Sep 14, 2026

I Love Illinois Heart Lettering Pumpkin

Two chunky slab-serif letters, IL, fill the lower half of this jack-o-lantern while a heart and the letter I sit in the row above, together declaring love for Illinois. Everything is pierced through in a cutout pumpkin carving style, leaving bold negative-space channels that glow orange from the candle inside. The four-piece layout fits best on a pumpkin with a wide, flat front panel, so pick one with a smooth face before tracing the pattern. Cut the small crossbars on the I characters last and keep them at least a quarter inch thick to prevent snapping.

This is an AI-generated concept image: a realistic, carvable design idea rather than a photo of a finished carve. AI concepts are always labeled and sit out the leaderboard and the contest.

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Medium Words & Letters Artistic Classic Cutout

illinois words artistic cutout heart lettering state-pride usa

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Want to try this?

Show off your state pride with a clean, bold lettering pumpkin anyone can read from the curb.

Some experience helps \u00b7 Cutout lettering + bridges

Read our carving tips

Similar stencils

Look for chunky slab-serif letter and heart stencils to build your own state message.

Tools for this approach

Our suggestions for trying a similar carve. Start with what you already have.

Elmchee Pumpkin Carving Kit
13-piece kit with carrying case
Saws for the larger cutouts, plus a scoop for hollowing. Covers both jobs in one kit.
View on Amazon
Speedball 4131 Lino Cutter Set
Handle + 5 interchangeable cutters
Interchangeable cutters for peeling and shading the face. Useful for the finer details.
View on Amazon

A little extra help

Our tips for carving a similar design

The core trick here is treating simple letters as full cutouts so the whole message reads as bright orange channels of light. You lay out four elements, the I and heart on top and the I and L below, on a wide flat face, then pierce each one all the way through. The only fussy parts are the small crossbars on the I characters, which you keep thick and save for last so they do not snap.

Written by PumpkinCarvingIdeas.com, inspired by the image above. These are our suggestions, not instructions from the uploader. This approach to the AI concept has not been tested on a real pumpkin.

From pumpkin to porch

Pick a flat-faced pumpkin and open the back
Choose a pumpkin with a wide, smooth front panel so all four letter elements sit flat and even. Cut a lid or an access hole in the back rather than the top, which keeps the front face clean for lettering. Scoop out the insides and thin the front wall to about an inch so your blade passes through easily. A thinner wall also lets the letters glow more evenly.
Trace and transfer the layout
Print or draw the message with the heart and I in the top row and the I and L filling the lower half. Tape the pattern smoothly to the flat face and poke closely spaced dots along every outline with a poking tool. Peel the paper and connect the dots with a marker so you have a clear map. Double check the spacing before you cut, since letters are hard to fix once opened.
Carve the heart and the outer letter edges first
Start with the heart and the outer strokes of each letter, cutting straight through with a small serrated saw. Use gentle sawing motion and let the tool do the work instead of forcing it. Cut the largest, simplest shapes first while the pumpkin is still strong. An adult should handle all the sharp cutting.
Shape the L and the I verticals
Open the tall vertical of each I and the full body of the L, keeping your cuts just inside the marker lines. Support the pumpkin from below with your free hand well clear of the blade. Remove each freed piece by gently pushing it inward or outward. Take your time on the corners so the slab-serif shape stays crisp.
Cut the small I crossbars last
Save the little top and bottom bars of the I characters for the very end, when the surrounding areas are already open. Keep each crossbar at least a quarter inch thick so it does not crack under its own weight. Make slow, shallow passes and clear waste often. If a bar feels fragile, leave a touch more thickness rather than pushing your luck.
Light it and photograph
Drop a battery LED tealight or two inside and skip open flame, since candles can scorch the thin letter bridges. Set the pumpkin on a neutral runner or table and dim the room to make the orange channels pop. Shoot slightly off center so the letters read clearly without glare. Snap a few frames and share your favorite with the community.

Gather your supplies

Check things off as you get ready.

Work on a stable surface, keep your free hand out of the cutting path, and have an adult handle sharp tools.

Three levels of light

Leave intact
The full untouched face around the letters stays dark orange and frames the message.
Peel & shade
Optional shallow-scraped haloes just outside each letter would give a soft glow ring if you want extra contrast.
Cut through
The heart, both I characters, and the L are cut clean through for the brightest orange light.

Learn the carving basics

Before you start cutting

How do I keep the I crossbars from breaking?

Cut them last, after the areas around them are already open, so the pumpkin still has structure while you work. Keep each bar at least a quarter inch thick and go with slow, shallow passes. If one feels flimsy, leave it a little thicker rather than trimming to the exact line.

Can I swap in my own state abbreviation?

Yes, the layout works for any two-letter state code as long as you keep the same top row of I and heart. Just make sure the new letters are chunky slab-serif shapes so they hold up as cutouts. Test the spacing on paper first to fill the lower half evenly.

Why cut the access hole in the back instead of the top?

A back hole keeps the wide front face smooth and uninterrupted so your lettering lines up cleanly. It also hides the opening from the camera when you photograph the front. Just make it big enough to reach in, scoop, and place your LED lights.