Similar to This
View all stencils →About this stencil
A big glowing heart sits at the center flanked by two medical plus signs, with a trio of small dots beneath, a sweet salute to nurses, doctors, and healthcare workers. Every shape is a straightforward cut-through opening with generous spacing between them. This easy design makes a great clinic lobby or front desk pumpkin; cut the heart's notch as two downward strokes meeting in the middle, and use a drill bit for perfectly matched dots. This design is rated Beginner-friendly and takes most carvers around 30 minutes from trace to glow. Great for kids and first-timers. Big shapes, short cuts.
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
- 1Print it
Download the PDF and print at 100% scale on letter or A4 paper.
- 2Prep the pumpkin
Cut the lid at an angle, scoop the guts, thin the wall to ~1 inch.
- 3Tape it on
Snip darts in the paper so it lies flat against the curve.
- 4Transfer the design
Poke along every line — about one dot every 1/8 inch.
- 5Carve it
Connect the dots with short straight cuts. Center first, work outward.
- 6Light it up
Drop in a battery LED pumpkin light and you're done.
Tools you'll need
For a beginner-friendly carve like this you'll want a paring knife, spoon / scoop, marker, and led pumpkin light. 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.
IntermediateRow of Hearts and Dots
Eight little hearts march in a straight row around the middle of the pumpkin, each topped by a small drilled dot, forming a glowing band of love. Every heart and dot is cut fully through, and the design is made for a wide, flat pumpkin where the horizontal band can wrap the whole front. Mark a level guideline around the pumpkin first so the hearts stay evenly spaced and perfectly aligned when lit.
IntermediateSeven Hearts in a Tall Zigzag
Seven hearts zigzag down the front in an alternating left-right column, with small round dots sprinkled between them for sparkle. Each heart and dot cuts fully through, and the vertical layout is made for tall, skinny pumpkins and gourds. A medium carve mostly for the layout; tape the stencil straight down the tallest face before transferring, and carve from the top heart downward so shavings fall clear of finished cuts.
Beginner-friendlyFlorida Heart Lettering
A bold I sits beside a big full heart, with the letters F and L stacked underneath, spelling out Florida love in thick serif type. The heart and all three letters are cut completely through for a bright, readable message after dark. This easy carve suits first-time letter cutters; keep the serifs slightly chunky rather than trimming them thin, and cut the heart's inner notch before removing the rest of the shape.
Beginner-friendlyNew Jersey Heart Lettering
Show some Garden State love with this bold lettering design: the word I, a big glowing heart, and the letters N and J stacked in a classic two-row layout, all pierced fully through the pumpkin wall. The chunky serif letters are forgiving for an easy carve; cut each letter stroke as its own piece rather than one big chunk, and save the J's curved hook for last since its tail is the thinnest part.
Beginner-friendlyMichigan Heart Lettering
A big I, a solid heart, and the letters MI glow in two stacked rows, spelling out hometown pride for the Great Lakes State. Every letter and the heart are cut fully through, with thick serif strokes that hold up well in a real pumpkin wall. It is an easy carve for tailgates and porch season; transfer the letters with a poked outline so the baselines stay level.
Beginner-friendlyIndiana Heart Lettering
A classic love-note layout carved in glowing letters: a bold capital I beside a big heart on the top row, with the letters I and N spelling Indiana's abbreviation below. All four elements are pierced through, and the chunky serif letterforms keep every stroke wide and sturdy. This easy design just needs straight, confident cuts; trace the letter edges with a fine tip first, then saw along the lines so the serifs stay square.