Pumpkin Carving [Paperback]

Edward Palmer (Author)

Book Description

This craft book contains full-size patterns for carving pumpkins and turnips into lanterns, each one graded for difficulty. Step-by-step instructions are provided, along with the key rules for successful carving and handling candles.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Whether your preferences in pumpkins tend toward the spooky or the goofy, you'll find something wonderful to carve here. The book's full-size patterns are imaginative and easy to follow. Besides cats, bats, witches, ghouls, and assorted creatures, there's a gypsy, "Happy Halloween" and "Trick or Treat" designs, and lots of crazy faces. So be prepared for extra trick-or-treaters--with these great pumpkins, your house will attract a lot of admirers. --Amy Handy

Review

Turn plain pumpkins into fine decorations through this selection of over thirty patterns for original pumpkin designs. From spooky to smiling pumpkin faces, this juxtaposes color photos of completed carved pumpkins alight with the patterns which may be used for producing them. -- Midwest Book Review

Product Details

• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Sterling Pub Co Inc (September 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0806913886
• ISBN-13: 978-0806913889
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,605,979 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Halloween fun, October 19, 2002

By 

magellan (Santa Clara, CA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Pumpkin Carving (Paperback)

Palmer is a high school art teacher and he uses that experience to teach people how to carve some spectacular pumpkins in this book. Each of the pumpkin designs has a template you can cut out to use for the actual pumpkin carving, which makes it very easy to do, since you don't need a lot of artistic or pumpkin-carving talent to make it work. He also includes technical details on the procedures, such as the necessity of occasionally using a drill to get the smaller, more precise holes and cut- outs.

There are several dozen designs, many of them the traditional scary or smiling pumpkin faces, but others include a nicely done Thanksgiving turkey and, oddly enough, a fish. While I will probably never try any of these designs out myself, this looks like a good book to learn from if you want to get adventurous yourself, or if you've just always had the urge to go at a pumpkin with a rotary drill and a carving knife.

4.0 out of 5 stars Patterns with personality, March 24, 2008

By 

L. D. Chown (Tujunga, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Pumpkin Carving (Paperback)

I was tired of the same old patterns circulating our friends' annual pumpkin-carving party. This book has over 30 pumpkin patterns (and finished photos). It also has 5 cantaloupe and watermelon patterns. The faces on the pumpkins have a lot of personality. This book has general instructions and tips for the beginner, and the patterns are for the beginner to the novice.

4.0 out of 5 stars Great ideas, great technique info, November 21, 2003

By 

Paulita Burns (St. Louis, MO USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Pumpkin Carving (Paperback)

I really enjoyed this book, particularly for the ideas. There are so many different "personalities" of pumpkin faces represented, in addition to some abstract ones. I "freelance" my pumpkins and it was really helpful to see the specific cuts to create a particular effect. The patterns/templates coupled with the full-color images (with candles glowing inside) really helped me understand how to use relief more effectively to create the look I want.
Also includes patterns for 5 different melon bowls for special occasions.
My favorite is "Masque" which is simple, abstract, with flame like openings.
Also of note: Skull & Crossbones, Frankenstein, Crescent Moon, Gypsy, Batty Wings, Lion, Wildcat, and Wolf Man.
Highly recommended!