Pumpkin Carving Made Easy

Fall is here and that means pumpkins. As far as the eye can see, fields will be filled with the orange colored delights. Thousands of pumpkins will be carved this year for contests and the front porch. Here are some ideas to make pumpkin carving less of a mess and more fun.

For the novice, it is enough to be able to cut out a design that others can recognize. Most people take any old pumpkin and a kitchen knife that could slice off their nose to practice their pumpkin carving skills. This is a mistake many of us make.

First, deciding on the size and scope of the design for the pumpkin determines the size and shape of the pumpkin used. Elaborate scenes (usually out of the expertise of an amateur) may require a fat squat looking pumpkin. Witches on brooms do well with tall thinner pumpkins.

Draw the design on a piece of tracing paper. Using tracing paper makes it easier to see through to the pumpkin when it comes time to transfer the design. Using an X-acto blade or a sharp knife, score the pumpkin through the design on the paper. Scoring makes carving a lot simpler. And, simple is what we are going for.

The majority of the work is done. Kids also like to come up with their own designs for pumpkin carvings and they can use the same method. With kids and most adults, the better choice for carving would be a pumpkin carving kit.

Pumpkin carving kits take into account the fact that we are clumsy people. No one wants to end up with body parts inside the pumpkin. The tools are great for slicing through the soft flesh of a pumpkin but friendly to our fingers and hands. As always, when using any sort of cutting tool, cut away from the body to avoid accidents.

Electric carving tools are available on the market. This simplifies the process even more. Just turn in on and let it do all the work. Don’t let the tool get away from you or it will shred your pumpkin before you can say, “Boo!”

Pumpkin carving is a time honored tradition for fall. Towns that hold fall festivals award major prizes for the best carving in each of several categories. Just because you are not the Rembrandt of pumpkin carving doesn’t mean the prize for Funniest Looking or Most Original won’t go to you.

Pumpkin carving doesn’t have to be a hard task. The purpose is to have fun and create something new and exciting. Following a few safety precautions means a safer autumn activity for all involved.