Free Pumpkin Carving Templates

Halloween Party Hats from the Pinwhirls Etsy Shop

Do you have fond memories of carving Halloween pumpkins? Maybe roasting the seeds for a delicious (and healthy) snack? Did you ooh and aah at all the amazing jack-o-lanterns on your trick-or-treating route?

According to the writers at Pumpkin Carving 101, jack-o-lanterns were traditionally carved from gourds or turnips and set on porches or in windows to protect deceased loved ones from evil spirits. Later on, Irish immigrants found America's native pumpkins to be much easier to carve. And, well, the rest is history.

Pumpkin carving is so much fun, and jack-o-lanterns of every shape and size make for some great Halloween party decorations. Whether you're looking for something spooky or fun, there are lots of free templates out there to try. We've round up some links to make those pumpkin carving templates easier to find.

5 Free Pumpkin Carving Template Websites

1. 12 Free Printable Pumpkin Carving Stencils: Reader's Digest has put together some great patterns. The designs look pretty easy to create, so these are good for the kids and pumpkin carving novices.
2. The Pumpkin Lady's Free Pumpkin Carving Patterns: The Pumpkin Lady's free templates change, so you might want to check back frequently for updates. She also offers exclusive patterns and freebie updates to her Facebook and Twitter followers.
3. Free Pumpkin Carving Patterns: Pumpkin Masters has some really nice carving templates too. If you're looking for carving tips, you might want to check out their how-to video.
4. Free Carving Patterns from Spook Master: In addition to some standard templates, you can also return to the site for their daily freebie pumpkin carving pattern.
5. PumpkinGlow.com: This site offers some great UN-Halloween patterns. If you want to do something out of the ordinary, this is the place to go. They have themed templates including Christian patterns, famous people templates, and special occasion patterns.

So what are your favorite ways to decorate for Halloween parties? Do you have a pumpkin carving tradition at your house?

Jack-o-lantern photo by Paul Keleher on Flickr