How to Make Cheesecloth Ghosts for Halloween

If you want a Halloween decoration that looks far more impressive than the effort it takes, cheesecloth ghosts are a great place to start. They are light, floaty and a little bit eerie, and they hang beautifully over a doorway, from a mantel or along a covered porch. All you need is a few basic supplies and a day for them to dry.

This researched guide uses a rounded form and fabric stiffener to shape the cloth. Amanda has not personally made or tested this project. The images are AI-created illustrations, not process photographs. Make one small sample before preparing a group; coverage, drying and stiffness depend on the actual cloth, form and stiffener.

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For a manufacturer-demonstrated alternative, see Plaid’s fabric-stiffener ghost project. Its small, covered bottle form is an option if you want to avoid balloons. Follow the instructions for the particular stiffener you use.

What You Will Need

• Cheesecloth: Open weave white cheesecloth gives you the soft, gauzy look. Measure the cloth over your actual form before cutting. For two layers, use two separately cut pieces rather than folding a square into a narrow rectangle. White cheesecloth
• Liquid fabric stiffener: This is what turns soft fabric into a shape that holds. Fabric stiffener
• White latex balloons: Use one inflated only as large as your cloth can cover, or use a small rounded non-balloon form. White balloons
• Clear disposable gloves: The stiffener is slippery and clings to everything, so gloves keep your hands clean. Clear vinyl gloves
• Plastic drop cloth: Tape one over your table so drips wipe away or get tossed. Plastic drop cloth
• Black felt sheets: Cut small ovals for the eyes and mouth. Black felt
• Craft glue: A tacky glue holds the felt in place once the ghost is dry. Tacky glue
• Scissors: Sharp fabric scissors cut both the cheesecloth and the felt cleanly. Fabric scissors
• Clear fishing line: It hangs the ghosts so they look like they are floating. Fishing line
• Flameless LED tea lights (optional): For a tabletop arrangement, place one on a stable surface beneath the ghost. Do not hang its weight from the cloth. Flameless tea lights
• A shallow bowl: Any wide bowl you already own is perfect for soaking the cheesecloth.
• A sturdy cup or small jar: Use one to hold each balloon upright while the ghost dries.
• A sewing needle: You will use it to thread the fishing line through the top of each ghost.

Before You Start

Give yourself a work surface you do not mind getting sticky. A plastic drop cloth taped down works well, and so does a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Put on your gloves before you handle the stiffener, since it is slippery and tends to cling to everything it touches.

Start with one small form and a dry cloth trial. Drape a piece over the form in both directions and check the desired drop. Mark and cut only after checking coverage. Repeat for a separate second layer if wanted. A 24 inch square folded in half becomes a 12 by 24 inch rectangle, so it cannot provide equal coverage on every side of a large balloon.

Step 1: Cut and Soak the Cheesecloth

Secure your rounded form so it cannot roll. Dry-drape the cloth first and adjust the form size or cloth size until it covers the head and hangs as intended. For two layers, lay one separate piece over the other without halving their width. Remove the cloth for stiffening. Balloon fragments are a choking hazard; adults should handle inflation and removal and collect every fragment. Use a balloon-free form where latex exposure is a concern.

Pour some liquid fabric stiffener into a shallow bowl, drop the cheesecloth in, and press it down until every thread is saturated. Lift it out and squeeze off the extra liquid with your gloved hand. It should feel wet and heavy, but it should not drip.

Step 2: Drape the Cheesecloth Over the Balloon

Set the balloon on top of a sturdy cup or a small jar so it sits upright and does not roll. Lay the soaked cheesecloth over the balloon like a little blanket. Let the edges fall naturally around the cup and gently pull and pinch the fabric so you get a few soft points and waves along the bottom. Those uneven edges are what make the ghost look like it is floating.

Keep the cloth continuous across the top rather than leaving a weak opening for a hanger. If you want raised arms, support those areas on a protected form while drying; unsupported wet folds will droop.

Step 3: Let It Dry Completely

Move the whole setup somewhere out of the way and leave it alone. Depending on the humidity in your home, drying usually takes anywhere from overnight to a full day. The cheesecloth is ready when it feels stiff and dry to the touch and no longer has any cool, damp spots.

Follow the stiffener label for drying conditions and allow extra time when needed. Do not rush this step, because a ghost that is still damp can slump when you lift it off the form.

Step 4: Pop the Balloon and Add the Face

Once the cheesecloth is fully stiff, pop the balloon with a pin or the tip of your scissors and gently lift the balloon out through the bottom. The ghost will hold its shape on its own. If a few edges are floppy, you can lightly brush them with a little extra stiffener and let them dry again.

For the eyes and mouth, black felt cut into ovals looks crisp and is easy to glue on. A black marker works too if you prefer a quick, hand drawn look. Simple oval eyes and a small round mouth read as classic and a little spooky, and a slightly crooked mouth gives your ghost a bit of personality.

Step 5: Add a Hanger and a Soft Glow

For an unlit hanging ghost, pass the hanger through several intact threads at the crown rather than a single loose strand, and check the attachment gently at low height. If it distorts or tears, use the ghost as a tabletop decoration. For light, choose a tabletop arrangement with a battery-powered LED resting independently on the surface beneath the ghost. Do not suspend a tea light or battery pack from the cloth. Keep battery compartments secured and follow the light manufacturer’s instructions. Never use a real flame.

Hanging ghosts at different heights makes the group look more natural. Try one long drop and two shorter ones, and let the fishing line stay nearly invisible against the background.

Where to Hang Your Ghosts

• A covered porch or entry: Prefer a dry indoor entry. Use outdoors only if the stiffener and hanging materials are suitable for those conditions; a roof does not prevent humidity or wind-driven rain.
• A mantel or bookshelf: Hang a small ghost from a curtain rod or a shelf edge to float above your other Halloween decor.
• A dining room chandelier: Use an independently supported display away from the light fitting. Do not attach cloth or line to a chandelier, bulb or electrical cord.
• A doorway: Tie several ghosts at different heights across the top of a doorway for a spooky welcome.

Keep cloth away from heaters and active fireplaces. Keep loops out of reach of children and pets, and leave doors and walkways clear.

Tips for Better Cheesecloth Ghosts

• Use two layers for a fuller look: A single layer can look thin and may tear when you lift it off the form. Two layers give you a soft look with more strength.
• Vary the sizes: Mix small, medium and large balloons so your group of ghosts looks like a little floating family.
• Keep the edges uneven: Ragged, wavy edges look more ghostly than a neat square hem.
• Store them gently: After Halloween, nest the ghosts inside each other in a box with tissue paper so they keep their shape for next year.

Keep the Halloween Decorating Going

Once your ghosts are up, a paper bat garland in a nearby window pairs nicely with them. If you are planning a get together, my guide to a grown-up Halloween party has ideas for making the whole room feel cohesive. I can’t wait to see how yours turn out.