Decorating your yard for Halloween becomes super easy and exciting with this quick tree ghost craft. You can craft a fun floating specter using basic supplies you already have around your house. It makes a wonderful outdoor Halloween decoration to hang on branches and bring spooky joy to your whole neighborhood.
Easy DIY Tree Ghost Decor
You only need an old white sheet, a simple foam ball, and a bit of clear fishing line to start. Simply wrap the fabric over the ball and secure it tight. Cut the bottom edges unevenly to give your phantom an authentic ghostly look that sways gently in the autumn breeze.
Adding personality is the best part of the process. Cut tiny black felt shapes to glue onto the front to create silly or spooky face details. Use a needle to thread a line loop right through the top of the head, allowing it to hang effortlessly from high tree limbs.
These lightweight floating phantoms are safe for kids to help assemble and look great outside. Make a whole haunted family of ghosts in just a few minutes to brighten up your spooky front lawn. They bring instant Halloween charm while keeping your seasonal crafting budget small and simple.
Project Overview
Skill Level: Absolute Beginner
Assembly Time: 3 to 5 minutes per ghost
Finished Size: Approx. 12 to 18 inches long (customizable based on fabric size)
Things that you need before crafting:
White Fabric or Sheet: An old bedsheet, muslin, or cheesecloth cut into square panels (approx. 18″ x 18″ to 24″ x 24″).
Foam Balls: Smooth craft styrofoam spheres (approx. 2.5 to 3.5 inches in diameter) to form a defined, lightweight head.
Monofilament Fishing Line: Clear, weather-resistant line for cinching the neck and creating an invisible hanging loop.
Large Needle: A thick yarn or darning needle with an eye large enough to thread the fishing line easily through the foam and sheet.
Black Felt: Craft felt scraps for cutting out custom eyes and mouth expressions.
Hot Glue Gun & Glue Sticks: For quickly securing the felt facial features to the fabric.
Craft Scissors: Sharp scissors for trimming fabric edges and detailed felt shapes.
Key Construction Features
Instant Core Structure: Uses a solid foam sphere centered beneath draped white fabric to form a smooth, rounded head.
Invisible Cinching: Secured tight at the neck using clear monofilament line, creating a pinched neckline while letting the remaining fabric drape freely.
Threaded Hanging Loop: Anchored directly through the top center of the head with a needle to allow seamless, invisible suspension from tree limbs or porch ceilings.
Custom Expressions: Finished with hand-cut black felt features hot-glued into place for classic spooky or friendly faces.
How To Make:
Step 1: Draping and Trimming the Body
Lay a square section of your white fabric flat on your workspace. Place a foam sphere directly under the center of the fabric and pull the sheet snugly over the top, allowing the excess material to fall evenly around all sides. Gather the fabric underneath the sphere to isolate the head. Using your craft scissors, trim around the bottom hem to your desired length. Keep the cuts slightly jagged and uneven to give the skirt a wispy, ragged drape when catching the wind.
Step 2: Cinching the Neckline
While holding the fabric tightly gathered around the base of the foam sphere, cut a 12-inch length of clear fishing line. Wrap the line around the gathered neck 2–3 times and tie a tight double knot to lock the head shape permanently in place. Trim any excess ends of the neck line close to the knot.
Step 3: Threading the Invisible Hanging Loop
Thread an 18-inch piece of fishing line through the eye of your large needle. Insert the needle straight down through the top center of the fabric-covered head, pushing it through both the fabric and the foam ball until it exits near the tied neck. Pull the line through, remove the needle, and bring both ends up to the top. Tie the ends together securely in a double knot to create a sturdy, invisible loop for hanging.
Step 4: Crafting and Attaching Facial Features
Using your black felt and scissors, cut out your choice of facial features—classic options include two tall ovals for eyes and an open oval for a surprised mouth. Plug in your hot glue gun and allow it to heat up. Apply a thin layer of hot glue to the back of each felt shape, then press them firmly onto the front of the ghost’s head. Hold each piece in place for 5 to 10 seconds until the adhesive cools and sets completely.
Note: If you face any hurdles in creating this project, then you can watch the tutorial here.
Step 5: Outdoor Display & Arrangement
Take your finished ghost outdoors and slip the clear hanging loop over small tree branches, porch rafters, or outdoor light fixtures. Make multiple ghosts in varying sizes to create a floating ghoul cluster across your yard!
Save this pin for future!
