Similar pumpkin stencils
View all stencils →About this stencil
Download the I Love Maine pumpkin stencil as a free printable PDF, then tape the pattern to your pumpkin and trace the lines. This Maine pumpkin stencil carves the bold "I [heart] ME" layout made famous by state-pride apparel: a tall serif "I" and a large smooth heart sit above the wide two-letter abbreviation "ME" in chunky rounded type. All four shapes are fully pierced through, so the jack-o-lantern glows with bright, clean cutouts against the orange wall. Because the heart is the largest single opening, carve it last to preserve structural support while you work through the tighter letter forms first. It works as a carving template for a Halloween jack-o'-lantern or a fall porch display. It is rated Advanced. Actual time varies with preparation, pumpkin size and experience. Fine details and narrow supports need careful planning. Follow the cutting and shading key in this design’s PDF.
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
- Print and tape the stencil to a cleaned, scraped pumpkin face.
- Transfer the outlines with a poker or pin tool, marking all four shapes: the "I", heart, "M", and "E".
- Carve the "I" first, then the "M" and "E" letter forms, keeping your cuts smooth on the rounded terminals.
- Save the large heart cutout for last so the pumpkin wall stays rigid while you finish the letters.
- Remove the paper, pop out all cut pieces, and place a candle or LED inside to let the full "I Heart ME" message glow.
Tools you'll need
For a advanced carve like this you'll want a fine-detail pumpkin saw, spoon / scoop, pin transfer tool, and small gouge if the pattern includes shading. 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 ↗
Reviews from carvers
Every rating comes from a written review by someone who downloaded this stencil.
Carved this one?
Reviews are open to carvers who downloaded the stencil. Grab the free PDF, then come back and tell everyone how it went.
Community Pumpkin Carving Ideas
Carving ideas that use stencils like this one.
Related stencils
More patterns with a related subject. Compare their skill levels before you choose.
AdvancedI 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.
Beginner-friendlyI Heart New Jersey
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-friendlyI Heart South Carolina
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.
Beginner-friendlyI Heart Nevada
Styled after the famous city-love logo, this design spells out I, a big heart, then the letters N and V in chunky serif capitals, all cut straight through so the message glows for the whole street. The block letters are simple, but keep an eye on the enclosed spaces; the letters are solid cutouts with no counters to bridge, so just take the wide strokes out in sections and square up the serifs with a small knife.
AdvancedMaryland State Shape
Maryland glows inside a carved rectangular window, its straight northern border on top and the deeply notched Chesapeake Bay splitting the eastern shore from the mainland. The bay itself is left as standing pumpkin wall, so the two glowing landmasses frame it dramatically. That narrow bay peninsula is what makes this a hard carve; cut away from it on both sides, keep the strip at least a finger wide, and brace it from inside if needed.
AdvancedNorth Carolina State Shape
North Carolina stretches across the pumpkin as one long glowing cutout, from the pointed western mountain tip to the fringed Outer Banks coastline on the right. The entire state interior is removed so the distinctive wedge shape reads clearly at night. Rated hard because of the fine barrier-island fingers along the coast; cut the smooth northern border first, then work the ragged eastern edge slowly with a detail saw, leaving the thinnest points for last.