Fresh Pumpkin Lantern Designs for Fall: Free No-Carve Ideas!

Instructions

STEP 1: GET MY FREE 3D PUMPKIN LANTERN DESIGNS

First, download my 3D Pumpkin Lantern designs from my free library -- look for Design #534. Alternatively, you can use the Save This Project form near the top of this post and the design link will be emailed to you.

There are five designs in the main SVG folder: a leaves filigree design, a flowers filigree design, a “Boo!” design, a “Give Thanks” design, and a blank design that you can customize with your own design, word, or phrase. I will show you how to make the leaves design and how to customize the blank design with the word “Boo!” in Cricut Design Space. The "Files for Cricut Joy" folder has smaller SVGs with a few simplifications to cut on the smaller machine.

Upload the files you need to Design Space to get started.

TIP: If you’re not sure how to upload, go to jennifermaker.com/svgs to learn how to unzip and upload SVG files.

STEP 2: PREPARE YOUR DESIGN

CRICUT DESIGN SPACE

1. Open Cricut Design Space and click “New Project.”

2. Click “Upload” and then “Upload Image.”

3. Click “Browse.”

4. Select the SVG file.

5. On the Prepare to Upload screen, it will say “Cut image” with the design preview.

6. Click “Upload.”

7. Find your design in Recent Uploads and add it to the Canvas.

8. Click the minus (-) sign to zoom out and see the entire design (25% works well).

9. Make sure the correct machine is selected in the top right.

10. Click “Make It.”

11. If prompted, click "On Mat," choose your mat size, and click “Confirm.”

12. On the Prepare Screen, you should have seven mats.

TIP: You can rearrange your orange and green pieces to fit on two 12” x 12” orange mats and two 12” x 12” green mats to save time and materials. If you're using 8.5" x 11" paper, don't forget to change the Material Size for those mats.

13. Select the first mat again and click “Continue.”

VARIATION: CUSTOMIZE YOUR PANELS WITH A WORD OR PHRASE

NOTE: In order to customize our lantern in Design Space, we need to use a file with score lines for the folded parts. I’ve included red score lines in the blank SVG file and will show you how to convert and attach them to your finished design below.

1. Follow steps 1-8 above to upload the blank SVG file to Design Space and add it to your Canvas.

2. Click the Ungroup icon.

3. Click the "Text" icon to create a text box.

4. Type the word you want to use. I'm going to type "BOO!"

TIP: If you can't see the word well, click on a blank area of the Canvas to exit the editing mode, and then click and drag the text box to a clear area.

5. Single-click the text box to select it, if it isn't still selected.

6. Click the Font Menu dropdown arrow to select a font.

7. Click "System" to view your installed fonts. You can type the font name or scroll through the options. I’ll use a font I designed called JM Groovy, so I’ll search for that.

TIP: If you need help installing fonts for use in Cricut Design Space, check out this blog post to guide you through the steps.

8. To stack the letters vertically, single-click on the text to select it. Then click the "Advanced" icon and select "Ungroup to Letters."

TIP: If you chose a font with thin letters, you may need to thicken some or all of them so they will cut well. You can use the Offset tool. Just select the letter you’d like to thicken, click “Offset,” adjust the settings until you’re happy with the added thickness, and then click “Apply.” Use the new Offset letter in your design and delete the original.

9. We can now manually move each of the letters into place. First select the "B” and drag it within the blank frame of the top center orange panel. We’ll use this panel for our customization because it’s already oriented with the top facing up on our Canvas.

10. Position the “B” so its top is just barely overlapping the top of the frame. Zoom in if needed.

11. Now move one of the “O” text boxes into the same panel’s frame. Make sure it is slightly overlapping the “B.”

12. Move the other “O” and the exclamation point so they are stacked and offset from each other, just like the “B” and first “O.”

IMPORTANT: When positioning your letters, make sure each one is touching another letter or the inside frame of the orange panel. It's important that the top letter slightly overlaps the top of the frame, and the bottom letter slightly overlaps the bottom of the frame, or this technique won't work right.

13. If you need to resize your letters, hold Shift and select all of them on your Canvas. Click and drag a corner handle on the bounding box inward or outward until the word is sized to fit within the frame of the panel.

14. If you are using a different word, you may have other letters to adjust. Repeat steps 9-13 as necessary.

15. You can also add some optional design elements to your panel to customize it. I’ve included a spiderweb, leaves, and a filigree design in the file. Choose the designs you’d like to use and delete or hide the rest.

16. To add 2 spiderwebs like me, Duplicate the layer.

17. Move a spiderweb into each corner, so each slightly overlaps the frame or a letter on at least one side. Resize and rotate any elements as needed.

18. Ungroup the orange base panel layer and its score layer.

19. Click a blank space on your Canvas to deselect everything.

20. Hold Shift and select all of the letters in your word, all of your design elements, and the orange base panel layer.

21. Click "Combine" and choose "Weld."

22. Select the layer with faint lines and no fill color in the Layers Panel.

23. Click the dropdown arrow under “Operation” and select “Score.” The lines will change from solid to dashed to show that the machine will score them.

24. Select both the panel and score layers and then click “Attach.”

25. If you’d like all six of your pumpkin panels to look the same, you can select your completed panel and then click the Duplicate icon five times.

NOTE: Be sure to delete the blank panels, so you only cut a total of six decorative panels.

26. If you’d like each of your panels to have a different word or design, follow steps 3-26 above to prepare your other five panels.

27. When you’re finished, your panels should look similar to mine.

28. Make sure the correct machine is selected in the top right.

29. Click “Make It.”

30. If prompted, click "On Mat," choose your mat size, and click “Confirm.”

31. On the Prepare Screen, you should have seven mats.

TIP: You can rearrange your orange and green pieces to fit on two 12” x 12” orange mats and two 12” x 12” green mats to save time and materials. If you're using 8.5" x 11" paper, don't forget to change the Material Size for those mats.

32. Select the first mat again and click “Continue.”

CUTTING

1. On the Make Screen, click “Browse All Materials.”

2. Search for and select the setting needed for your gray diffuser pieces. For copy paper, select the “Copy Paper – 20 lb (75 gsm)” setting. For vellum, select the “Vellum” setting. For parchment paper, select the “Parchment Paper” setting.

NOTE: Skip this step if you don’t want to use diffuser pieces in your pumpkin.

3. Change the Pressure to “More” for a cleaner cut.

4. Place your paper face up on a green StandardGrip machine mat and use a brayer to make sure it’s fully adhered.

5. Check that your Fine-Point Blade is clean and in the clamp.

6. Press the flashing “Load/Unload” button to load the prepared mat into your Cricut.

7. Press the flashing “Go” button to begin cutting.

8. When it has finished cutting, unload the mat, flip it over onto your work surface, and roll it back to release the paper.

9. Here are what my six diffuser panels look like.

10. For your cardstock pieces, search for and select the “Heavy Cardstock – 100 lb (270 gsm)” setting if you’re using 100 lb. cardstock like me. Be sure to choose the correct setting for your weight of cardstock.

11. Change the Pressure to “More” for a cleaner cut.

12. Follow steps 4-8 to cut and remove your remaining pieces.

TIP: Use a spatula to carefully remove any intricate parts and a weeding tool to pop out any small pieces. If you have trouble with any of your cuts, check out my Cricut Tips & Tricks for Cleaner Cuts.

13. You will end up with three green vertical frames, two orange horizontal hexagonal bases, and six orange decorative panels.

STEP 3: ASSEMBLE YOUR 3D PUMPKIN LANTERN

1. Grab the two green vertical frame pieces without the leaf and vine. Slot one of them into the other.

2. Grab the third green vertical frame piece (the one with the leaf and vine). Slot it into the first two frame pieces.

3. Insert the smaller hexagonal base into the bottom slots on the inside of the assembled frame.

4. Insert the larger hexagonal top base into the top slots on the inside of the assembled frame.

NOTE: You will need to gently curve the frame pieces out of the way in order to get the base piece inside.

5. Fold the tabs at the top and bottom of the six decorative panels inward along the crease lines.

TIP: To help prevent small pieces of the design from sticking out after your pumpkin is assembled, gently roll each decorative panel lengthwise to create a soft curve. You can use a cylindrical object, such as a tube of vinyl, to help with this.

6. Add a diffuser panel to the back of one of the decorative panels.

NOTE: No glue is needed, but you could add some if you wanted.

7. Insert the bottom of the two pieces (decorative and diffuser) into a slot on the bottom base.

8. Unfold the tab pieces at the bottom.

9. Insert the top of the two pieces (decorative and diffuser) into a slot on the top base.

10. Unfold the tab pieces at the top.

11. Push the tip of the decorative panel into the slot in the middle of the top base.

12. Repeat steps 6-11 for all but the last panel.

13. Before you insert your last panel, add an LED light or fairy lights inside your pumpkin.

14. Add your last panel and you’re done! Here's what both of my finished pumpkin lanterns look like.

STEP 4: SHOW IT OFF!

Here is what my finished 3D pumpkin lanterns look like all lit up!

You can display yours on a table or shelf to admire all season long. You can turn the LED light on/off by reaching underneath (I left an open circle for access).