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Cheesecloth ghost
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4.67 from 12 votes

Cheesecloth Ghost

Making a ghost out of cheesecloth is really easy with fabric stiffener! Learn how to do it in any size you like.
Prep Time30 minutes
Active Time45 minutes
Dry Time1 day
Total Time1 day 1 hour 15 minutes
Yield: 1 ghost
Cost: $5

Equipment

Materials

  • Cheesecloth
  • Mod Podge Stiffy or other fabric stiffener
  • Aluminum foil
  • Wax paper
  • Styrofoam ball
  • Old coffee creamer bottle - with top removed
  • Glow in the dark paint optional
  • Black Sharpie or cardstock optional
  • Drop cloth optional

Instructions

  • Tear a piece of wax paper off of the roll and place over the ball. Twist the end and set aside.
    Styrofoam ball covered in wax paper
  • Tear off two feet of foil and wrap into a tube. Cover the tube with wax paper so that the stiffener doesn't stick to it. These will be the arms (you can add more foil to make the arms longer).
    Covering the aluminum foil roll with wax paper
  • Twist the ends of the arms so they don't come unraveled. Bend in the middle and stick into the coffee container. Shape so the arms don't come out and they stay straight.
    Mold to make a ghost
  • Place the head on top of the container with the twisted portion down inside.
    Hand placing a ball on top of the ghost mold
  • Cut three lengths of cheesecloth (about 18", or to cover your mold) using the scissors. Before cutting, check to make sure the pieces will be long enough to cover the mold.
    Cutting cheesecloth with a pair of scissors
  • Place in a bowl and squeeze fabric stiffener on top to cover. Coat the cheesecloth thoroughly with stiffener. You want enough to get it pretty wet without making it "stiffener soup."
    Two hands pressing cheesecloth into the fabric stiffener in a bowl
  • Pick out one piece of cloth at a time and squeeze out excess stiffener. Drape over the top of the mold. You'll see that the ends curl naturally quite nicely. It's pretty lightweight so your mold should hold it easily.
    First layer of cheesecloth draped over the mold
  • Repeat with the second and third pieces of cheesecloth, arranging them slightly differently as you place to cover areas that you didn't get before. Let dry overnight.
    Second layer of cheesecloth draped over the mold
  • Remove the mold from the bottom of the ghost. You can help assist with the process using a hair dryer if needed. Make sure all parts are completely dry before displaying.
    Third layer of cheesecloth draped over the mold
  • Paint with glow in the dark paint and add eyes and a mouth if desired!
    Glowing cheesecloth ghost

Video

Notes

If you find there is a lot of excess Stiffy in the cheesecloth, squeeze some of it out into the bowl. You want it pretty soaked, but it doesn't need to be dripping. That will just take longer to dry.
If you find it's not drying in some areas, let the top dry more and then move it as soon as you can to help (because sometimes the fabric stiffener pools as it dries and the base stays especially wet).