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This free I Love Illinois pumpkin stencil is a printable PDF pattern you can print at home, tape to your pumpkin, and trace. Illinois' "I Love IL" stencil places the block I and heart on the top row, then the letters I and L below in matching rounded type. Both letters are open silhouettes with no interior counters, making the bottom row a pair of the cleanest cuts in the state series. The visual interest comes from the different proportions: the lower I is wider and taller than the top-row I, while the L's horizontal foot extends well to the right. Cut the L's foot last, working from the corner outward, to prevent the thin pumpkin strip at the foot from flexing loose too early. Use it as a carving template for your Halloween jack-o'-lantern. It is rated Beginner-friendly. Estimated time: 45-60 minutes. Actual time varies with preparation, pumpkin size and experience. Larger shapes and shorter cuts. An adult should handle sharp carving tools.
Pumpkin size guide
- 🎃 Small (5 to 7"): print at 80%
- 🎃 Medium (7 to 10"): print at 100% (recommended)
- 🎃 Large (11 to 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 the pattern at 100% for a 7 to 10 inch pumpkin, 130% for 11 to 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 to 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 help it last longer.
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 gray areas on the printable pattern are the pieces you remove, and everything white stays attached. The steps below give you the safest carving order. Plan on about 45-60 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
- Cut the small top I. Begin with the I on the top row. Cut its flared top and bottom serifs first, then join them down the sides.
- Cut the heart. Cut the large heart beside it. Work into the notch between the lobes from both directions, then sweep around to the point at the bottom, supporting the plug as it comes free.
- Cut the tall lower I. Cut the bigger I on the bottom row the same way as the first: serifs first, then the straight sides.
- Cut the L and its long foot. Finish with the L. Cut the upright, then the horizontal foot last, working from the inside corner outward to the flared end so the thin strip at the foot never flexes early. Leave a small tab, support the plug, and release it.
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 piece is out, wipe the cut edges dry and drop in a battery LED puck.
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, but 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 ↗
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State pride spelled out plainly: a bold serif I, a big glowing heart, and the letters SC stacked in two rows across the pumpkin face. Each letter and the heart cut fully through, and the thick strokes make this an easy lettering carve with no fragile pieces. Cut the heart's top notch first to set its shape, then saw each letter stroke in straight runs, squaring the serifs from inside the openings.