50 Free Printable Pumpkin Stencils for Your Best Jack-o'-Lantern Ever
Create a spooky or cute masterpiece this Halloween with these free carving patterns.
For the less artfully inclined, pumpkin stencils are a godsend during the fall and Halloween pumpkin carving season. Instead of free-handing your pumpkin design and feeling less than impressed by the final result, print one of our many free stencils, and tape it to your pumpkin or gourd. Then depending on your preferred look, carve the outline of your design, making use of negative space, or carve the shape itself to illuminate the figure. Or if you’re simply looking for pumpkin carving ideas, these stencils are a great place to start.
Our collection of pumpkin carving stencils ranges in difficulty from simple, spooky grins, perfect for young kids, to intricate designs that incorporate multiple pumpkins and perhaps even a few accessories. Whatever your skill level, you're sure to find inspiration on our list of 50 unique pumpkin stencils to choose from.
While all of the designs work for Halloween decor, many can also be used for Thanksgiving decorations and DIY displays throughout the fall. The falling leaf design, for instance, would look great next to a cornucopia on Thanksgiving Day. And the tree stencil would be perfect for September’s changing season.
For other easy Halloween crafts and projects, check out our guides:
Best No-Carve Pumpkin Decorating Ideas | Best Outdoor Halloween Decorations | DIY Halloween Door Decorations
Batty Pumpkin
This easy-to-recreate batty pumpkin is perfect for first time stencil users, as it's not very complicated or intricate. Just be careful with the small circles around the eyes.
Get the Batty stencil.
Preying On You
Stencils can be used for carving or painting — whatever your preference is. While a praying mantis isn't a stereotypical Halloween symbol, the fact that they've been known to eat their mates is enough to have us running.
Get the Preying On You stencil.
Caught in a Web Pumpkin
We're loving this spider web stencil that can be embellished with doily lining and a plastic spider for an impressive, intricate design.
Get the Caught in a Web stencil.
Candy Sign Pumpkin
Show trick-or-treaters where the goodies are (aka candy) with this spooky sign — perfect for the front porch.
Get the Candy Sign stencil.
Dead Man's Pumpkin
Get the neighborhood talking with this skull and cross bones stencil. If you accompany it with other scary decor, you may earn yourself the badge of 'haunted house.'
Get the Dead Man's stencil.
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The Cat's Meow Pumpkin
Let it be known you are team cat over team dog with this cute cat stencil. If you want to make it spooky, paint the cat black for daytime scares.
Get the Cat's Meow stencil.
Spidey Senses Pumpkin
Besides heights, small spaces, and needles, the fear of spiders, otherwise known as arachnophobia, is one of the most common frights. Use that to your advantage this spooky season with this spider stencil.
Get the Spidey Senses stencil.
Jigsaw Pumpkin
Not a fan of scary pumpkins? Opt for this creative jigsaw puzzle. Paint the pieces fun colors to make them stand out!
Get the Jigsaw stencil at Country Living.
Mickey Pumpkin
Talk about cute! This Mickey Mouse stencil with mini pumpkin ears is the ultimate showstopper.
Get the Mickey Mouse Pumpkin stencil and tutorial at Studio DIY.
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Soaring Eagle Pumpkin
Give this fearsome bird a snack with a secondary pumpkin in the shape of a rabbit for a frightful duo.
Get the Soaring Eagle stencil.
Star Pumpkin
You can never go wrong with a classic star pumpkin! Up the difficulty level by scraping star outlines of continually greater depth.
Get the Star stencil.
Up In Flames Pumpkin
Carve a flame into a pumpkin for a subtle look or stack several pumpkins on top of one another for a full-fledged fire.
Get the Up In Flames stencil at Country Living.
Snake Pumpkin
To execute this skin-crawling design, carve all the way around the pumpkin like a snake gripping its prey.
Get the Snake stencil.
Haunted House Pumpkins
This impressive pumpkin is actually quite easy to recreate. Carve rectangles and squares for windows, and fill in the stencil with black paint for a glowing haunted house.
Get the Haunted House stencils at Country Living.
Creepy Crawler Pumpkin
Line the walkway to your front door with bugs of all kind — beetles, spiders, praying mantis, and more.
Get the Creepy Crawler stencil.
Giddy Up Pumpkin
Instead of carving shapes out of your pumpkin, outline it with small dots using a drill bit. It's a creative, less messy alternative to giant, carved creations.
Get the Giddy Up stencil at Country Living.
Hobgoblin Pumpkin
You can't go wrong with a classic scary pumpkin face! And this grinning prankster is one of our easiest Jacks to tackle — just transfer the pattern, carve out the eyes, and finish with a jagged smile.
Get the Hobgoblin Pumpkin stencil.
Black Magic Pumpkin
Carve the witch's wicked features — a curved hat, scraggly hair, and crooked nose — then work outward for the stars.
Get the Black Magic Pumpkin stencil.
Whoo Is the Wisest? Pumpkin
Whoo goes there? Hopefully, just kids looking for treats at your front door. Choose an oval pumpkin with a wide base, then follow the pattern to carve out feathers, a beak, and eyes. Hollow out the inside of the Os, then carefully remove the background of the owl, removing small pieces one at a time for easier handling.
Get the Whoo Is the Wisest? Pumpkin stencil.
Dirty Duo Cat Pumpkin
What's spookier than one black cat? Two — for twice the trouble!
Get the Dirty Duo stencil.
Annie O’Sullivan (she/her) covers holiday, gift guide, travel, and lifestyle content at Good Housekeeping. She has a degree in magazine journalism from Syracuse University and previously reported for Runner’s World, NBC New York/NY 4 and Woman’s Day. Annie also has experience writing entertainment news and celebrity-focused content.
Kate Franke (she/her) is the editorial assistant at Woman’s Day. She loves all things lifestyle, home, and market related. Kate has a BAJMC in Magazine Media and BA in Writing from Drake University. She is a proud ASME alum whose work has appeared in Food Network Magazine, The Pioneer Woman Magazine, Better Homes & Gardens, Modern Farmhouse Style, Beautiful Kitchens & Baths, and more. Next to writing, Kate’s two favorite things are chai lattes and pumpkin bread!
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