Similar pumpkin stencils
View all stencils →About this stencil
Download the It's a Boy pumpkin stencil as a free printable PDF, then tape the pattern to your pumpkin and trace the lines. The phrase "it's a boy" is set in a bold, bubbly hand-lettered script across two lines, with a heart shape centered below the text. Every letter is cut as a solid shape: the rounded strokes of the lowercase letters, including the counter inside the "o" of "boy" and the enclosed loop of the "b," are all part of the carved-away design. Lit from within, the chunky letterforms glow against the pumpkin wall. Cut the enclosed counters of "b" and "o" before removing the main letter bodies so those small interior pieces don't become loose mid-carve. It works as a carving template for a Halloween jack-o'-lantern or a fall porch display. It is rated Advanced. Estimated time: 90-150 minutes. 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
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 90-150 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 marks first. Start with the dot of the i, the apostrophe, the s, and the little a in the top line. These are the smallest, most fragile plugs; pierce each and saw gently to the line.
- Finish the top word. Cut the i stem and the t with its crossbar, working into the corners from both directions.
- Cut the b and its bridge. The b is split into a tall stem and a separate bowl crescent with white gaps between them. Cut each piece on its own; never cut across the white bridges.
- Cut the o and y. The o is two crescents separated by white gaps; cut each arc separately. The y has a long swooping tail with a separate small flag piece near its base; work the tight curve of the tail from both ends.
- Release the heart last. The heart under the word is the largest plug. Cut the two lobes, working into the dip from both sides, run down to the point, and leave a short tab. Support the plug, slice the tab, and push it out from inside.
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 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.
AdvancedComing Soon Baby Pumpkin Stencil
This pumpkin stencil spells out "COMING SOON" in chunky rounded letters across two rows, with a pair of baby footprints replacing the two O letters in the word SOON, and a small heart dotting the I above. The letters are each bold and thick, with the interiors of rounded letters like C, G, and the zero-like Os cut away while the outlines stay solid. When carved and lit, the baby-announcement message glows warmly across the pumpkin face. Cut the two enclosed letter counters in COMING first before moving to the footprint shapes, which have the most delicate toe-dot details.
AdvancedIts a Girl Pumpkin Stencil
The phrase "it's a girl" in chunky lowercase lettering fills this pumpkin stencil, with a small heart shape tucked below the word "girl" to complete the baby announcement message. Each letter and the heart are cut-out shapes, many with enclosed counters that require careful handling. The interior dot of the letter i in "girl" is the trickiest floating island: cut around it last and keep the skin disc in place using a toothpick or small skewer pressed through the back of the pumpkin wall to hold it.
IntermediateI Heart West Virginia
Bold serif letters spell out I, a big solid heart, then W and V stacked below, the classic hometown-pride message carved in light. Each letter and the heart are cut fully through, glowing like marquee type against the dark pumpkin. Serif letters have thin corner strokes, so cut the serifs first with the knife tip before opening the thick strokes, and keep the wall between W and V at least a half inch wide.
Beginner-friendlyI Heart Kansas
A glowing I, a full heart, and the letters K and S stacked beneath, spelling out love for Kansas in chunky serif type. All four elements are simple cut-throughs, which keeps this one easy despite looking polished. Transfer the pattern carefully so the letters stay level, cut each letter's inside corners with the tip of the saw, and open the big heart last since it is the largest and most forgiving shape.
AdvancedLove-Struck Emoji Pumpkin Stencil
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.
AdvancedStarry-Eyed Sweetie Pumpkin Stencil
Two huge sparkling anime-style eyes, each split by a vertical skin bar, beam above a tiny smile and heart-shaped cheeks, while dozens of little stars and dots twinkle across the whole pumpkin. The eyes, hearts, stars, and dots are all cut through, leaving the eye bars intact. The sheer number of small piercings makes this a hard carve; drill all the dots first, cut the stars with a fine detail saw, and save the big barred eyes for the very end.