9 Jack-o-Lantern Carving Tutorials That YOU Can Do!

Jack-o-lantern carving is an activity that we do only once a year, and therefore, it’s quite okay if we’re not experts.

Unfortunately, this means that some of the most epic Jack-o-lantern carving designs are out of our league–we’re not going to be carving any Jack-o-lantern Death Stars over here, or Jack-o-lantern angler fish (they exist!).

That’s why I’ve sorted through the millions of designs online, and come up with this list of reasonable, do-able, and yet absolutely awesome Jack-o-lantern carving tutorials. You should not have to break your heart trying to carve a gorgeous pumpkin this year!

1. brad and yarn pumpkin. This pumpkin isn’t scary, but it looks great, and all you have to be able to do is hammer a nail! You can create any simple design using this same technique.

2. carrot nose. Do it. It’s hilarious.

3. drill-carved pumpkin. If you can drill a hole, then you can carve a pumpkin.

4. leaf pumpkin. Kids will enjoy tracing their favorite fall leaves onto a pumpkin; carving it is as easy as carving out any other stencil.

5. pumpkin pounding. If you’ve got little ones, don’t even bother with the “helping them carve a pumpkin” nonsense. Just give them a hammer and nails and let them go to town!

6. skull Jack-o-lantern. This one’s even easier to carve than a conventional Jack-o-lantern; just start with a ghost pumpkin.

7. snail Jack-o-lantern. This snail is the perfect Jack-o-lantern to set at the edge of your fall garden.

8. stitched Jack-o-lantern. Grab some yarn, because this method is a great way to add a stitched design to your pumpkin. Make your Jack-o-lantern look REALLY gruesome, or just turn it into a baseball!

9. toothpick teeth. Sticking in toothpicks is way easier than carving intricate teeth, and it looks way scarier, too!

And when all else fails, simply “forget” to carve your pumpkin, and then bake pumpkin bread instead!

[Jack-o-lantern image via Shutterstock]