Mini Crochet Ghost
This mini crochet ghost is a tiny white amigurumi with a round head, two little arms and a wavy sheet that flares out at the hem. The head, arms and body are one piece, and the sheet is crocheted straight onto the body, so there's no sewing at all. You'll need white DK cotton, scraps of black and pink, a 2.5 mm hook and about an hour.
Key Takeaways
- One piece plus a sheet: head, arms and body are worked together, then the sheet grows from the free front loops of the body.
- The arms take two seconds: a 6-chain worked back in slip stitches, right in the middle of a round.
- The wavy hem is all in one round: taller and shorter stitches make it rise, dip and flare.
- No sewing: the face is embroidered, and nothing needs to be joined.
Why I love this little ghost
He's the friendliest Halloween ghost I know: a round head, two stubby arms reaching out, and a sheet that swirls as if he's floating past. The magic is in the last round of the sheet. It mixes single, half double and double crochet, so the hem rises into a ruffle on one side and dips into a little pinch on the other.
It's also a perfect batch make. One ghost takes about an hour, uses only a few yards of white, and a handful of them on a shelf or a garland is pure October.
Skill level. Easy. You need a magic ring, sc, inc and dec, hdc and dc, one round in the back loops only, and a standing single crochet to start the sheet. I explain each one where you need it.
More Halloween minis? My crochet skull keychain and crochet Frankenstein keychain are the same size and use the same yarn.
What you'll need
Yarn (DK #3 cotton)
| Color | Used for | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| White | Head, arms, body, sheet | about 17 yd |
| Black | Eyes, mouth | a scrap, about 1 yd |
| Pink | Cheeks | a scrap |
- I like Ricorumi DK, a soft cotton that comes in small balls, which is ideal for minis like this one. Any DK cotton works: check your size against the gauge below.
- I've worked the white out from the stitch count, with tails. It's an estimate.
Hook
- 2.5 mm. Small for DK, so the fabric is firm and the stuffing doesn't show.
Notions
- A little fiberfill, 2 stitch markers, a tapestry needle and scissors.
Gauge
Gauge isn't critical. Crochet tightly enough that the stuffing doesn't show between the stitches. With DK cotton and a 2.5 mm hook, that's about 6 sc per inch (2.5 cm). At that tension, the ghost should come out about 2¼ in (5.5 cm) tall, with a head about 1 in (2.5 cm) across and a hem about 2 in (5 cm) across. Those sizes are estimates, so measure yours.
Abbreviations (US crochet terms)
- MR: magic ring
- ch: chain
- sc: single crochet
- hdc: half double crochet
- dc: double crochet
- sl st: slip stitch
- inc: 2 sc in the same st
- dc-inc: 2 dc in the same st
- dec: single crochet 2 together (the invisible decrease, through the front loops, is neatest)
- BLO: back loop only
- R: round
- st(s): stitch(es)
Work in continuous spiral rounds. Don't join, and move your marker up at the start of each round. The number in parentheses at the end of each round is the stitch count.
How the ghost is built
Here's the whole thing in one sentence. The ghost starts with a magic ring at the top of the head, gets two slip-stitch arms in R7, widens a little for the body and closes at the bottom; then the sheet is worked downward from the body. One round in the back loops (R10) leaves a row of free front loops all around the body. That row is where the sheet starts, so it hangs down over the closed bottom like a little skirt.
The pattern, step by step
Part 1: The head and the arms
Make 1, in white. Stuff a little as you go, once the head is deep enough.
- R1: MR, 6 sc in the ring. (6) Pull the ring closed tight. This is the top of the head.
- R2: inc × 6. (12)
- R3: (sc, inc) × 6. (18)
- R4–R6: sc around. (18) 3 rounds.
R7 with the arms. Each arm is made in the middle of the round: ch 6, sl st in the 2nd ch from the hook and in each of the next 4 ch. That's 5 sl sts back along the chain, and the little arm sticks straight out. Then carry on with the next sc in the round, in the next st of R6.
- R7: sc 5, arm, sc 8, arm, sc 5. (18) The arms aren't counted: R7 still has 18 sts to work into.
The 8 sts between the arms are the front of the ghost. The other 10 sts, across the step where the rounds meet, are the back.
Part 2: The body, the face and the closing
In R8, keep the arms on the outside of the work and only crochet into the 18 body sts.
- R8: (sc 5, inc) × 3. (21)
- R9: sc around. (21)
Don't go on yet. Stuff the head firmly through the opening and shape it round.
Face. The opening is still wide, so you can start and end every thread inside. Find center front first: the 8 sts between the arms are the front, so put a pin on R5, straight above the gap between the 4th and 5th of those 8 sts.
- Eyes. With black, make one small eye on each side of the pin, on R5, 2 sts away from it. That's 4 sts between the two eyes. For each eye, work 3 short vertical straight stitches side by side over 1 st, one round tall.
- Mouth. With black, make a tiny V on R6, centered under the pin: 2 short stitches that meet at the bottom.
- Cheeks. With pink, make 2 short horizontal straight stitches on R6, just below and outside each eye.
Pull every thread just snug and take the ends inside through the opening.
- R10: in BLO, (sc, dec) × 7. (14) The free front loops of R9 stay on the outside: the sheet will start there.
- R11: dec × 7. (7) Top up the stuffing first, so the body is firm.
Fasten off, leaving a 6 in (15 cm) tail. Thread it through the front loop of each of the 7 sts and pull tight to close the hole. Hide the end inside.
Part 3: The wavy sheet
Hold the ghost upside down. You'll work into the free front loops of R9, the row of loops left on the outside of the body by R10.
Standing sc. Make a slip knot on your hook. Insert the hook into the first free front loop of R9 at the back of the ghost, under the step where the rounds meet, yarn over, pull up a loop, yarn over and pull through both loops. That's the first sc of R1, attached with no slip stitch.
- R1: (sc 6, inc) × 3. (24) The standing sc counts as the first sc.
- R2–R3: sc around. (24) 2 rounds. The sheet hangs down over the closed bottom.
- R4: (sc 3, inc) × 6. (30)
- R5: sc 11, hdc 2, dc, dc-inc, dc, hdc, sc, sl st 2, sc, hdc, dc, dc-inc × 5, dc, hdc. (36) The stitches grow taller, drop to the 2 sl sts, then flare into a ruffle with the five dc-incs.
- R6: hdc, sc 5. (6) Stop here, partway around: these 6 sts smooth out the step at the end of the ruffle.
Fasten off with an invisible finish: cut the yarn, pull it through the last st, thread it on the needle, pass it under both loops of the next st and back down into the last st you made. Hide the end inside the sheet.
Pinch the wave. Pinch the hem at the 2 sl sts of R5 between your fingers so the hem dips there and the ruffle stands out. If you want the dip to stay, sew one small stitch through the fold with white yarn.
Safety. This little ghost has no plastic or metal parts, but at about 2¼ in tall it's small. Keep it away from children under 3, or make the bigger worsted version below for a toddler.
Make it yours — quick variations
| Variation | Change from base pattern |
|---|---|
| Keychain or ornament | Before closing, thread a short chain through the top of the head and knot it inside, then add a split ring or a ribbon. |
| Bigger ghost | Use worsted yarn and a 3.5 mm hook: the ghost comes out about a third bigger. |
| Glow ghost | Work the sheet in a glow-in-the-dark yarn of the same weight. |
| Pastel ghost | Lilac, mint or blush pink instead of white, with the same black face. |
| Ghost garland | Make five, and sew each one to a cotton cord by the top of the head. |
| Spooky face | For a scarier ghost: two grey ovals in satin stitch for the eyes, a taller grey oval for an open mouth, and pink cheeks. |
Troubleshooting the three things that go wrong
The arms are floppy
The slip stitches along the chain are too loose. Work them firmly, and pull the arm straight once R7 is done. Thinner arms are part of the look, but they shouldn't curl.
The sheet doesn't hang straight
The standing sc started in the wrong round. Check that the sheet starts in the free front loops of R9, the ones left outside by the back-loop round. Starting higher pulls the sheet up over the arms.
The ruffle looks flat
R5 needs its taller stitches. Count the five dc-incs near the end of R5, then pinch the dip at the two sl sts so the ruffle stands out.
Frequently asked questions
How long does this ghost take? About an hour: 25 minutes for the head and arms, 15 for the body and face, 20 for the sheet. Give yourself a little longer for the first one.
Can I use acrylic yarn? Yes, any DK yarn works. Cotton gives crisper stitches and a neater ruffle, and acrylic is a little fluffier.
Can I sell ghosts made from this pattern? Yes, you're welcome to sell finished ghosts made from this free pattern at markets, on Etsy or as gifts. Please credit "Pattern by Wavode" in your listing and link back to this page. What you can't do is republish this write-up or my photos as your own pattern.
Related patterns on Wavode
- Crochet skull keychain: a round white skull with a long stitched smile.
- Crochet Frankenstein keychain: a mini green monster head with tiny bolts.
- Ghost cat crochet keychain: a plush velvet ghost with cat ears.
- Mini vampire amigurumi: a tiny Dracula with a cape and a bow tie.
- Pumpkin keychain: a ribbed mini pumpkin in about an hour.
Made a mini ghost? Tag #wavodecrochet on Pinterest. I re-pin every finished make and credit the maker.
Pattern by Clara Hartwell for Wavode. Questions? Email me at support@wavode.com.
