Halloweenology - The Pumpkin Ideas of Halloween
The Sneaker Wearing Zombies are proud to bring you the most definitive website devoted to Halloween and Pumpkin ideas. Browse our collection of Halloween information, printables and graphics. You'll find everything from fun to gross and cute to scary. Check the Blog for some decorations with pumpkins.

NOTE: If you paint your pattern on your pumpkin it will last longer than if you cut into the pumpkin. You cannot put a candle in the pumpkin if you paint.

Where to Get Your Patterns:

You can buy pattern books, you can draw your own or you can buy a Halloween coloring book and take patterns out of that. You can also Google "Halloween Pumpkin carving patterns" and find some sites with patterns you can look at.

Picking Your Pumpkin:

How to Pick a Pumpkin that will last:
• Choose a pumpkin free of blemishes, nicks or discolored marks, mold or mildew.
• Make sure it has a stem attached. If the stem is brittle or breaks with a tug, this pumpkin won't last long.
• Pick a pumpkin that feels firm to the touch. Don't choose pumpkins with soft spots.
• If it's available, buy your pumpkins right off the vine! It's a really fun family outing an if you buy them in October, these pumpkins will last throughout November.

How to Preserve Your Carved Pumpkin:

• Before you carve, soak the pumpkin in water with a little bleach added in. (This will kill any mold or rot. Make sure you dry it thoroughly).
• Spray your pumpkin with a clear coat of gloss shellac. This not only makes it shiny, it seals the pumpkin and it lasts longer (tip from my real life friend, Karen).
• Once you create your masterpiece, rub vegetable oil or petroleum jelly over the entire area, especially the cut part.

Carving Your Pumpkin:

-Prepare your pumpkin by:
----Cut a hole in the top for the lid.  Make sure you angle the saw inwards so your lid sits on top of the pumpkin and doesn’t just fall through
----Scoop out the seeds and strings with a spoon
----Scrape some of the flesh from the inside so your pumpkin is about an inch thick all the way around (or at least wherever you’ll be carving).  You can poke  a straight pin through it to estimate the thickness
  
-Print out the pattern.  
There are two types of patterns.  Some patterns, require you to cut the character out of the pumpkin.  Other patterns, use the leftover pumpkin to represent the pattern and you cut out the background to make the character look back lit.  Generally speaking, the patterns where you cut out the background are easier to make because there is less fine cutting. 
  
----Trim off excess paper
----Tape or use pins to affix the pattern to the pumpkin.
 
---If your pumpkin is quite lumpy, dip the paper in water or vegetable oil (the oil will make printer ink run less, but makes the project quite slippery). 
----Smooth the pattern onto the pumpkin, affix with pins or masking tape and let the paper dry. 
----You can also make small cuts in the paper where it bunches so it lies flat on the pumpkin.  Add pins or tape to hold
 
----Poke holes through the pattern with a nail, push pin or pumpkin poker.  Make the holes about 1/8th inch apart (or even closer for more complicated patterns).  This step can take quite awhile so be patient.  Just place the pumpkin in your lap and work away at it.
 
----Remove the paper from the pumpkin.
 
----Rub flour or chalk dust all over the part where you poked the holes so you can see them better.
 
----Push a nail through the pumpkin skin where you want to start carving. 
------------Turn and push until it’s all the way into the pumpkin, then remove. 
------------Repeat anywhere you're going to need to start carving (eyes, nose, etc). 
------------You want to do all the pushing before you start carving because it take some pressure (once you start carving, the pumpkin becomes weaker and applying pressure may cause it to break)
 
-Using your nail hole as a starting point, cut the design with your serrated knife or saw. 
----start somewhere in the center of the design to keep from putting too much pressure on areas already carved
----Use a sawing motion to cut out your design, using very light pressure… take your time and allow the sawing to do the work rather than applying pressure and forcing it.
 
----When making curves, just slightly turn the saw.  When making sharp corners, remove the saw and re-insert it at an angle.
 
----To remove pieces, push them out from the inside.  For larger pieces, you may want to cut them into smaller bits and remove them in sections.
 
----Once your pumpkin is all set, use a pumpkin light (safer than a candle) or a candle in a candleholder designed for pumpkins to light it up.
------------Light the candle and place it on a piece of tinfoil inside the pumpkin.  Put the lid on.  Let it sit a minute
------------Remove the lid and there should be a smoke mark on it
------------Cut a vent in the lid where the smoke mark shows

Painting Your Pumpkin:

Take your pattern and color the back side fully with white chalk. Attach your pattern as above. Then draw over your pattern with a dull pencil. The white chalk on the back will leave your pattern on the pumpkin. After you paint your pattern with black paint (get a small can of black acrylic water based house paint - it is cheaper than getting paint at a hobby shop) and after it dries, you can blow or wipe off the chalk.