No-carve pumpkin: Fangtastic Dracula

Materials 1 small pumpkin 1 medium or large pumpkin, stem removed White spray paint Pencil Scissors Black yarn Glue gun Black + white craft foam Cardboard ½ yard red fabric ½ yard black fabric Black ribbon Black permanent marker Fake blood

Directions 1. Spray-paint the pumpkins white, including the stem of the small pumpkin. Let dry, about 1 hour.

2. To make the hair, draw a widow’s peak on the small pumpkin with pencil as a guideline, and cut several pieces of yarn a few inches longer than the guideline. Apply hot glue to the widow’s peak and carefully press yarn over glue (don’t burn your fingers!). Apply yarn in rows until the hair area is filled in. Trim excess yarn.

3. To make the eyes and mouth, cut 2 “V” shapes and a 4 x ½-inch rectangle from the black foam. To make fangs, cut 2 small triangles from the white foam. Affix eyes, mouth and fangs to the small pumpkin with hot glue.

4. To attach the “head” to the “body,” find the most stable spot for the small pumpkin to sit atop the larger pumpkin. Apply lots of hot glue to the top of the larger pumpkin, and sit the small pumpkin on top, supporting it as the glue cools and hardens.

5. To make the cape, cut a semicircle from cardboard. Wrap with red fabric, securing with hot glue and trimming any excess. Finish the straight edge by gluing a piece of black ribbon over it. Affix to the back of the “head” with hot glue. Drape black fabric at the base of the “head” and affix with hot glue.

6. To finish, draw 3 buttons down the front of the larger pumpkin with black marker. Apply a trail of fake blood at a corner of the mouth.

A version of this article appeared in our October 2015 issue with the headline “Smashing pumpkins,” pp. 77-82.