How to Carve a Tetris Pumpkin
Add some unique Tetris accents to your Halloween decorations.
Halloween is rapidly approaching, bringing with it fall weather and spooky decorations. One of the most popular Halloween decorations is the Jack-o-Lantern. Each year, people head off to their local pumpkin patch and seek out the perfect pumpkin. They then head back home, grab their carving tools, and get to work creating a custom Jack-o-Lantern.
While some may prefer to stick with the traditional Jack-o-Lantern smiley face, others prefer to dabble with more unique designs. There’s no limit to what you can carve on a pumpkin. Even if you’re a far cry from a professional pumpkin carver, there are plenty of designs out there that are perfect for beginners. For example, Tetriminos.
You can probably close your eyes and picture all 7 Tetriminos descending one-by-one through the Tetris matrix. Believe it or not, this is the first step towards carving a Tetris pumpkin! To help you through the rest of the steps, we put together a quick guide on how to carve a Tetris pumpkin.
Preparing Your Pumpkin
Think about the kind of Tetris design you want on your pumpkin, and the amount of space available to you. Do you want to create a full set of 7 Tetriminos, or is a single Tetris pumpkin design more than enough?
By answering these questions, you’ll be better prepared when it comes time to pick out a pumpkin. After taking your pumpkin home, be sure to give it a quick wash in the sink, then set it out on the table to dry. Next step is preparing your carving tools. To carve a pumpkin, you’ll need the following items:
- A carving knife
- A scoop (or a spoon)
- A washable marker
- Candles or LED lights
Additionally, if you want to save time, you can buy a pre-prepared pumpkin carving kit. Note that most carving kits won’t include a marker or candles/LED lights, meaning you’ll need to purchase them separately. With all of your tools prepared and ready to go, it’s time to jump into the carving process!
Carving Your Pumpkin
On the face of the pumpkin, draw the Tetrimino you plan to carve. Make sure to make it big enough to be seen, but not too big that you carve out too much pumpkin. Next, draw a circle around the stem of the pumpkin at the top. You want this circle to be big enough to allow your hand to fit inside and scoop out the pumpkin goop.
Once you’re satisfied with your design, take your carving knife and carefully begin cutting the hole at the top of the pumpkin. With your pumpkin lid cut free, trim the goop on the bottom end and set it to the side. You’ll need to put the lid back on when it comes time to illuminate your pumpkin. Using your scoop, proceed to clean out the inside of the pumpkin.
You can do one of two things here: you can throw everything away, or you can set the goop on a pan and pick out the pumpkin seeds. Pumpkin seeds can be baked into a delicious snack, so if you’re feeling up to it, be sure to salvage them. With your pumpkin clean and pristine, you can now begin to carve your Tetris design.
First, tilt your pumpkin back, then gently insert your carving knife. Cut through the design using a delicate back and forth motion. If you have trouble popping out your design, you can gently run your knife through the design again. Try not to push your design out with your hands. Now that your design is complete, you’re ready for the final step… showing your pumpkin off to the world!
Displaying Your Pumpkin
The LED tea lights are definitely the safer option when it comes to illuminating your pumpkin, but you can use whichever you prefer. Grab your light, switch it on, then gently place it at the bottom of your pumpkin. Next, replace your pumpkin lid and find the optimal place to display your pumpkin.
Do you typically get trick-or-treaters where you live? Do you plan to pass out candy? Set up your Tetris pumpkin on your front porch to signify you’re participating in the Halloween celebrations. If you carved more than one pumpkin, be sure to find a spot where all of them can be displayed together!
Simply want to be festive but don’t plan on passing out candy? You can display the pumpkin around your home. For example, some homes have large picture windows in the front. Set your pumpkin up there so that passersby can admire it. No matter where you decide to display your Tetris pumpkin, you can be sure other fans will admire your creativity. Plus, it’s a fun craft to help get you in the Halloween spirit.
Want to prepare your mind prior to carving a pumpkin? Click here to play Tetris for free on our website!
