Hello Kitty Pumpkin Carving: Your Complete Guide to Creating the Cutest Jack-O’-Lantern

Hello Kitty Pumpkin Carving: Your Complete Guide to Creating the Cutest Jack-O’-Lantern

Hello Kitty pumpkin carving is one of those projects that sounds intimidating until you actually try it, and then you wonder why you waited so long.

I’ve carved dozens of pumpkins over the years—some looked like they’d been attacked by a confused raccoon, others turned out surprisingly decent.

But here’s what I’ve learned: Hello Kitty designs are actually way more forgiving than you’d think.

That iconic face is simple enough for beginners but adorable enough that even experienced carvers love tackling it.

Why Hello Kitty Works So Well for Pumpkin Carving

Let me be straight with you.

Not every character translates well to pumpkin carving.

Complex designs with tiny details? Nightmare fuel.

But Hello Kitty’s design is basically pumpkin-carving gold.

Simple, recognizable shapes:

• Round face outline
• Two dots for eyes
• Oval nose
• Six whiskers
• That signature bow

No mouth to worry about (Hello Kitty famously doesn’t have one), which means one less thing to mess up.

The design reads clearly from a distance, which is exactly what you want when it’s sitting on your porch at night.

What You Actually Need (No Fancy Stuff Required)

I’m not going to pretend you need a hundred-dollar carving kit.

You don’t.

The Essentials:

• A decent pumpkin (look for one with a flat side—makes your life so much easier)
• Printer and paper for your stencil
• Scissors to cut out the template
• Tape to hold everything in place
• Something pointy (pushpin, thumbtack, or even a pen works)
• Small serrated knife or pumpkin carving tools
• Spoon or scraper to gut the pumpkin
• Marker to connect the dots

Nice to Have:

• LED tea lights (way safer than candles, trust me)
• Carving gloves if you’re nervous about knives
• Small detail knife for whiskers
• Dry erase marker (easier to fix mistakes)

Finding Your Perfect Hello Kitty Stencil

Here’s where people overthink things.

You’ve got options.

Free printable stencils online are everywhere—literally just search “Hello Kitty pumpkin stencil” and you’ll find dozens.

Some show just her face.
Others include the bow separately.
A few have her whole body.

Pick something that matches your skill level.

First time? Go with the simple face outline.

Done this before? Try one with more detail in the bow or add some decorative elements around her.

I’ve found that medium-sized stencils work best—about 6-8 inches tall for a standard pumpkin.

Too small and the details disappear.
Too large and you run out of pumpkin real estate.

The Step-by-Step Process (That Actually Works)

Step 1: Prep Your Pumpkin

Cut the top off or carve out the bottom (I prefer bottom—the top doesn’t sink in weird when the pumpkin starts to shrink).

Scoop out all the guts.

I mean ALL of them.

The cleaner your interior, the longer your pumpkin lasts and the better your light shines through.

Scrape the wall where you’ll carve until it’s about 1 inch thick—thin enough to cut easily but thick enough it won’t collapse.

Step 2: Attach Your Stencil

Print your Hello Kitty template.

Cut around the outer edge leaving a small border.

Tape it to the flattest side of your pumpkin—really secure it because if this shifts, your whole design shifts.

Step 3: Transfer the Design

Here’s the technique that changed everything for me.

Take your pushpin or thumbtack and poke holes along EVERY line of the design.

Space them about 1/8 inch apart.

Closer holes = clearer design.

Poke straight in, not at an angle.

This takes 15-20 minutes but it’s worth it.

Step 4: Connect the Dots

Remove your paper stencil carefully.

You should see a dotted outline of Hello Kitty.

Use your marker to connect all those dots into solid lines.

This is your actual carving guide.

If you messed up, wipe it off and redraw—no biggie.

Step 5: Start Carving

Begin with the larger areas first—her face outline and bow shape.

Insert your knife at a slight angle pointing toward the center of the pumpkin.

Cut slowly and deliberately along your marked lines.

For those whiskers, use a smaller knife or X-Acto blade—they’re thin and require precision.

Pro move: Don’t try to cut through in one pass. Score the line first, then go deeper. Way more control.

Step 6: Remove the Pieces

Gently push out each carved section from the inside.

If something’s not popping out, you missed a spot—go back and finish the cut.

Don’t force it or you’ll break something you didn’t mean to.

Step 7: Clean Up and Light It

Wipe away any marker residue.

Scrape any rough edges smooth.

Pop in your LED lights and boom—you’ve got yourself an adorable Hello Kitty pumpkin.