Easy Crochet Ghost with a Witch Hat for Halloween

This is one of the friendliest first amigurumi projects there is, because the ghost doesn't need closing up: it's a little dome of single crochet with a wavy hem that floats open at the bottom. A pointed witch hat on top makes it a Halloween piece. Make a few for a keychain, a headband or a garland.

Elise shows it on her lilthings channel; the video is aimed at complete beginners.

Video tutorial by Elise on her YouTube channel, lilthings: watch "easy crochet ghost ♡ halloween crochet for beginner tutorial | crochet keychain & headband" on YouTube.

Written from the video. If you're unsure about a step, the video shows it in close-up.

Supplies

• 5-ply milk cotton in white, black and purple
• 3.0 mm hook
• 3.5 mm eyes (safety eyes, or glue-on)
• A little stuffing, a stitch marker and a darning needle

Ghost

The ghost is worked in spirals with the yarn-under single crochet: on the first pull-through, bring the hook over the working yarn instead of under it. The stitches come out as tight little X shapes, which is what you want on a stuffed piece, because stuffing won't show between them.

• Round 1: 6 sc in a magic ring. (6)
• Round 2: inc in each stitch. (12)
• Round 3: [1 sc, inc] × 6. (18)
• Rounds 4 to 9: 1 sc in each stitch. (18, six rounds)
• Round 10 (wavy hem): [3 sc in the next stitch, sl st in the next stitch] × 9.

The hem uses all 18 stitches: two for each of the 9 waves. Stuff the dome lightly, just enough to round out the head, and add the eyes. Tiny chain-2 arms on each side finish it off.

Witch hat

With black (or purple):

• Round 1: 6 sc in a magic ring. (6)
• Round 2: 1 sc in each stitch. (6)
• Round 3: [1 sc, inc] × 3. (9)
• Round 4: 1 sc in each stitch. (9)
• Round 5 (brim): 2 sc in the front loop only of each stitch. (18)

Working the brim into the front loops makes it bend outward at a sharp angle. Wrap a strand of purple around the base of the cone for a hatband, then sew the hat to the ghost's head at a jaunty tilt.

Tips

• Mark round 1. With only 18 stitches it's easy to lose your place in a spiral; move a marker to the first stitch of each round.
• Don't overstuff. Too much stuffing pushes the hem into a bell shape and shows through the stitches.
• Glue eyes for keychains. Safety eyes need a washer inside, which is fiddly once the piece is stuffed; fit them before you stuff, or use glue-on eyes.

Frequently asked questions