Celebrate the Day of the Dead with our free printable skull pumpkin carving stencil with stone’s throw - by - step instructions .
The skeletons of Halloween are meant to be scary , but the Day of the utter skulls are a Mexican celebration of the lives of those who have departed . Their shapes are created out of edible sugar for children to consume or of ornamental clay and are considered die family line nontextual matter . Merging the two holiday , you do n’t have to limit yourself to carving this moolah skull pumpkin design on an orange gourd .
Why not examine it on a mottled green or pictorial red pumpkin vine ? If you ’re seeking a more authentic facial expression , select a skull - likewhite or gray gourd : Cucurbita maxima‘Lumina ’ and ‘ Jarrahdale ’ are near alternative .

Using our shekels skull pumpkin vine pattern , we ’ll walk you through how to carve it , including point for create the etch flowers and stress . Once you ’ve get the hang our carved pumpkin , try your hand atsugar skull pumpkin paintingfor Día de los Muertos topped with a simulated flower crown .
Get started on your owncarved pumpkinwith a lean of supplies and our how - to instructions .
What You’ll Need
Equipment / Tools
Materials
Instructions
How to Carve a Sugar Skull Pumpkin Pattern
Prep the Pumpkin
Start your refined sugar skull autumn pumpkin carving by strip out the pumpkin from the bottom , not the top . If using a simulated pumpkin vine , skip to step 2 .
Outline the Design
Smooth the printed sugar skullpumpkin stencilagainst the pumpkin ’s exterior , taping it in place as you smooth it down . Jab along all stencil line of credit with a pin instrument , outlining the design with closely spaced pinhole . Carefully detach the traffic pattern , and keep the Thomas Nelson Page ready to hand for reference .
Carve the Sugar Skull Pumpkin Stencil
receive traffic pattern areas within dotted lines , and etch these areas by using a tycoon etching peter or a gouge to chisel away the pumpkin ’s top layer , uncover the light - colour rind underneath .
regain the sugar skull pumpkin template area locate within self-colored lines , and carve these area by using a specialty pumpkin - carving knife or tight fitting , serrated woodcutting tongue to trim back completely through the pumpkin wall .
If desired , you may use apower drillto bore holes in the circular shape pattern areas ; pick out a scrap that best equal the width of the desire hole .
Finish and Display
exhibit your fancy autumn pumpkin carving for all to see . Set the leveled pumpkin rotary where you need to exhibit the lettuce skull autumn pumpkin and rest a battery - operated teatime igniter candle on the lap . commit the carve pumpkin over the candle and enjoy the attractively eery glow . To help oneself yourHalloween decorationlast as long as possible , strain sometips for maintain your carved pumpkins fresh .