How To: Make a Ghost Decoration

For this fun and environmentally friendly spooky Halloween decoration project, you will need just a few simple materials. You will need a piece of white cloth at least 24" square. This can be an old t-shirt, an old sheet, or pillowcase. While bright white will show up best at night and under black lights, dingy cloth will work just as well and give a spookier feel during daylight hours or when the decorations will otherwise be brightly lit.

In addition to the cloth for the main body, you will need enough old rags, newspapers, plastic bags, etc to stuff the "head" portion of the ghost and make it round. An old shoelace may be used as the hanger, or an unbent wire clothes hanger will also work. Finally, old black buttons and soda bottle caps (painted black) may be used for eyes, or the facial features can just be painted on. If you want to use caps or buttons, you will need glue. The "neck" can be cinched with needle and thread, a white twist tie or just with glue.

Start by making the edges of the cloth look as tattered as possible. Do this by clipping random threads with scissors and pulling them out. You can also make small incisions and tear the edges of the fabric away. Lay the cloth out flat and grab the middle section in a circle, creating a pouch. This will be the head. Cut a small hole in the center for the hanger. Tie one end of the shoelace in a large knot. Slide the other end through the pouch from the inside out until the knot is reached. For the wire, twist one end into a large loop instead of a knot. Follow the remaining steps the same as for the shoelace.

Next you need to create the fullness of the head by balling up the paper/rags/bags and stuffing them into the pouch you've created. If you prefer a more flowing ghost instead of one with a small neck, use a plastic grocery bag to stuff the rags into and glue this to the top of the pouch. Otherwise, once the head is stuffed, twist cloth just under stuffing and secure as explained in paragraph one.

Finally, glue items on for the eyes and mouth of the face or paint two medium circles for eyes and 1 large oval for the mouth.