October is here, and if you ask us, nobody is ever too old to get in the spooky spirit. If you’re handy with a carving knife, the options are endless when it comes to decorating the porch on Halloween night– but who says jack-o-lanterns always have to be scary? To help you celebrate both the season and our community, we’ve compiled these printable Pacific Northwest-inspired templates. Better yet, you don’t have to be an expert artist to use them. Just print, trace, carve, and maybe sneak a piece of Halloween candy when you’re finished.
To use these stencils, you’re going to need the following supplies: A scissors (or an X-Acto Knife), pins, pens, and pumpkin carving tools. A knife will do just fine for carving, but for added precision and safety, we suggest investing in a pumpkin carving kit from the store.
Here’s what to do next:
- Save and print your template, making sure that the print preview is sized to fit a whole sheet of standard printer paper
- Using a scissors or an X-Acto knife, cut out the black areas
- Use sewing or safety pins to securely fasten the template to your pumpkin
- Trace the borders of your design
- Get carving!
On to the templates…
PNW Pride
This clever design by Etsy user PortTownsendJenny is the perfect way to pay tribute to the Pacific Northwest. You can also purchase it in sticker form from her Etsy store, found at etsy.com/shop/PortTownsendJenny.
Bellingham Flag
For an even more specific (and slightly spooky) way to display your hometown pride, use this template to adorn your pumpkin with Bellingham’s very own flag. This community emblem was designed by Bradley James Lockhart of LARIAT Creative, and you can read our feature about him here.
Cheer On the Vikings
If T-shirts and bumper stickers are too obvious, pumpkins provide an unusual alternative for students and alumni of Western Washington University to display their school spirit. These templates are sourced from Western Washington University’s website, and even more are available here.
Animal Art
Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle created some pretty adorable animal-themed templates for Halloween of 2020, and in case you missed them last year, we’re here to share them with you again. Animal-inspired pumpkins never go out of style, and these designs are especially noteworthy considering they were designed by a Washington zoo with a focus on wildlife conservation.
Sasquatch Sighting
Why choose a ghost or a goblin when you could carve a homage to the Pacific Northwest’s very own monster instead? This design is sure to strike up a conversation among Bigfoot believers and skeptics alike.
Nature-Inspired
One of the most magical things about our community is the access we have to the great outdoors. If you want to show a little appreciation for the nature that makes our North Sound community special, these are the stencils for you.
If you make any of these pumpkins this Halloween, make sure to tag us at @bellinghamalive on Instagram or send in a photo to editor@bellinghamalive.com. Happy carving, everyone!
