Similar to This
View all stencils →About this stencil
This lovestruck face beams with two big heart-shaped eyes under curved brows, a wide open smile showing three square teeth, and playful dot dimples on each cheek. All the features are cut through the wall, so the hearts glow brightest and instantly read as the classic heart-eyes expression. Cut the notch at the top of each heart carefully with short strokes, since that little dip is what makes the shape. This design is rated Intermediate and takes most carvers around 75 minutes from trace to glow. Comfortable knife handling required. Small details and curves.
Pumpkin size guide
- 🎃 Small (5–7") — print at 80%
- 🎃 Medium (7–10") — print at 100% (recommended)
- 🎃 Large (11–13") — print at 130%
- 🎃 Giant (14"+) — print at 150% on tabloid paper
Frequently asked questions
Can I resize this stencil?▾
Yes. The PDF is vector so it scales cleanly. Print at 100% for a 7–10 inch pumpkin, 130% for 11–13 inch, or 150% for a giant. Use your printer's "Fit to page" or "Custom scale" setting.
What kind of paper works best?▾
Standard 20 lb letter or A4 printer paper is fine. Heavier paper is harder to bend around the pumpkin curve. If your printer supports it, set the quality to 'best' so the lines are crisp.
How long will the carved pumpkin last?▾
Usually 5–10 days. Coat all cut surfaces with petroleum jelly and store the pumpkin somewhere cool overnight. Avoid direct sun. Battery LED pumpkin lights produce no heat and double the lifespan.
Can I sell pumpkins carved with this stencil?▾
Yes, the carved pumpkin you make is yours. The license covers personal and small-scale commercial carving (selling carved pumpkins, photographing them, posting on social). You may not resell the PDF file itself.
What if my printer doesn't print the whole stencil?▾
Set 'Page scaling' to 'Fit' in the print dialog and uncheck 'Auto-rotate'. If it still cuts off, the design includes 0.25" of safe-area margin so a small crop won't ruin it.
How to carve this stencil
This is a cut-through stencil: the dark numbered regions on the printable pattern are the pieces you remove, and everything white stays attached. The numbers give you the safest carving order, and the steps below walk through them one by one. Plan on about 65-95 minutes from print to candle.
Set up first. Print the PDF at 100% scale on letter or A4 paper. Cut the lid at an angle, scoop the pumpkin clean, and thin the carving wall to about 1 inch where the design will sit. Tape the pattern on (snip small darts in the paper so it hugs the curve) and transfer every outline by poking dots along the lines, about one every 1/8 inch. Peel the paper away and carve dot to dot with short, straight strokes.
Carving order
- Open the two arched eyebrows. Cut both regions marked 1, keeping the left brow wider and the right brow more steeply curved. Preserve the white strip beneath each one.
- Shape the two heart eyes. Cut both regions marked 2. Follow the broad left heart and narrower right heart, preserving their uneven lobes and low pointed ends. Keep the shell between the two eyes intact.
- Open all six cheek dots. Cut the six regions marked 3, three on each cheek. Preserve the staggered positions and unequal oval sizes. Keep all dots separate from the mouth and heart eyes.
- Retain three square teeth. Cut region 4 around the three upper teeth. Keep the wide side teeth, narrower central tooth and full attachments. Follow the broad curved base and support the mouth plug while finishing the last edge.
Clear loose fibers out of each opening as you go, and never twist or pry the blade against the shell; back it out and recut instead. When every region is open, wipe the cut edges dry and drop in a battery LED puck.
Tools you'll need
For a intermediate carve like this you'll want a x-acto knife, poker tool, ribbon scoop, and painter's tape. Here's the kit we reach for — start with whatever you already own.
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 ↗
HOME MOST LED Pumpkin Lights
4-pack, battery operated, with remote + timer
Orange glow made for jack-o'-lanterns. The remote and timer light the pumpkin every evening without reaching inside.
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 ↗
Community Pumpkin Carving Ideas
Carving ideas that use stencils like this one.
Related stencils
Carvers who liked this one also downloaded these.
AdvancedHeart Eyes and Seventeen Gems
The heart-eyes emoji comes to life with two big heart-shaped eyes, arched brows, and a wide toothy smile, all surrounded by seventeen small hearts and diamond accents scattered across the shell. Every heart, brow, tooth gap, and diamond is pierced through, so the whole pumpkin twinkles. Carve the large central face first while the shell is strongest, then work outward through the border hearts from biggest to smallest.
Beginner-friendlyFive-Point Star Eyes and Smile
A star-struck emoji face with two big five-point stars for eyes and a broad crescent smile beneath them. All three shapes are pierced completely through, so the stars and grin beam like the real starry-eyed emoji. It is an easy carve overall, with the star points as the only fiddly spots; poke a pilot hole in the center of each star and cut outward toward every point.
Beginner-friendlyUnequal Heart Eyes and Smile
Inspired by the heart-eyes emoji, this lovable face pairs two big heart-shaped eyes with a broad crescent smile. All three openings are cut fully through, so the hearts beam bright pink-orange light after dark. The gentle notch at the top of each heart is the only fiddly spot in this easy carve; poke a starter hole in the middle of each heart and saw up into the notch from inside so the point stays sharp.
IntermediateEight-Bridge Circular Smile
A big circular smiley face beams from the pumpkin, drawn with a segmented ring outline, two oval eyes, and a wide upturned smile with curled corners. The ring, eyes, and mouth are all cut through, while small bridges break the circle into sections that keep the face anchored to the shell. Leave every bridge intact until the end so the outline ring stays firmly attached.
IntermediateHeart Eyes and Three Teeth
Two big heart shaped eyes with curling lash accents beam above a small triangle nose and a wide grin broken by three square teeth. Every shape is cut all the way through, so candlelight pours out of the hearts and the toothy smile. Take the lash flicks slowly with a fine saw, since those narrow tips are the only fiddly part of this medium design.
Expert / ProHeart Keyholes and Leaf Cheeks
A folk-art beauty: two heart-shaped keyhole eyes crowned with leafy sprigs, sprays of leaf cutouts fanning across both cheeks, diamond accents down the brow, and a huge grin filled with neat rectangular teeth. Every heart, leaf, diamond, and tooth gap is pierced through, creating a lacework of light. This is an expert pattern with many close-set openings, so work from the center outward and rotate the pumpkin often to keep your cutting angle comfortable.