DIY Halloween Ghosts With Vintage Doilies

LEARN HOW TO MAKE DIY HALLOWEEN GHOSTS USING VINTAGE DOILIES OR FABRIC. A BUDGET-FRIENDLY, EASY CRAFT TO GET INTO THE HALLOWEEN SPIRIT!

Recently, I saw a cute ghost DIY project that was made using cheesecloth. It was such a cute idea that I wanted to recreate my own version of it.

For my DIY Ghost decorations, I used old doilies, but you could use just about any type of fabric that you have on hand. Doilies are very inexpensive and easy to find at the thrift store, which is where I got mine.

However, you can also buy them new in stores. The crocheted type works best for this craft.

The size of the doilies or fabric doesn’t really matter. You can create a setup to match using simple materials you have around the house.

This is an easy Halloween craft, so have fun with it!

Materials needed for diy halloween ghosts

Balloons (can also use a foil ball)
Foil
Liquid Starch
Doilies (or any fabric scraps)
Mason Jars
Assorted cups/ramekins/dishes
Felt or black paper for eyes (optional)

Because these cute little ghosts are made using liquid starch, once Halloween is over, you can reuse the doilies. Just throw them in the washing machine!

creating the form for your ghosts

First, you’ll need to set up your form. This is what the doily (or fabric) will drape over, so it’s helpful to make it about the same height as your doily when draped.

For my first ghost, I used a small mason jar. I pressed a rolled-up piece of aluminum foil around the neck. The point of this is to give your ghost “arms”. This part is optional, but it looks cuter with them.

For the ghost head, I used a balloon because I wanted a smooth surface. Other options for the head would be a foil ball or a rolled-up plastic bag.

You will need something waterproof, so something like tissue paper won’t work unless you cover it with plastic wrap.

Once you have your form set up, place it onto a plate, an old cutting board, or on top of parchment paper to protect your surface from drips. Even if any does spill, liquid starch cleans up with water.

Attaching the fabric

Now, pour liquid starch into a large bowl.

Then place your doily into the bowl and swish it around until it is soaked. I let mine sit for about 5 minutes.

Next, remove the doily from the liquid starch and wring it out so it isn’t dripping.

Now drape it over your form.

Above, you can see my doily is uneven on the bottom. You’ll have to adjust so that it’s even around the bottom. I also went around the fabric and created folds so it looks more like a ghost.

My second doily was smaller, so for that form, I stacked a few ramekins. For the foil arms, I tucked those in between the top two ramekins, which helped them stay in place better.

It’s also helpful if your balloon fits very snugly into the cup or dish. It will stay more stable that way.

Here are my three ghost forms. The liquid starch took about 6-8 hours to dry fully.

Once they are fully dry and stiff, you can remove them from the forms. For some reason, my smallest ghost form didn’t come out quite right. Either the balloon moved or deflated a bit, so I threw that doily into the wash.

Embellishing the ghosts

For the eyes, I used black construction paper, which I attached with a rolled-up piece of tape – very old school! I didn’t want anything permanent since these doilies can be reused later. You could use black felt or fabric, whatever you have handy.

how-to-make-a-fabric-ghost-using-a-doliy

If you wanted to turn this into a hanging ghost, that would be very easy to do with doilies. Just loop a piece of string or ribbon through the openings. Or take that idea up a notch and make a bunch of ghosts and string them into a garland.

I also wanted to light my ghosts. To do that, I put a set of battery-operated glimmer string lights underneath. I ended up keeping the mason jar under the big ghost so that I could distribute the lights without it getting caught in the fabric.

Obviously, because these are made of fabric and starch, using a real candle would be dangerous. A flameless candle would be a good alternative if you don’t have any small strands of battery-operated lights.

More ideas for diy halloween ghosts

Aren’t they the cutest? They’re fun because they’re such an easy Halloween craft, not tedious at all. They’re a cute way to get into the Halloween spirit, and they’re easy enough for kids to make.

These would be adorable on your Halloween mantel. Or get more creative and add them to your Halloween wreaths, or create a haunted house around them. The options are endless.