A set of three small Halloween ghosts, each about 5 inches tall, with the third hanging upside down – a small joke in the design that makes the group work better than three identical figures would.
Designed by Beverly Mewhorter. Worsted weight yarn with a G hook, or whatever size gives you the stated gauge.
A stash project
Each ghost takes very little yarn, so this is very likely a project you can start without buying anything. Small amounts of white worsted left over from other work are exactly what these need.
Working small amigurumi
Work tighter than feels natural. Ghosts are stuffed, and any gap between stitches lets the filling show through as pale patches. If you can see daylight through the fabric before stuffing, drop a hook size and start again – it is much quicker than trying to fix it afterwards.
Stuff firmly but not to bursting. An under-stuffed ghost sags and loses its shape within a season; an over-stuffed one stretches the stitches apart and shows the filling. Firm enough to hold its form when squeezed is right.
The faces
Embroider them. Safety eyes are quicker but a ghost’s face is only two dots and a mouth, and embroidery gives you control over the expression that fixed eyes do not. It also makes the ghosts safe around small children and pets.
Black embroidery thread or a strand of black yarn both work. Keep the features small and set them low on the face; eyes placed too high make the ghost look startled rather than friendly.
Hanging them
Work a loop into the top of each ghost as you finish it rather than sewing one on afterwards. A worked-in loop is part of the fabric and will not pull free when the decoration is handled year after year.
