Learning how to make cheesecloth ghost is not only easy, but it’s a great way to add color to your Halloween decor! Keep reading to see how you can make this budget-friendly fall DIY today!
If you love colorful Halloween decor, but want a specific color palette to match your home, then this is project is for you! I’ll show you how to make colorful cheesecloth in one easy step.
Make these cheesecloth ghosts in any color and any size, with a just few simple materials. The possibilities are endless! Here’s how:
Watch the full Cheesecloth Ghost DIY over on my Youtube Channel or keep reading for more details.
Supplies You’ll Need
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- Cheesecloth
- Mod Podge Stiffy
- Rit Dye
- Gloves
- Plastic Wrap
- Felt
- Scissors
- Hot Glue Gun
- Mixing Bowl
- Brush
You’ll also need items to create a form for your ghost. I used a balloon and random items from around my home. It just needs to be round on top and as tall as you want your ghost to be.
Michaels also has styrofoam options that might work.
Tips for Cutting Cheesecloth
I love this project because you don’t have to worry about cutting a straight line. In fact, any imperfections with your cut will just add to the overall spooky factor.
I cut pieces roughly 20″ x 20″. Your size might vary based on the size of your form. Order some extra cheesecloth so you can make a test piece to get the sizing right.
I used 4 pieces of cheesecloth for each ghost. Two colorful pieces and two solid white pieces.
Variations of DIY Cheesecloth Ghost
- For more traditional Halloween decor, use black cheesecloth underneath instead of color
- Add twinkle lights underneath for a warm glow
- Add sticks to your form to give your ghost arms
What Glue to Use to Make Cheesecloth Ghost
While there are alternate options out there, I found Mod Podge Stiffy to work great for making cheesecloth ghosts. It cleans up easily and gives you plenty of time to work with the fabric and shape exactly how you want your ghost to look.
To use: pour into a bowl and add your fabric one sheet at a time. Make sure to fully coat your cheesecloth. Gloves are very helpful for this project!
How to Dye Cheesecloth
To make your cheesecloth ghosts colorful, you’ll add a small dye solution to your fabric stiffiner.
Mix 1 tablespoon of hot water (140°F and above) with 1-2 tablespoons of dye and stir. Keep in mind that because you are mixing this dye with white, and that it will lighten. You don’t want to add too much liquid to your stiffener or it will water it down, making the end result less stiff.
Pour dye solution into your fabric stiffener and stir until the color is completely uniform. It helps to add a little color at a time so you don’t accidentally make it the wrong shade.
Adding color to this DIY is completely optional! If you don’t want color, just omit the dye and you can follow the process exactly the same.
Be sure to check out my book Colorful Living!! to help you form a color palette for this project (and more!)
How to Make a Cheesecloth Ghost
Now it’s time to bring it all together!
To keep everything from sticking, I covered my form and my surface area with plastic wrap.
Mix your fabric stiffener and dye solution together in a bowl. Add your fabric one sheet at a time. Squeeze out the excess and then drape the cheesecloth over your form. Take the time to form the fabric how you want it. The way you leave it to dry will be the end result.
I used two sheets of the colorful cheesecloth for the base. I let everything dry for 24 hours and then went back in to add 2 pieces of the white cheesecloth. Then I let that dry for another 24 hours. The more time you could give it, the better!
To make eyes: cut two circles out of felt and secure in place with a touch of hot glue.
And that’s how you make cheesecloth ghost! If you give this Halloween craft a try, please be sure to tag me. I can’t wait to see your colorful creations!
Related:
Check out the blog archives for more easy Halloween craft projects!