Cheesecloth ghosts are a well-loved part of my childhood memories. Today, weāre going big (literally) by making large ghosts using just a few items and your imagination!
CHEESECLOTH GHOSTS:
When I was a child, my Mom made miniature ghosts every year to give away to friends and neighbors. I remember her excitement at creating something unique and new with every creation, and I am lucky to have my own collection of her āghostiesā!Ā This year, I wanted to try to make home decor-sized cheesecloth ghosties – and the result is this blog post with a full set of instructions and lots of tips and tricks!
SUPPLIES NEEDED:
- Foam balls – “various sizes available here”
- Cheesecloth
- Vase or jar
- Plaid Stiffy Fabric Stiffener
- Spray bottle
- Cooking spray (optional)
- Sticks (optional)
NOTE: You could also use a balloon instead of a foam ball (see below).
HOW TO MAKE CHEESECLOTH GHOSTS:
1. Use a foam ball and a vase/jar to create the form of your ghost. You CAN use a balloon for the head, just be careful when applying Stiffy to the ghost. I tried a balloon, and it popped under the weight of the cheesecloth once it got wet.
2. Want to add arms? Press a stick into each side at the base of the foam ball.
3. To make clean-up easier, use cooking spray to coat the vase/jar.
4. Unroll cheesecloth (do not unfold yet) and drape across form. Make sure cheesecloth reaches to the ground on both sides, then cut.
5. Unfold cheesecloth and drape over form. Make sure cheesecloth pools at the base of the form – when the ghost hardens this ābaseā will allow the ghost to stand upright.
6. Pour Stiffy in to spray bottle. If it is too thick to spray, add a small amount of water and shake well. NOTE: You CAN soak the cheesecloth in Stiffy instead of using the spray, but with such a large piece of cheesecloth, be prepared for a bit of a mess! :) See tips and tricks below for more info.
7. Spray Stiffy over the entire form until cheesecloth is fully wet. In this case, more is better! You are probably going to have to repeat this process at least once, so donāt get too worried that youāve missed a spot in the beginning.
8. Let dry (depending on temperature/humidity/etc, times vary). Test the stiffness of the form and reapply Stiffy as needed until the form feels sturdy enough to stand on its own.
9. Gently remove the ghost form (it may stick a little to the foam ball) and display!
CHECK OUT OUR INSTAGRAM REEL BELOW TO SEE A QUICK VIDEO OF THIS PROJECT!
TIPS AND TRICKS
Looking to make your ghosts a little āfriendlierā? Cut eyes out of black felt and adhere to your ghost once it has fully hardened.
Want to make miniature cheesecloth ghosts? You can use mini liquor bottles and ping pong balls/wood beads. Since it is such a small piece of cheesecloth you should soak the material in Stiffy rather than using a spray bottle. They will dry much harder/stiffer and will last multiple years!
DO NOT keep the large ghosts outside – especially if you live in a humid area. We took these photos on the front porch and then (of course) got distracted and left them out there overnight. When we opened the door in the morning, they had both deflated! Ha! Display these INSIDE!
IF YOU WANT SOME GLOW-IN-DARK PUMPKINS TO GO ALONG WITH YOUR CHEESECLOTH GHOSTS, THEN CHECK OUT OUR PROJECT BELOW!
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