Carving pumpkins is a huge business in Portland, there are some people that make their entire year’s living on carving pumpkins for people. Here’s how you can save your money and carve your own pumpkin.
You Need:
A pumpkin A pattern A large spoon Pumpkin carving tools Pick a pumpkin either from the pumpkin patch or the grocery store. You want to make sure that the pumpkin doesn’t have any white spots or soft spots that could be mold. Choose a pattern that will fit on the pumpkin you have selected. You can either find free patterns online or you can purchase a pumpkin pattern book from most retail stores. Clean the pumpkin off so that there is no dirt on the orange (or white or blue!) part of the pumpkin. Using a large knife, cut the top of the pumpkin off. You will want to angle the knife so that when you put the top back on, it will not fall through. Use the knife to cut off the guts and stringy inside of the pumpkin that is attached to the top. Once the top has been removed, use the large spoon to scrape out the inside of the pumpkin. Make sure that you clean out all of the stringy, slimy guts so that there will not be a lot of extra moisture inside of the pumpkin. Place your template against the pumpkin where you plan to carve the design. Use the tools to puncture the design into the pumpkin. This will help make carving easier as it can be dificult to cut the pumpkin through the template. Carve the design in the designated areas. Once your carving is finished, place a candle in the inside and admire your handicraft work.
previously posted on Examiner.com