Trading tips for gutting, transferring, and carving the real thing.
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By nosferatu
#72285
My wife has just arrived home with 3 pumpkins. The bright orange one is typical of the pumpkin I usually get from supermarkets etc. I've got about 17 of them already.

I've never really had a big pumpkin before. Usually I have to reduce to about 80% in order for the stencil to fit, however, what do I do with these? Do they take much longer to gut are they harder to carve? What should I watch out for? Any suggestions what to do and what to carve will be greatly appreciated.

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By NikkiRae
#72301
Hmm. The one in the back is the normal size of what I get. It doesn't take me that long to gut, maybe about 30 minutes. But that's with separating all the seeds for my cousin to roast. And of course launching guts across the room at my boyfriend to annoy him :lol: The others, however, I've never worked with. Definitely a different shape from what I'm used to.
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By Raven
#72304
I think I have seen the insides of one of those larger kind. For some reason I keep thinking the walls were thicker so you might need to thin a little more. I might be thinking of a different variety though.

I would totally carve a set all the way around one of those big round ones. Maybe all the Avengers? They are awesome pumpkins, and your wife is awesome for bringing them home!
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By monstermash
#72319
When I saw the title for this thread I thought yes Nos, yes you do. :wink: :P

Are you sure they're kins? They look like strange alien eggs to me. They're fantastic. Ive carved big ones like them but not quite that shape. More like the one at the back. The walls will be thicker, mine always are and it will probably take a bit longer to gut them. I think NikkiRae is about right, 30 mins is what i'd guess.

Get plenty of patterns on em, amke the most of the space. What about the Munster Family or a few of the round edged unique creations together? I'm doing a few duets this year on my larger kins. I'm thinking Sweeney and Lovett for one and The Monster with his bride on another.

Just look after them, they're precious. I'd suggest a kiss, cuddle and a bedtime story everynight.
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By nosferatu
#72326
monstermash wrote:When I saw the title for this thread I thought yes Nos, yes you do. :wink: :P

Just look after them, they're precious. I'd suggest a kiss, cuddle and a bedtime story everynight.
Ha! My wife is a psychologist. Occasionally, I catch her looking at me, writing notes. She says I am a living case study and that I am actually beyond help. All of my personalities agree with her, apart from the one that can't make up his mind, he's not quite sure.

The skin is very coarse on those pumpkins and the table was groaning about the weight of them, as was my back.

I have a Lazy Susan that I want to use, so some sort of wraparound pattern is likely but need some sort of motif to tie it together. I was thinking of trying to shade vines or barbed wire but will most likely not have the time. The tall one at the back is reserved for Frank 'n' Bride. Having seen Ravens a few days ago, I have been itching to do it.

I was just stroking the pumpkins goodnight and my wife walked in. She made a few notes.
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By Hottie McNaughty
#72330
Sometimes the walls are thicker on the big ones but sometimes not. I actually find the bigger ones easier to work with as I have big giant man hands and I'll have the really complicated/detailed patterns for the larger 'kins as you can size the pattern up.

Have fun!
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By shaft28
#72337
I've not seen those particular flavor of pumpkin but the scream at me "thick walls!". If you have the gutter it makes short work of them, if not just a little extra scraping. Some of the thicker walls like the cinderella pumpkin are super moist and scrape away really easy, most are a little tougher. Think those squat ones are perfect for a jack pattern.
By Ajax
#72812
nosferatu wrote:
monstermash wrote:When I saw the title for this thread I thought yes Nos, yes you do. :wink: :P

Just look after them, they're precious. I'd suggest a kiss, cuddle and a bedtime story everynight.
Ha! My wife is a psychologist. Occasionally, I catch her looking at me, writing notes. She says I am a living case study and that I am actually beyond help. All of my personalities agree with her, apart from the one that can't make up his mind, he's not quite sure.

The skin is very coarse on those pumpkins and the table was groaning about the weight of them, as was my back.

I have a Lazy Susan that I want to use, so some sort of wraparound pattern is likely but need some sort of motif to tie it together. I was thinking of trying to shade vines or barbed wire but will most likely not have the time. The tall one at the back is reserved for Frank 'n' Bride. Having seen Ravens a few days ago, I have been itching to do it.

I was just stroking the pumpkins goodnight and my wife walked in. She made a few notes.
Thor and his hammer would be quite nice as well. I also pet my pumpkins :oops:
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By Raven
#72825
nosferatu wrote:
I was just stroking the pumpkins goodnight and my wife walked in. She made a few notes.
Wait, this is not acceptable behavior? In that case we will all be in group therapy with you! :wink:
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By MooBoo
#72856
RavensDestiny wrote:
nosferatu wrote:
I was just stroking the pumpkins goodnight and my wife walked in. She made a few notes.
Wait, this is not acceptable behavior? In that case we will all be in group therapy with you! :wink:
I may have to join you two, i find myself talking to my pumpkins. :lol:
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By SuperSonic
#72987
I always think about them and talk to them if I get the chance! In-fact, I'm about to go to bed and just said to m'self I says: "And so it.....begins. Victory shall soon be mine, provided the rain can just p*ss off."
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By punchi
#73299
MooBoo wrote:
RavensDestiny wrote:
nosferatu wrote:
I was just stroking the pumpkins goodnight and my wife walked in. She made a few notes.
Wait, this is not acceptable behavior? In that case we will all be in group therapy with you! :wink:
I may have to join you two, i find myself talking to my pumpkins. :lol:
Don't forget about bathing them! Mine get wiped down when they come in and assigned their names (patterns)... I also get sad when one rots.