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View all stencils →About this stencil
A large heart is cut out of the pumpkin, but two facing profiles are left standing in the middle of the opening, so a couple appears to lean toward each other in silhouette against the glow. The heart interior is removed while the joined profile column stays attached at the bottom point. This is a hard carve because those noses, lips, and chins are thin; use a fresh fine blade and cut away from the profiles, never into them. This design is rated Advanced and takes most carvers around 150 minutes from trace to glow. Multi-layer cuts with skin-peel shading. Plan your cuts first.
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 advanced carve like this you'll want a linoleum cutter set, x-acto knife, peel tool, and pin transfer wheel. 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.
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IntermediateInterlocking Double Hearts
Two large hearts overlap and interlock, their outlines woven so one band passes over and under the other like linked rings. Nothing is pierced: you shave away only the skin along the heart outlines, leaving pale glowing bands against the untouched orange wall. Sketch the over-under crossings on the pumpkin before you shave, since keeping those weave points straight is the trick to this medium-level etch.
IntermediateSix Hearts and Tiny Top Heart
Six hearts arranged in a ring point inward toward the center, with a tiny seventh heart crowning the top and small round dots filling the gaps between them like beads on a wreath. Every heart and dot is cut fully through, creating a lantern that throws a circle of glowing hearts across the porch. For this medium carve, poke a starter hole in each heart and cut the notch last; the dots are quick work with an apple corer or drill bit.
Expert / ProInterwoven Hearts and Leaves
Two large hearts interlock at the center, their outlines woven over and under each other like linked rings, with vine tendrils and autumn leaves flourishing around them. The design is deep relief shading: the background is shaved bright while the woven heart bands stay raised, with no holes pierced. Map the over-under crossings before you carve; keeping the weave consistent is the expert part.
IntermediateEight Hearts and Eight Dots
Eight hearts arranged in a ring, each one pointing outward like petals on a wreath, with eight small round dots glowing in the gaps between them; the center of the pumpkin stays solid. Every heart and dot is cut through, turning the whole design into a radiant circular pattern. A medium carve that rewards accuracy: trace the stencil carefully so the ring stays even, and drill the dots before sawing the hearts around them.
AdvancedEntwined Hearts & Leafy Vines
Two interlocking hearts sit at the center of this romantic design, their looping outlines woven together and trailing off into curling vines and small leaves at each corner. The whole motif is shaved into the skin as pale relief lines, so the pumpkin wall stays intact and the pattern shows clearly by daylight or candlelight. Follow the vine curves in long continuous strokes to keep the linework flowing and even.
IntermediateEight Hearts and Eight 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.