ROUNDUP
The best websites for pumpkin carving patterns
The best place for a pumpkin pattern depends on what you want to carve. Big free libraries cover classic faces and Halloween scenes. Paid libraries have the detailed showpieces. And if you want your own dog, cat or kid on the pumpkin, you need a pattern made from a photo.
We run one of the sites below, so we kept to what each site says about itself, checked on October 5, 2026. Counts and prices change from year to year.
At a glance
| Site | Cost | What you get | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Pumpkin Lady | Free | About 1,000 original patterns in 16 categories, with written and video tutorials | Classic jack-o'-lanterns at every level |
| HGTV | Free | A gallery of more than 100 beginner-friendly stencils | First-time carvers |
| Monday Mandala | Free | 100 stencils as PDFs that fit Letter and A4 | Kids and simple faces |
| Homemade Gifts Made Easy | Free | 75 stencils labeled from easy to advanced | Families who want clear difficulty labels |
| CarveKin free stencils | Free | 107 stencils: faces, dog breeds, cats, Halloween designs and animals, each checked so pieces stay attached, as Letter and A4 PDFs | Dog and cat breeds, and a print size you can trust |
| Fantasy Pumpkins | Free | 50+ shading patterns from very easy to extremely hard, each with a picture of the finished carving | Shaded carving and fantasy themes |
| Pumpkin Pile | Free | Hundreds of patterns: cartoons, sports, games, vehicles and words | Pop-culture and hobby designs |
| Disney Parks Blog | Free | A small official set of Disney character stencils, rated beginner to expert | Disney fans |
| StoneyKins | Free and paid | Free patterns plus a large paid store, sold in $5, $10 and $25 credit packs, novice to extreme | Detailed and shaded showpieces |
| Zombie Pumpkins | Paid | One-time memberships from $5 for 25 patterns to $20 for the full library | Horror and movie monsters |
| Pumpkin Glow | Varies | 300+ patterns for non-Halloween themes: faith, patriotic, sports and more | Church, school and fall events |
Free pattern libraries
The Pumpkin Lady
Running since 1998, with about 1,000 original free patterns in 16 categories and both written and video carving tutorials. The site says its designs are adjusted so they hold together. If you only visit one free site for classic jack-o'-lanterns, make it this one.
HGTV
A long gallery of more than 100 easy stencils, from simple faces to cats and bats. A good place to start if you have never carved before.
Monday Mandala and Homemade Gifts Made Easy
Monday Mandala has 100 free stencils as PDFs that fit Letter and A4. Homemade Gifts Made Easy has 75, each labeled from easy to advanced, which helps when you are matching designs to kids of different ages.
CarveKin free stencils
Our own library of 107 free stencils, with dozens of dog and cat breeds alongside faces and Halloween designs. Every one went through the same checks as a paid CarveKin pattern, so every piece stays attached at the printed size, and each comes as a Letter and an A4 PDF with a scale bar. You can also download the whole set as one PDF. Browse the free stencils.
Fantasy Pumpkins
More than 50 free shading patterns, from very easy to extremely hard. Gray areas are shaved rather than cut, and each pattern shows the finished carving. Best for carvers ready to try shading.
Pumpkin Pile
Hundreds of free patterns for cartoons, sports teams, video games, vehicles and words. Good for the person who wants a logo-style design instead of a face.
Disney Parks Blog
A small official set of Disney character stencils, rated from beginner to expert, with a guide to carving at different depths.
Paid pattern libraries
StoneyKins
Free patterns plus a large paid store with designs from novice to extreme, many with shading. Credits come in $5, $10 and $25 packs. StoneyKins also takes custom orders and has a big carving community.
Zombie Pumpkins
One-time memberships rather than subscriptions, from $5 for 25 patterns to $20 for the whole library plus extra designs, valid for 9 months. Strong on horror and movie monsters.
Pumpkin Glow
More than 300 patterns for occasions other than Halloween, including faith, patriotic and sports designs, plus custom work. Useful for church festivals and school fall events.
Patterns from your own photo
None of the libraries above can give you your own dog. For that you have four routes:
- An artist on Etsy or a similar marketplace draws one by hand. Expect to pay more and wait days, but you get human judgment and options like names or shading.
- A free photo converter turns the photo black and white in your browser. Fast and private, best with high-contrast photos. Some fix floating pieces for you and some don't.
- An AI pattern service such as CarveKin ($4.99 a pattern) or PumpkinStencils.com ($9.99 for five credits) draws a new design from the photo and says it checks that it will hold together.
- DIY in a photo editor, if you enjoy that kind of thing.
Our comparison of photo to pumpkin stencil makers lists what each tool checks, and every kind of stencil compared covers artists and DIY in more depth.
How to spot a good pattern on any site
- Nothing floats. Every part that stays as pumpkin should connect to the outside without crossing a cut.
- No strip is too thin at the size you will print. About 1/4 inch (6 mm) is a sensible minimum.
- It fits your pumpkin with at least an inch of space around it, without shrinking it much.
- The difficulty matches the carver. Kids do best with a few big shapes.
- Character designs are for personal use. Carve them at home; don't sell them.
Our guide to bridges and floating pieces shows a five-minute check you can do on any printout.
Questions
What are the best websites for pumpkin carving patterns?
For free patterns, The Pumpkin Lady has the largest original library, HGTV and Monday Mandala are good for beginners, and Fantasy Pumpkins is good for shading. For paid showpiece patterns, StoneyKins and Zombie Pumpkins. For a pattern of your own pet or family member, a photo service such as CarveKin.
Where can I get free printable pumpkin stencils?
The Pumpkin Lady, HGTV, Monday Mandala, Homemade Gifts Made Easy, Fantasy Pumpkins and Pumpkin Pile all offer free printable patterns. CarveKin has free stencils of dog and cat breeds, faces and Halloween designs, each checked so pieces stay attached.
Are free pumpkin stencils safe to carve as they are?
Many are, but not all were checked. Before you cut, look for pieces surrounded by cuts that would fall out, and strips of pumpkin thinner than about 1/4 inch at your print size.
Can I get a pumpkin carving pattern of my own dog or cat?
Yes. You can commission an artist, make one yourself in photo software, try a free photo converter, or use a service such as CarveKin, which makes a checked pattern from your photo for $4.99.