Halloween has always been one of my favorite holidays. I may be a little partial since it also happens to be my sons birthday, but I think it’s a fun holiday that the whole family can enjoy. Growing up I remember making cheesecloth ghosts with my mother and sisters, I’ve since passed this crafting tradition to my children. This weekend we made Pottery Barn Knock Off hanging ghosts.
These were inspired by the Pottery Barn cheesecloth ghost lights and hanging ghosts available on their site. This is a really easy craft that the kids can get involved with and could even be personalized. The kids could paint the ghost or add small hair bows for the girls and bow ties for the boys.
Supplies:
- Cheesecloth
- Fabric Stiffener
- Moveable Eyes
- Styrofoam Balls
- Glue
- Thread
- Small water bottle or similar item
To make the cheesecloth ghosts, I began by cutting 8×8 inch squares of cheesecloth. You could make these as big or small as you like but since I planned to hang them from my chandelier I decided to keep them small.
Once you have your square cut, place the Styrofoam ball on top of an opened water bottle. This will help give the ghosts head a round shape. I decided to leave the Styrofoam ball attached once they dried but you can remove it if you plan to string them on lights like Pottery Barn did.
Dip the cheesecloth into the fabric stiffener and remove any excess. You want to make sure it’s fully covered so that it will form into the desired shape.
Place the cheesecloth on top of the Styrofoam ball and drape over the bottle; allow 4-6 hours to dry or preferably overnight.
Once your ghosts are dry, glue eyes then hang with thread. We chose to hang ours from our outdoor chandelier but these would be perfect indoor as well.
My kids loved them and have asked to make more for the inside of the house. I have a feeling we’ll have a spooky house filled with ghosts by the end of the week!
I hope you try this easy Halloween craft with your kids this upcoming Fall season.
More Project Ideas
Frankenstein Halloween Juice Boxes
Pottery Barn Kids Inspired DIY Halloween Bat Chandelier 
Halloween Ideas: Easy Bat Display
Trick or Treat Halloween Craft Wreath
DIY Halloween Decorations: Felties Wall Hangers
Halloween Kids Crafts – Slime in a Tube
Homemade Halloween Decorations: Kid-Friendly Window Clings
Halloween Spider Web Coasters with Easy to Follow Pattern
Halloween Decor: Tabletop Trees
DIY Outdoor Halloween Decorations: Hanging Mummy Ghost
Crystal is the crafter and writer behind apumpkinandaprincess.com. She’s a wife, SAHM and crafty blogger who spends most of her days trying to balance all three roles while still squeezing in time for crafting. She enjoys creating on a budget and taking something from blah to fabulous with quick and easy tutorials. She is passionate about living a creative lifestyle and loves sharing a variety of DIY projects, paper crafts, and recipes.
Love this project! Silly question…where did you get your chandelier? I have been looking for something like that and have been having trouble finding something. 🙂
Can you use liquid starch on cheesecloth & styro foam ??
Is it okay if the ghosts get wet? I love these! So cute and simple to make. I just finished 6 and they are drying nicely. Thank you for sharing!
Hi Rebecca – we do not have experience with letting the ghosts get wet, sorry!
Thank you so much. I’m doing some today. Will get back with u to let u know how they turned out.
I love this idea and am planning on making them this Halloween to hang around my front porch. Silly question: do you remove the Styrofoam ball once the cheesecloth is dry or do you hang the ghosts with the ball?
The foam balls were left in but you can remove them if you would like.
How would you add lights?
I have been making bigger versions of these for years — first with my kids and now my grandkids. We have varied the original design by using wire wrapped in Saran wrap for arms and attached to the styrofoam ‘head’ (we remove the wire and styrofoam once it has dried), sprinkling glow-in-the dark glitter all over wen still wet and we make our own stiffener with cornstarch and water (simmer 1 tbl cornstarch into 1/2 cup of water until transparent — my job). It is such a fun craft that we look forward to every year!
Super Cute! I just pinned your project. 🙂
<3 Christina @ I Gotta Create!
Wildly Original link party is open.
wow!!How awesome idea!!!I love it….!!!!!
Hi! Crazy question! What is the best way to secure your string? I thought I would use thin fishing line so it is not to visible but not sure best way to secure it.
These are Super Cute!!!
I would use a yarn needle, threaded with the fishing line. Secure a white button on the end of the line then push up through the styrofoam ball to hang. That’s just how I would do it.
Super cute! I’d love for you to link up your project to Do Something Crafty Friday: http://seevanessacraft.com/2012/09/do-something-crafty-58/
Love this project and I just featured it on my blog ! You can see it here http://www.thatcutelittlecake.com/2012/09/pin-of-week-cheesecloth-ghosts.html
Thanks for sharing !
This is so cute! I hope you’ll link up to my Wickedly Creative Halloween Ideas Party!
http://www.itsybitsypaperblog.com/2012/09/2012-wickedly-creative-halloween-ideas.html
Can’t wait to do this with my son. Adorable!
absolutely adorabel!!! love how these turned out Crystal!
I can’t wait to try this!
These are so cute! I’ll be sure to link over from the StyroCrafts Facebook page and Crafts ‘n Coffee sometime before the Halloween season is over. Thank you!