HomeHome & Garden Decor31 Mini Pumpkin Stencils For Carving

31 Mini Pumpkin Stencils For Carving

We’ve hand selected 31 mini pumpkin stencils that you can use for carving tiny pumpkins.

Using a stencil is a great way to get a perfect design carved on your tiny Halloween pumpkin.

And it really can be tricky getting a professional look drawing it freehand.

multiple small pumpkin carving stencils in circle in front of 3 mini pumpkins, 2 pumpkins are carved.
3 very small pumpkins next to one large sized pumpkin

Most mini pumpkins range in sizes of 3-5” tall. For reference, the biggest pumpkin in the photo is 10” and the tallest of the mini’s is just under 5”.

Some stencils are made to be reusable and these tend to be thicker and more resistant to bending.

When it comes to using this type, it will be easier if you tape down only the edge of the stencil that you are working on.

To do this, just start drawing from one edge, then remove some of the tape, and add some more to the next section and trace that section. 

fingers bending small stencil for mini pumpkin

This will allow the stencil material to bend more easily around the curves of the pumpkin. You can see how I did this in my carved mini pumpkin tutorial.

FAQ About Carving Mini Pumpkins

What can I use to draw pumpkin stencils?

Use a ballpoint pen, to trace the outline on the pumpkin instead of a marker. A marker will tend to pick up moisture from the pumpkin and dry out.

Can you really carve mini pumpkins?

With the help of sharp tools, and a little patience, you can carve mini pumpkins.

Wear a work glove to protect your hand, because unlike a regular sized pumpkin, there’s not much mass there to protect your hand from the blade. 

With a very simple template design, carving a small pumpkin is very doable! But if your design has any narrow lines, keep in mind that making full cuts through a tiny pumpkin can be difficult.

Narrow lines allow little room for error and one small slip can have you cutting off a crucial piece of your design. The solution? Etch carving!

small pumpkin on table with image of cat etched on it, pumpkin is lit inside

What is etch carving a pumpkin?

Etch carving a pumpkin allows you to use more intricate stencil design patterns, especially if you want to carve a mini pumpkin.

You can get much more creative with your designs by carving the surface, rather than cutting through. 

If you are going to etch-carve your pumpkin, then you don’t need a pumpkin carving set.

I recommend using a linoleum carving set or wood carving tools instead, which I have listed in the materials below.

Here’s a photo from a tutorial of the cat mini pumpkin I carved by etching, lino cutting-style.

Click here for tips on how to carve a mini pumpkin. And here are tips for how to shop for your pumpkin mini stencil.

If you have a regular sized pumpkin, here are 67 free patterns for carving a cat design. And here’s a tutorial for carving a cat Jack O’ Lantern.

Some of the links on this page have been provided as a convenience for finding materials. These links may also be affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.

I only recommend products I’ve used and loved, unless otherwise stated. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

Typical Tools For Mini Pumpkin Stencils Carving

For other pumpkin related decor, check out the shimmery concrete pumpkins and cement Jack O’ Lantern.

Here’s our Halloween carving picks for 31 mini pumpkin stencils. These pumpkin designs range from silly to spooky, from famous –to bizarre.

They’ll be a ton of fun to carve and look great as a table centerpiece or on your front porch this Halloween.

Mini Pumpkin Stencils For Halloween Carving

Mini Pumpkin Stencils For Halloween Carving

Stencils With Traditional Jack O'Lantern Faces

Creative Pumpkin Carving Ideas With Movie Characters

Carving Patterns That Have A Witch Theme

Pumpkins With A Pumpkin As The Design

Stencils That Are Meant To Scare You

Cat Stencil Ideas

Patterns With Bats

Nature Stencils For Pumpkins

Free Pumpkin Carving Stencils

Please note, the free pumpkin templates linked here are in a downloadable PDF format. They are sized for regular sized pumpkins, so you’ll need to resize them accordingly, using your own software.

Tips For Carving A Mini Pumpkin

  • If you use a candle inside, you should cut the top of the pumpkin when you remove the pulp. This way the candle can breathe and won’textinguish itself.
  • If you want to use battery powered lights or plug-in lights, cut the bottom of the pumpkin for a cleaner look, and especially to hide the cord.
  • If you opt for a paper printable type of pumpkin pattern instead of an actual mylar stencil, then you won’t use a marker to draw your lines. Instead, use straight pins, a push pin or an awl to prick polka dots through the paper to create the outline of the pattern.
  • Hang on to the pumpkin seeds after removing the pulp from the inside of the pumpkin. The seeds from minis can also be  cooked up for pumpkin seed snacks.
  • To keep a carved pumpkin from drying out and getting that puckered look, use oil, like baby oil or vegetable oil and lubricate all the cut areas. This will make the pumpkin look better, longer.
  • You aren’t necessarily looking for the best pumpkin in the pumpkin patch, but you do want one that doesn’t have soft spots because it’s a sign of rotting.

Tips when shopping for a Mini pumpkin stencil

Unfortunately you won’t find many stencils specifically made for carving mini pumpkins.

But the good news is that stencils for decorating cookies, cappuccinos and for face painting are sized similarly for mini pumpkins.

And the best part is that these types of stencils are reusable!

  • Some pumpkin carving patterns are intricate so choose a pattern that matches your skill level. If you are new to pumpkin carving, you may want to select one with a simple design. 
  • Be sure to know the size of your mini pumpkin before choosing the stencil.
  • Check the date the seller lists as the arrival for your stencil. If it’s getting close to Halloween, make sure that date gives you enough time to carve your pumpkin.
  • Double check the listed sizes. Most sellers list the sizes for the actual full stencil sheet, not the actual image. The sizes listed below are my approximation of the actual image and not the stencil sheet.
  • Some stencil materials are more flexible than others. The ones that are more durable, tend to be less flexible. For these stencils, you may need to bend the stencil as you draw, rather than taping it to the pumpkin and drawing it all at once.
  • Not all sellers are located in the US. So if you are in the US, check the shipping prices and compare with the overall price once you put the item in your basket.
  • Be wary of sellers with 4 star reviews or less. Each seller listed at the time of writing, has 5 star reviews.

And for all round inspiration for fall crafts and decor, check this article out.

Don’t forget to Pin it for later!

Mini Pumpkin Stencil For Carving

Don’t forget to Pin it for later!

Mini Pumpkin Stencil For Carving

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