How to make a ghostly garland from cheesecloth for Halloween

Spring in Australia gives Halloween an unusual twist — longer evenings, jacarandas coming into bloom across the inner-west suburbs of Sydney, and warm Brisbane nights where string lights glow on the back patio well past bedtime. While the Northern Hemisphere pairs the season with crunchy leaves, Aussie households often put decorations up in October and leave them shining through to early November. A handmade ghost garland fits that stretched window, costing only a few dollars if you shop at Spotlight or raid the bargain aisle at Kmart.

Cheesecloth is the soft, gauzy fabric that gives these ghosts their drifting look. Australian haberdashery departments sometimes label it butter muslin, and a roll runs roughly six to ten dollars. The loose weave drapes like cloth from a haunted wedding dress, which is exactly what you want when a breeze lifts the strand off the verandah. The supply list is short and the steps are forgiving, so this craft suits children from about age six upward, with adults covering the cutting and knot-tying.

The real delight comes once each ghost gets a face. One ends up bashful, another grumpy, a third with a crooked grin. Families printing themed placemats for the kids' table often find a quiet handcraft station keeps pre-dinner chaos under control. Set the cheesecloth shapes to dry on a washing line near the back door so the children can watch their work flutter while they play.

By the end of an afternoon you will have a strand of cheerful spectres that costs less than a block of chocolate and lasts many seasons. The whole project doubles as a rainy-day distraction during school holidays or a Melbourne weekend trapped indoors by a southerly buster. Set aside an hour per ten ghosts, lay down a drop sheet, and gather the family around the bench.

Gathering the materials

Most of what you need is probably already in the house. You will need a roll of cheesecloth (sometimes labelled butter muslin at Spotlight and occasionally "gauze" at discount chains), black permanent markers in fine and medium tips, sharp scissors, and a length of twine or thin fishing line.

For extra details, raid the linen cupboard — scraps of lace, ribbon offcuts, and odd buttons all add character. A small bowl of watered-down PVA glue acts as a stiffener if you want the ghosts to hold crisp folds rather than collapse into cotton rags. A piece of florist wire shaped into a circle makes a handy drying stand.

Lay a drop sheet across the bench before starting; cheesecloth bleeds dye when wet and a rolling marker stains tiles fast. Wooden clothespins or small bulldog clips make the drying stage easier. Stocking up properly means you can branch into pumpkin spice recipes the same week without another shop run.

Shaping the ghosts

Cut the cheesecloth into squares roughly thirty centimetres across — the ghosts shrink a touch once the fabric relaxes, so resist trimming smaller. Lay each square flat and pinch the four corners together at the top, forming a loose hood shape. Twist the gathered neck two or three times to lock the head in place.

A short piece of string or a rubber band around the neck keeps everything tidy while the form dries. Some makers thread a wooden bead underneath the binding to suggest a head, others leave the soft peak in place. Both approaches work, but the bead version photographs better under porch lights.

Lay each shape onto the florist wire stand or clip it to a clothesline near an open window. The first hour is fragile — resist poking because the fibres pill when rubbed while still damp. After about four hours the ghosts hold their shape but usually need an overnight rest before facial details go on. A quick tutorial from a wedelf resource shows a slightly different ghost style worth a look before starting.

Drawing the faces

Permanent markers are the simplest route for kids. The medium tip works well for round eyes, the fine tip for mouth lines. Hold each ghost by the neck binding while drawing and steady the body against the bench so the fabric does not bunch. Classic expressions include two round eyes with a small "o" mouth, or a droopy eye paired with a wavy line for an extra-mournful look.

Watered-down black acrylic with a cotton bud gives the ghosts a gentler presence under fairy lights and is harder for toddlers to smudge. Let the paint set for at least thirty minutes before handling. While the faces dry, grown-ups can keep the kitchen smelling the part by brewing a slow pot of pumpkin spice on the stove.

Some families write a small initial on the back of each binding so kids recognise their handiwork when the strand comes back out next October. A dry-erase marker on the kitchen whiteboard helps plan designs before any fabric is touched.

Stringing the garland

Measure the hanging spot before cutting any twine — a beam across a Brunswick fibro garage, a Sydney apartment balcony railing, or a Brisbane backyard pergola. Cut the twine slightly longer than the span so you can knot loops at each end.

Slide the ghosts on by pushing the neck binding up through the strand, then securing with a half hitch just below the head. Spacing of about fifteen centimetres works for most indoor ceilings, while wider spacing reads better outdoors where the strand is viewed from further back.

For a layered effect, drape a second shorter strand below the main one and stagger the ghosts so eyes peek through the gaps. Twinkle lights woven between figures lift the display once the sun drops. Adults hosting a quiet evening while trick-or-treaters call in sometimes check roulette bonus tips between candy handovers.

Choosing the best hanging spot

An outdoor strand catches the breeze nicely but suffers in the rain, so under a verandah or alfresco area is the Aussie sweet spot. Indoors, the best spots are above a doorway, along the top of a bookshelf, or trailing down a stairwell where descending movement suggests floating.

Layer two or three short strands rather than one long one if the display runs from the front hall to the back deck. The eye reads the ghosts as a crowd rather than a queue. Match the strand to themed placemats with puzzles by keeping the palette neutral — cheesecloth is naturally cream, so the rest of the décor can be black, orange, or muted green.

Avoid hanging directly above food prep areas where dye drips or dust could be an issue. Bedrooms and hallways read better and let the kids drift off watching their work sway above the doorframe.

Storing until next year

When the decorations come down, fold each ghost around its own binding and stack them in a labelled shoebox. A pinch of dried lavender in the box keeps the fabric smelling fresh. Slip personalized-christmas-address-labels on the storage boxes themselves and you avoid any guessing when November rolls back around.

Most cheesecloth ghosts survive four or five seasons if stored dry and out of direct sunlight. The faces fade a touch, which actually deepens the haunted look. Refresh the strand with one or two new shapes each year so the collection evolves rather than looking identical every October.

If a ghost tears, repurpose the cloth as lavender sachet stuffing or wrap it around a twig bundle for a winter decoration. The natural fibre has plenty of life left after the Halloween gig is done.

Pick a Saturday morning, message the kids, and lay the cheesecloth on the bench before the weekend begins — once the garland is strung and the markers are uncapped, the rest of the afternoon sorts itself out.