No-carve pumpkin: Spooky string art

Materials 1 medium or large pumpkin Pen or marker 1 package 1-in. smooth finishing nails Dark purple or black embroidery floss Mini witch hat (optional)

Directions 1. Using a pen or marker, write “BOO” on the pumpkin in bubble letters.

2. Lightly push nails halfway into the pumpkin along the outline of the letters, spacing them evenly.

3. Knot the embroidery floss around a nail in the letter “B.” Outline the letter, winding the floss around each nail; then weave the floss back and forth in an organic way, catching the nails in each letter as you go to form a webbed pattern. Finish the letter by knotting around a nail. Repeat for each remaining letter.

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