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Pumpkin Carving in Oxford Westgate

By October 31, 2026November 5th, 2026No Comments
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With half term in full swing and Halloween upon us we headed to Westgate Shopping Centre to do some pumpkin carving in Oxford. Umpf PR invited us to create a showstopping pumpkin carving display. We carved some of the pumpkins in our studio in West Yorkshire. The theme was fairytales, so Jamie got to work carving some characters into pumpkins. The large 3D pumpkins take at least 1 day to carve as they are so intricate and detailed. Pumpkin carving is a reductive form of sculpture, so once you’ve carved it off, you can’t put it back. Precision, concentration and accuracy are all key skills for this type of pumpkin carving. Alongside the 3D carvings we made some simple stencil carvings and Westgate Oxford logo and the Oxford skyline. 

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Jamie then packed all the pumpkins in the van and headed from West Yorkshire down to Oxford to put the pumpkins out on display and start two days a live pumpkin carving in Oxford. On day one Jamie carved the Cheshire Cat and a vampire. Day two he carved a troll complete with some little billy goats crossing a bridge. The people of Oxford were very welcoming and kind to Jamie and praised his pumpkin carving skills. At the end of the two days, Jamie said his goodbyes and headed back up north. 

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Live pumpkin carving is a great demonstration event for the public to interact with. We also offer full pumpkin trails and workshops for people to have a go themselves. Get in touch if you would like to see us at your event next year! 

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How do we select the perfect pumpkins?

Pick the Perfect Canvas

Not all pumpkins are created equal! When you are at the patch, keep these tips in mind:

  • The Stalk Test: Look for a green, sturdy stem. A mushy or missing stem means the pumpkin is already past its prime and won’t last long once carved.
  • The Flat Bottom: Give your pumpkin a gentle tap. You want a solid sound, and more importantly, you want it to sit flat without rolling around while you work.
  • Size & Shape: Smooth, tall pumpkins are usually easier to carve than wide, bumpy ones because you have a nice,flat canvas for your design. But if you are carving 3D style pumpkins look for shapes a bumps that can be the start of your design. Can you see a bulge that could be a nose for example.

Carve with confidence

Draw onto the pumpkin with a biro your design. Once you are happy carefully start to carve away. Craft knives, clay ribbon tools, lino cutting tools and paring knives are all perfect tools.

Pumpkin carving in action!

Here are a couple of Timelapse videos of Jamie creating some of the pumpkins he made for Oxford. Now let’s see what you can carve too, we would love to see your creations.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0PH58x7v40

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oN_RmdaYSA

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"We were really excited to work with Sand In Your Eye on this important project. The attention to detail and the tutorial videos we received to help our children put together the paper bees were just fabulous. The engagement in the project from all year groups was lovely to see. The team at Sand In Your Eye are creative, innovative and have a can-do attitude; no project is too big!"

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