25 Patriotic Pumpkin Carving Ideas

Explore 25 distinct patriotic pumpkin carving ideas from the stencil library.

1. Vermont Pumpkin Stencil
Vermont's narrow, elongated state outline is pierced as a single open shape on this easy pumpkin stencil, showing the slightly irregular wavy eastern border, the smoother western edge along Lake Champlain, and the small northern bump where the Northeast Kingdom juts upward. Lit, it glows as a tall vertical window of light. Because Vermont's outline runs close to the top of a typical pumpkin curve, tape the stencil with the northern bump positioned at least an inch below the stem base to leave enough wall thickness.
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2. God Bless the USA Pumpkin Stencil
Bold block lettering spells out "GOD BLESS THE U.S.A." across two lines, with small five-pointed stars separating the letters in the lower line. The upper row uses chunky serif-style caps and the lower row uses even larger, slightly decorative capitals. Every letter interior is pierced through so the full phrase blazes when the pumpkin is lit. Keep the thin straps of orange between adjacent tall letters intact as you carve, since they carry the structural load of the entire upper row.
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3. USA Map Pumpkin Stencil
The contiguous silhouette of the contiguous United States is carved as a single open pierce-through in this expert pumpkin stencil. The intricate coastline, Great Lakes inlets, and Florida peninsula are all retained in the cut edge, requiring precise control all the way around the outline. Lit from inside, the pumpkin glows entirely through the mapped shape. Work clockwise around the perimeter without lifting your tool from the cut line, since re-entering the groove at a sharp angle like the Gulf Coast bays is the most common place where the wall cracks.
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4. USA Text Pumpkin Stencil
Bold block letters spelling "USA" are carved as open pierce-throughs in this easy pumpkin stencil, with a five-pointed star replacing the crossbar of the letter A. The rounded, wide letters are generously sized and leave thick orange walls between them. On the lit pumpkin the three letters glow brightly and the star cutout inside the A shines as a distinct shape. Score the star outline inside the A before cutting the surrounding letter body, since the star's tight inner points are easiest to navigate when the pumpkin wall around them is still rigid.
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5. Trump 2024 Pumpkin Stencil
Bold military stencil-style lettering spells "TRUMP" on the top row and "2024" flanked by two five-pointed stars on the bottom row of this hard pumpkin stencil. Each letter and numeral is a thick open outline with interior counters preserved as solid pumpkin islands. The two stars at the sides of "2024" are each pierced through as open silhouettes. Cut the enclosed counters of rounded letters and numerals first (the interior of the P, the U loops, and the 0 counter in 2024), then cut each letter and numeral outline, saving the two star shapes for last.
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6. Police Badge Pumpkin Stencil
A five-pointed star with a horizontal banner across its center spelling out POLICE in block capital letters makes up this pumpkin stencil, styled after a classic law-enforcement badge. The interior of the star points and the letter counters are cut through, while the banner background and star outline remain as solid skin. The enclosed center of the letter O is the trickiest piece: slice around it last and press a toothpick through the back of the pumpkin wall to pin the small oval disc in place.
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7. New Mexico Pumpkin Stencil
New Mexico's silhouette is a nearly perfect square with one small rectangular notch cut into the upper-left corner where the Colorado border steps slightly northward. This beginner-friendly pumpkin stencil carves as a single large open shape, glowing as a bold square of light on the finished jack-o-lantern. The one detail that differentiates it from a plain square is that upper-left step: score the corner notch cleanly before removing the bulk of the shape so the step stays sharp rather than rounding off.
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8. I Love USA Pumpkin Stencil
The text "I" stacked above a heart filled with an American flag pattern, then "USA" below it, makes up this patriotic pumpkin stencil: the flag-heart shows a grid of small stars on the left and horizontal stripe bars on the right, while the bold block letters are cut as open shapes. The letters and star shapes pierce through so the pumpkin glows with text and a star-field simultaneously. Cut the individual stars inside the flag-heart before removing the surrounding letter openings so the fine star shapes stay supported by the neighboring skin as long as possible.
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9. Nevada Pumpkin Stencil
Nevada's distinctive silhouette gives this beginner pumpkin stencil its character: a wide flat top, a long diagonal slash running from the upper-right corner down to the lower-left, and a small rectangular notch cut into the southern tip where the Colorado River forms the state line. The whole shape is carved as one open cutout so the jack-o-lantern's candle light illuminates the full state outline. The diagonal left edge is the identifying feature; carve it as a single long confident stroke rather than short segments so the line stays true.
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10. American Flag Heart Pumpkin Stencil
A heart-shaped American flag fills this hard-level pumpkin stencil, with the left half showing rows of five-pointed stars arranged in a grid and the right half showing horizontal stripe bars tapering as the heart curves toward the bottom point. Every star and every stripe bar is cut away as an open shape so the lit jack-o-lantern shows the heart glowing in a dense pattern of small lights. Cut each individual star point carefully before opening the stripe sections to the right, since the star grid is the most intricate area and needs surrounding skin intact for support.
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11. Minnesota Pumpkin Stencil
Minnesota's outline appears in this pumpkin stencil as a broad near-rectangular shape with a small protrusion extending to the upper left for the Northwest Angle and a gentle scalloped northern border that traces the lake-country edge. The entire state silhouette is carved as one open cutout, and the smooth southern and western borders contrast with the more irregular northern and eastern edges. The Northwest Angle nub is a small isolated tip connected by a narrow strip, so cut that corner carefully before removing the main body to prevent it from tearing loose.
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12. Make America Great Again Pumpkin Stencil
Four lines of bold stencil-style block text spell out MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN across this jack-o-lantern stencil, with a five-pointed star flanking the top line and another pair of stars at the bottom. Every letter and star is carved as a separate pierced shape, so the orange pumpkin wall forms bridges inside closed letterforms like A, G, and R. Before cutting, secure those interior letter islands with a small pin through the pumpkin flesh so they don't drop out mid-carve and leave shapeless holes.
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13. Swooping Bald Eagle Pumpkin Stencil
A bald eagle swoops down with wings fully spread in this striking pumpkin stencil, its feathers rendered as a fan of elongated oval cutouts radiating from the body while the torso, tail, and talons are larger open shapes. The mosaic of separate feather pierces makes the wings blaze with light and gives the design a dramatic stained-glass quality. Cut the smallest outer wing-tip feathers first while the wall is firmest, then work inward toward the body to avoid weakening the center before the delicate tips are done.
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14. MAGA Pumpkin Stencil
The acronym "MAGA" is set in wide, bold stencil letters on the upper portion, with a row of five evenly spaced five-pointed stars running beneath it. All letters and stars are fully pierced through, so the finished jack-o-lantern glows the text and stars against the night. The star points are the sharpest cuts in this design; carve each star from its center outward to each tip rather than tracing the outer perimeter, which helps keep the thin points from tearing.
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15. Mississippi Pumpkin Stencil
This pumpkin stencil cuts the outline of Mississippi as a single solid silhouette pierced entirely through the pumpkin wall. The western border is the most distinctive feature: a deeply notched, step-like edge tracing the course of the Mississippi River, while the right side drops in two clean vertical lines. Lit from inside, the whole state shape glows as one open window. Start your cuts along the jagged river edge, working in short strokes to keep each notch crisp.
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16. I Love Virginia Pumpkin Stencil
Four thick, serif-style shapes form an "I heart VA" layout on this Virginia pumpkin stencil: a tall I on the upper left, a wide heart on the upper right, and the letters V and A filling the lower half, each one fully cut through so the jack-o-lantern glows with clean, recognizable state pride. The cut-outs are generously sized with tight serif terminals; use a detail blade to navigate the inside corners of the A's crossbar without snapping the narrow bridge connecting it to the outer counter.
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17. Kansas State Shape Pumpkin Stencil
Kansas appears as a nearly perfect rectangle on this pumpkin stencil, distinguished by a small notched step in the upper-right corner where the state's northeastern border jogs to follow the Missouri River. The entire shape is cut as one large open window, making this one of the broadest single-piece openings in any state stencil. Because the wide horizontal cut-out can weaken the pumpkin, place a support skewer through the pumpkin's interior wall before carving to keep the top from sagging while you work the lower edge.
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18. USA Map Pumpkin Stencil
The contiguous United States is carved as a single large pierced shape, with the internal state borders rendered as narrow solid ridges that remain after cutting away all the negative space inside each state. Alaska and Hawaii appear as separate inset shapes below the main landmass. When lit, each state glows individually, separated by hairline orange lines. The narrow state borders in the Northeast are the most fragile: carve those tiny states before removing the surrounding pumpkin wall so you have maximum support.
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19. I Love Oregon Pumpkin Stencil
Oregon's pumpkin stencil presents "I [heart] OR" in two rows with bold open letters. The "O" in "OR" is again a ring shape with an inner counter, while the "R" has a vertical stem, a curved upper lobe, and a diagonal leg kicking out to the lower right. Cut the "O" ring early in the session, then move to the "R", carving the stem and lobe before finishing with the diagonal leg, which should be released last to keep the lobe supported until the final stroke.
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20. I Love North Dakota Pumpkin Stencil
North Dakota's pumpkin stencil delivers the "I [heart] ND" message in bold rounded type across two rows, the heart flanked by a slender "I" above and the letters "ND" below. The "D" is an upright with a large curved lobe on the right, and its wide open interior means you remove a single large piece of pumpkin skin. Score the straight left edge of the "D" first, then cut the curve in one sweeping arc to keep the lobe smooth and symmetrical on the finished jack-o-lantern.
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21. I Love South Dakota Pumpkin Stencil
South Dakota's pumpkin stencil presents "I [heart] SD" in two rows of rounded block type, with a large heart above and the state abbreviation "SD" below. The "S" curves in two opposing arcs while the "D" is a straight upright with a large curved lobe. Carve the "D" first since its single lobe shape is easier to control, then tackle the reverse-curve "S" from top to bottom in one continuous stroke to keep the waist of the letter smooth.
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22. Idaho State Shape Pumpkin Stencil
Idaho's distinctive outline fills this pumpkin stencil as a single large cut-out: the tall rectangular panhandle at top, the jagged stepped eastern border descending through several notches, and the broader southwestern base, all pierced through to let candlelight define the state's shape. Because the panhandle is narrow relative to the body, carve the wider base first and work upward, keeping the thin panhandle as the last cut so the stencil holds its shape on the pumpkin surface until the very end.
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23. I Love Texas Pumpkin Stencil
Texas's pumpkin stencil carves the iconic "I [heart] TX" across two rows in bold rounded letterforms. The "X" is the standout shape: two diagonal strokes crossing at the center, leaving four triangular cutout wedges separated by the thin intersection point. Carve one diagonal of the "X" completely before starting the second, and use a plunge cut at the center crossing point to avoid tearing the pumpkin at the junction where the two strokes meet.
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24. I Love Nebraska Pumpkin Stencil
Nebraska's pride pumpkin stencil lays out "I [heart] NE" in two tidy rows, with the heart anchoring the center and bold rounded letters "NE" filling the lower half. All shapes are complete pierce-through cutouts that glow evenly when lit. The "E" features three horizontal bars extending from a vertical spine, and those thin bars are the narrowest cuts in this design, so work from the outer tips inward on each bar to keep them from cracking before you complete the vertical spine.
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25. I Love New Hampshire Pumpkin Stencil
Rated advanced, this New Hampshire pumpkin stencil presents "I [heart] NH" in two rows with oversized block letters. The "N" and "H" are rendered in wide rounded caps: the "N" has a diagonal stroke creating a narrow wedge, while the "H" has a horizontal crossbar suspended between two uprights, leaving two open windows on either side. Tackle the "H" crossbar with plunge cuts at each end before sawing across to prevent the bridge from snapping under blade pressure.
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