Make a Big Cheesecloth Ghost for Halloween

Looking back over five years of blogging, I can add more input to previous posts with the advantage of hindsight and experience.

So today, I’m revisiting the time we made cheesecloth ghosts, an easy Halloween craft to engage the grandkids. Our ghosts in 2023 were tabletop ones, but I wondered…could we use the same technique to make an almost life-size version?

So, I tried. And I did.

My new ghost is 56 inches tall. It will not withstand moisture so you have to bring the ghost in at night and any time it rains, or just use it to decorate indoors.

I’m making these ghosts early because I’m taking my own advice about prepping ahead for the holidays. I want to enjoy the time without rushing around at the last minute, as I tend to do.

Check out my updated post with instructions for making a big ghost HERE.

Ghostly Challenges

I found that making the larger ghost is a little more cumbersome than the tabletop ones because you’re dealing with so much more fabric. And cheesecloth is very flimsy.

The ghost requires three layers of cheesecloth. It’s helpful to cut the layers and set them aside before assembly.

Cheesecloth Tips

• You don’t need squares of cheesecloth; rectangles will do to make these ghosts. The sides don’t have to be as long as the front, because you’ll alternate the layers, putting the long side front to back for the first layer, then side to side for the second layer, then front to back again for the third layer. This will give you complete coverage.
• The cheesecloth I bought for $13.99 was 39.37 inches X 393.7 inches (or 10.9 yards). It was enough to make one large ghost and some tabletop ones. You don’t want cheesecloth narrower than 39 inches wide because the ghost will be too skimpy.
• Cheesecloth is so flimsy that it’s hard to cut. Scrunch the cheesecloth in one hand where you want to make the cut, and cut through the scrunch with sharp scissors. Ragged cuts are okay. These are ghosts, after all.

For complete instructions for making the big cheesecloth ghost, check out this updated post. And while you’re at it, why not make some tabletop ghosts, too? They’re a lot easier to craft because of their smaller size.

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