Selecting a good pumpkin is an important part of the process. The carving will last only as long as the pumpkin you pick, it will need to be in good shape, unbruised with no soft spots.
- Small pumpkins about the size of a cantaloupe, sometimes called pie pumpkins, are very hard and cannot be surface carved.
- Be sure your pumpkin is large enough for your pattern design. Don’t forget you can put 2 Surface Carvings on the same pumpkin.
- Choose a smooth, light-orange softer pumpkin. These are easier to carve and will last just as long as the darker-orange pumpkins when you Surface Carve them.
- Pay close attention to the stem; mold may indicate a bad pumpkin. On fresh pumpkins the stem's cut end will need to be dry before you can surface carve.
- Make sure the pumpkin sits up straight; it will look better and be easier to display.