy printable template to help you out.- First, you need to make the lid by drawing a hexagonal shape around the stalk, then cut all the way around at a 45° angle using a large, sharp serrated knife. The hole needs to be large enough to fit your hand inside. Remove lid and set aside.
- Using a serving spoon, hollow out the pumpkin, removing all seeds and fibres. Scrape the sides and bottom of the pumpkin until clean and smooth.
- Choose the best side, then tape the template onto your pumpkin.
- Using a cocktail stick, poke holes around the lines of the template to mark out the design on the pumpkin’s outer skin.
- Next, take a sharp serrated knife and begin to cut along the lines in a sawing motion. It’s better to start with the simple straight lines of the eyes and nose first then move onto the mouth.
- Once you’ve cut out all of your shapes gently push them through into the pumpkin and discard.

Boo!
Let your pumpkin do the talking with this spooky phrase design. You can use our handy template or get creative and choose a phrase of your own if ‘Boo!’ isn't scary enough for you.- First, you need to make the lid by drawing a hexagonal shape around the stalk, then cut all the way around at a 45° angle using a large, sharp serrated knife. The hole needs to be large enough to fit your hand inside. Remove lid and set aside.
- Using a serving spoon, hollow out the pumpkin, removing all seeds and fibres. Scrape the sides and bottom of the pumpkin until clean and smooth.
- Tape the template to the best side of your pumpkin and using a cocktail stick, transfer the design using small holes made along the lines of the image.
- Using a large serrated knife, cut along the lines of the speech bubble in a sawing motion.
- Use a smaller serrated knife to cut out the more intricate sections.
- Carefully push the cut out sections through the pumpkin and discard.

23 October 2015
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