It’s that time of year again when the leaves start falling, the air cools, and spooky decorations start to appear on your neighbor’s porch. Included in these decorations are the classic pumpkins. A staple in Halloween decorating, carving pumpkins can be a nightmare if you do it wrong. Here are some tips and tricks to make sure your pumpkin looks better than all of the others
- Pick the Right Pumpkin
When picking a pumpkin, you should look for a smooth surface. According to professional pumpkin carver David LaRochelle, ridged pumpkins are a pain to carve. The shape of the pumpkin shouldn’t matter if you already have a design in mind. You should also avoid pumpkins with soft spots, as this is a sign that the pumpkin is starting to spoil.
- Open the Pumpkin from the Bottom
This may completely go against what is generally accepted, but according to tasteofhome.com, it’s actually more efficient. By opening the pumpkin from the bottom, all of the seeds will come out much easier than by entering from the top.
- Trace Your Design Before Carving
Maybe this is obvious, but you shouldn’t start carving completely blind. Make sure you know what you want your pumpkin to look like before starting. LaRochelle even recommends designing your pumpkin on tracing paper before starting. Then, you can transfer your design directly onto the pumpkin.
- Be Patient while Carving
You may want to rush to get your pumpkin carved to be shown to the world, but you should really take your time, especially if the design is more intricate. Gene Granada, another veteran pumpkin carver recommends to leave the pumpkin as intact as possible when carving. Instead of pulling on the pieces you carved, make sure each corner or edge is fully cut.
Pumpkin carving can be hard, especially if you’re new to it, or just aren’t much of an artist. By following these tips, your jack-o-lantern should turn out great, and just in time for Halloween!
