and not make it look like a 5 year old did it? i'm hosting a pumpkin carving party. most of the people that are coming think i'm a total dork for doing this, but they're coming anyway.

i want to get people excited about pumpkins! any ideas on how to carve them? websites to check out?

-betsy
(who loves pumpkins *and* being a dork)

just get one of those pattern books and follow the directions. i won a pumpkin carving contest with one of those things. [$40!!]

do you mean they have entire books on pumpkin carving? rad!

they are at stores like walmart and walgreens, near the candy. in the aisle with hallowe'en decorations, id think. they are mostly pattern books, and they come with a couple tools. cost about $10 total, but i think it worth it because you get the COOLEST looking pumpkins.

the tools in those kits are key. they let you carve little niches and make smooth lines. they have some neat patterns too. i like jack-o-lanterns that are elaborately simple.

one of the best ones i've ever seen my friends made. they carved on the front a woman with a knife infront of a shower curtain. and on the back they carved backwards "killer" so when it was placed against as wall the light would say "killer" behind the pysco mother. you could do the same thing with jason, freddy cruger, or any other famous movie killer. you could also do something like "happy halloween" or something. but make sure that it's towards the top so that it shines up. ohhhh, and if you make it all jagged then you won't be able to tell if something makes it look funny.

if you're just looking for the patterns, (not the tools), you can find free ones online. ('free pumpkin patterns' in google would probably do it.)

We have a pumpkin carving contest every year at school for the grad students and profs in our department. Very competative. Finally, last year, they made a rule that no patterns are allowed, and no power tools, because it had essentially become a contest over who could find the coolest pattern, not who could do the best carving.

i think that is just darned near the coolest thing i've heard in a long time! i had one once... about three years ago... and that was how i met my current girlfriend! (you know, "their hands met in the pumpkin goo... and it was love!") but anyway -- the way we always did this when i was a kid was to pull out sheets of newsprint (the stuff you're carving on anyway) and a few magic markers... and draw some faces, or bits of them, and then take the "eyes" you like, with the "mouth" you like... and mix and match! it may not produce the same kind of jack-o-lantern as a kit would, but it's WAY more fun! :)

Hi everyone! this is my first post! this is one subject i know tons about, this is my fave holiday!! the best way to go about having a pumpkin carving party is to pile everyone into one car, go to a pumpkin field that gives hayrides out to the patch, and pick your own. you'll feel a little dorky at first but it is such a blast. then while you are at the little pumpkin stand (the part you pay at) pick up some apple cider and the mix to spice it. everyone go back to your house, let everyone pick out a pattern to carve their pumpkins with and carve away. later on in the evening make the hot apple cider and pour some yukon jack in it (unless you would rather alcohol free). Don't forget to have your camera on hand all day. everyone feels kinda dorky at the pumpkin patch, but once everyone gets into it, you will have many photo ops!! i have found that the best kits are the ones made by pumpkin masters, the tools dont break so easily like some companies, plus you get a ton of patterns! also you can make some copies for next year. here is a site with some directions on the best way to carve adn to preserve your pumpkin:>http://www.pumpkin-carving.com

and this site has patterns you can download:>http://www.pumpkinglow.com/
if you do a basic search on a few engines for pumpkin carving, you should come up with a ton of free patterns all together!!

dont forget to turn the lights down a little to take pictures of your lit jack-o-lanterns!!

I'd hate to say it, but Martha had a cool idea on her Halloween show (in which she wore a witch hat, which is why I was watching, haha). She simply took a large drill bit and drilled columns and columns of circles around the entire pumpkin. It looked really cool, and muy classy.

Anyway, it just got me to thinking that you don't always have to have a face or an animal or whatever, and even the most artistically inept can create a pattern of basic shapes. Plus it'll look a lot more grown up than three triangles for eyes and a nose and a crescent for a mouth. :)

I have used one of those kits and they work really well. Also after you are done carving smear the inside with vaseline, your pumpkin will last longer.

~Erin~