How stencils make an easier job of last-minute pumpkin carving

SALT LAKE CITY — It's not too late to create a pumpkin carving that will wow trick-or-treaters at the doorstep this weekend.

For those of us with a lack of inspiration, stencils can do the trick in this yearly tradition with roots in Ireland and Scotland according to the Carnegie Museum of Natural History.

Instead of gutting the pumpkin and then stretching your imagination, a stencil involves drawing an outline on the pumpkin surface and then, carefully, cutting.

A note for parents, children can draw the stencil outlines, but parenting website happity recommends that adults do all of the cutting.

Tools for stenciling, and general guidelines

Stenciling kits are sold at hobby shops and online. But the tools may already be in kitchen drawers or on the workbench. Look around the home for:

• Washable markers
• Push pins (to map the design onto the pumpkin)
• Rasping jab saw
• Serrated paring knives
• X-Acto knife

Prepare the pumpkin by washing off dirt and getting rid of the guts. Find the flattest part of the pumpkin for the design surface. Place the stencil on the pumpkin, and trace the stencil outlines using push pins. Then carefully begin cutting.

Where to find Halloween stencils

An online search will present many options for stencils that can be printed directly from a website. Other options include:

• The National Park Service
• The U.S. Forest Service
• NASA
• The Environmental Protection Agency
• NOAA