Crochet Ghost Pattern: Free Easy Amigurumi for Halloween

At a glance

What you need

• White DK cotton yarn, about 25 m (27 yd) for each ghost. One 50 g ball makes four or five.
• A 3.5 mm (US E-4) hook. Smaller than the label suggests, so the fabric is tight.
• Polyester fibrefill stuffing.
• Two 6 mm safety eyes for each ghost, or black yarn or felt.
• A locking stitch marker.
• A tapestry needle and scissors.
• Small amounts of black, orange and pink yarn, for faces and accessories.

White yarn shows every mark. Wash your hands before you start, and keep the work in a clean bag between sessions.

A safety note before you start

Safety eyes are small, hard parts and can come off. For a baby or a child under three, embroider the eyes with yarn or leave the ghost as a decoration out of reach. Garlands have long strings, so hang them where small children can't pull them down. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission publishes guidance on small parts in toys for young children.

Techniques used

The basics are explained in full in amigurumi for beginners.

• Magic ring. An adjustable loop that closes the top of the head. See how to crochet a magic ring.
• Working in a spiral. Rounds aren't joined. A stitch marker in the first stitch shows where each round starts.
• Increase (inc). Two single crochets in the same stitch.
• Invisible decrease (dec). Insert the hook under the front loops only of the next two stitches. Yarn over and pull through both front loops. Yarn over and pull through both loops on the hook.
• Back loop only (BLO) and front loop only (FLO). The top of each stitch is a V with two strands. The front loop is the one nearer to you, and the back loop is the one further away. In this pattern, one round is worked into the back loops only. That leaves a ring of front loops free on the outside of the ghost, and the ruffle is crocheted into them at the end.

Reading the pattern

R5: (3 sc, inc) × 6 (30) means: single crochet in each of the next three stitches, then increase in the next stitch. Do that six times. The round ends with 30 stitches. How to read crochet patterns explains the shorthand.

Ghost pattern

Body

Use white. Work in a continuous spiral, starting at the top of the head.

• R1: 6 sc in a magic ring (6)
• R2: inc in each stitch around (12)
• R3: (sc, inc) × 6 (18)
• R4: (2 sc, inc) × 6 (24)
• R5: (3 sc, inc) × 6 (30)
• R6 to R13: sc in each stitch around, for 8 rounds (30)

Eyes: fit the safety eyes now, between rounds 8 and 9, about five stitches apart. Push the posts through and look at the face before you commit. Once the washers click on, they don't come off. Press each washer on firmly from the inside.

Base

Carry on with the same yarn. The first round of the base is worked in the back loops only.

• R14: in BLO, (3 sc, dec) × 6 (24)

From here, work through both loops as usual.

• R15: (2 sc, dec) × 6 (18)

Stuff the ghost firmly now. Add the stuffing in small tufts and push it up into the head, so the dome is smooth.

• R16: (sc, dec) × 6 (12)

Add a last bit of stuffing.

• R17: dec × 6 (6)

Fasten off, leaving a tail of about 20 cm (8 in). Thread it onto your needle and pass it through the front loop of each of the six remaining stitches. Pull tight to close the hole, knot the yarn and hide the end inside the body.

The ghost now looks like a stuffed thimble, with a line of unused loops around its lower edge.

Ruffle

Hold the ghost upside down, with the base towards you. You'll see the ring of 30 front loops left over from round 13.

Join white with a slip stitch in any one of those loops. Work into the front loops only:

• Scallop: sc in the next loop, skip 1 loop, 5 dc in the next loop, skip 1 loop, sc in the next loop.

Work the scallop 6 times around. Each scallop uses five loops, so six of them use all 30.

Slip stitch into the first sc. Fasten off and weave in the ends.

The ruffle flares out around the base like the hem of a sheet, and the ghost stands on its flat bottom.

Face

• Mouth: with black yarn, make one small straight stitch, or a tiny oval of two or three stitches, centred between the eyes and one round below them. A small round mouth looks surprised, and a short curved line looks happy.
• Cheeks: two short pink stitches under the outer corner of each eye.
• Embroidered eyes: for a child-safe ghost, wrap black yarn three or four times over one stitch for each eye, between rounds 8 and 9.

Take the yarn in and out through the base, between stitches, and hide the knots inside.

Optional arms

Tiny arms give a ghost a lot of personality. Use white.

• R1: 5 sc in a magic ring (5)
• R2 and R3: sc in each stitch around, for 2 rounds (5)

Slip stitch and fasten off, leaving a 15 cm (6 in) tail. Don't stuff. Make two, and sew one to each side of the body at round 10. Point them up for a "boo" pose, or out to the sides.

Accessories

A bow

In orange, or any colour: chain 9. Sc in the 2nd chain from the hook and in each chain across (8). Chain 1, turn, and work a second row of sc (8). Fasten off. Pinch the middle and wrap the yarn tail around it tightly several times. Sew it to the top of the head, or under the face as a bow tie.

A witch hat

In black, work in a spiral:

• R1: 4 sc in a magic ring (4)
• R2: (sc, inc) × 2 (6)
• R3: (2 sc, inc) × 2 (8)
• R4: (3 sc, inc) × 2 (10)
• R5: (4 sc, inc) × 2 (12)
• R6: in FLO, inc in each stitch around (24)

Slip stitch and fasten off. Round 6 makes the brim. Sew the hat to the head at a slight angle. Add a band by wrapping orange yarn around the base of the cone.

A pumpkin friend

Sit a ghost beside a mini pumpkin from easy crochet pumpkins for a ready-made Halloween display.

A hanging loop

Thread a 20 cm strand of white yarn or clear thread through the top of the head and knot the ends.

How to make a ghost garland

A row of ghosts across a mantel, a window or a doorway is quick to make and can come out every October.

1. Make five or seven ghosts. Odd numbers look better on a garland.
2. Cut the string. Use jute twine, or crochet a chain in black or orange yarn. Allow 20 cm between ghosts and 30 cm at each end for tying. For five ghosts, that's about 1.5 m.
3. Attach the ghosts. Thread the twine onto a large needle and pass it through the top of each head, under two or three stitches. Or tie each ghost on with a short loop of white yarn, so it hangs below the string.
4. Space them evenly, and knot the twine on each side of every ghost to stop it sliding.
5. Fill the gaps if you like, with small pumpkins, crochet stars or orange pompoms.

A stuffed ghost in cotton weighs very little, so ordinary twine and two removable hooks are enough to hold a garland.

Variations

Mini ghost

Stop increasing after round 4 (24 stitches) and work 6 plain rounds. Then work the base: in BLO, (2 sc, dec) × 6 (18), then (sc, dec) × 6 (12), stuff, dec × 6 (6). For the ruffle, work the scallop over four loops: sc in the next loop, 4 dc in the next loop, sc in the next loop, skip 1 loop. Repeat 6 times around the 24 loops. Use 5 mm eyes.

Large ghost

Add one more increase round: R6: (4 sc, inc) × 6 (36). Work 10 plain rounds. For the base: in BLO, (4 sc, dec) × 6 (30), (3 sc, dec) × 6 (24), (2 sc, dec) × 6 (18), stuff, (sc, dec) × 6 (12), dec × 6 (6). The ruffle needs a multiple of 5 loops, and 36 doesn't divide evenly, so use a six-loop scallop: sc in the next loop, skip 1 loop, 7 dc in the next loop, skip 1 loop, sc in the next loop, skip 1 loop. Repeat 6 times.

Plush ghost

Use chenille or velvet yarn and a 5 mm hook with the standard pattern. The ghost will be about 14 cm tall and very soft. Plush stitches are hard to see, so count carefully and move your marker every round.

Glow-in-the-dark ghost

Glow-in-the-dark yarn is sold for exactly this kind of project. Use it for the whole ghost, or hold a strand of glow thread together with white cotton.

Long ruffle

For a more dramatic hem, work a second round on the ruffle: slip stitch to the centre of the first scallop, then (chain 3, sc in the centre of the next scallop) around.

Different faces

• Sleepy: two short curved lines for closed eyes.
• Spooky: tall oval eyes cut from black felt, and an open oval mouth.
• Sweet: small eyes set wide apart, pink cheeks and no mouth.

Not just white

Pastel ghosts in lilac, mint and pale pink are popular for a softer Halloween look. Black eyes show on all of them.

Tips for a neat finish

• Keep your stitches tight. White shows stuffing through any gap. Go down a hook size if you can see it.
• Use white stuffing. Grey or recycled fibrefill can show through white yarn.
• Count every round. Each increase round adds six stitches, and each decrease round removes six.
• Don't lose the back-loop round. If round 14 is worked through both loops, there will be nowhere to put the ruffle.
• Use the invisible decrease. The base will be smooth and flat.
• Stuff the head well, and the base lightly. A firm top and a softer bottom help the ghost stand.
• Set the eyes low and wide. That's what makes a ghost cute and not creepy.

Common problems and fixes

I can't find the front loops for the ruffle. Look at the ghost from below. They form a ridge around the widest part of the base, where round 13 meets round 14.

The ruffle doesn't come out even. Count the loops. There should be 30. If you're one out, skip two loops instead of one, or none, in a single scallop near the end. It won't show.

The ruffle curls under. Pull it gently outwards, or hold a steam iron above it for a few seconds and shape it with your fingers.

The ghost won't stand. The base is over-stuffed and has rounded out. Press it flat against a table, or take out a little stuffing before closing.

The top is pointed. The magic ring wasn't pulled tight, or round 2 has too few stitches. Check for 12.

The eyes are uneven. Count the stitches between them, and check both are in the same round before you fit the washers.

The white looks grubby. Hand wash the finished ghost in cool water with mild soap, press it in a towel and let it dry.

Frequently asked questions

Is a crochet ghost easy for beginners? Yes. It's one piece with simple shaping. If you can single crochet in the round, you can make it.

How long does it take to crochet a ghost? About an hour for one. A garland of five is a pleasant weekend project.

How much yarn do I need? About 25 metres of DK yarn for each ghost.

What yarn is best for a crochet ghost? White cotton gives crisp stitches. Chenille makes a bigger, squishier ghost.

How do I make the wavy bottom? It's a round of scallops, 5 double crochets in one stitch with a single crochet on each side, worked into the front loops left free by a back-loop round.

Can I make it without safety eyes? Yes. Embroider the eyes with black yarn, or glue on small circles of felt for a decoration.

Can I sell ghosts made from this pattern? Yes. You're welcome to sell what you make.

More seasonal makes

• For autumn tables and mantels: easy crochet pumpkins.
• For December: crochet Christmas ornaments and the crochet snowflake pattern.
• For another quick toy: the easy crochet octopus.

There are more projects for every time of year in the seasonal section. The background to the craft is in Wikipedia's article on amigurumi.