DIY a Gift: Crochet a family of Caspers

Personally I've never had much interaction with Halloween - my only true trick-or-treating experience as a child was when we were allowed to visit our neighbours, and they were so surprised that anyone had come to their door in a costume that they simply handed over a packet of biscuits.

However, if there is one thing I do love it's a friendly ghost.  And what's better than 1 friendly ghost, than a whole family of them?

This is a super simple pattern - great for beginners or anyone looking for something easy to whip up on a weekend afternoon.  You could also very easily hack this pattern to make these ghosts into finger puppets for a children's gift. Read on to find out how to make them!

WHAT YOU'LL NEED:

  • Yarn - I used Bella Baby's 'Tizz' in white because it includes a thread of holographic sparkle for a ghostly glimmer, but you can use whatever you would like.  (It is the equivalent of about a double knitting weight)
  • 2.5mm crochet hook (or whatever size you need for your yarn weight)
  • Fibrefill or other stuffing
  • Safety eyes (or you can use black cotton)
  • Black and pink cotton scraps for the face
  • Felt for the mustache (optional)
  • Scissors and yarn needle

STITCHES YOU'LL NEED TO KNOW:

  • Chain
  • Slip stitch (sl)
  • Double crochet (dc), and how to increase
    • Increase (inc) = crochet 2 dc into 1 stitch
  • Treble crochet (tr)

Note this pattern uses Australian/UK crochet terms.  In US terms, we are referring to a single crochet stitch.

CROCHETING THE GHOSTS:

Each ghost is made out of two pieces - one thimble shaped outer piece, and one disc to seal the bottom of the ghost and make it into an amigurumi. If you'd rather leave them as finger puppets, just omit the disc!

Each member of the family is also comprised of the same core pattern concept, just a different size from number of stitches and rows.  So first of all, I'll go through all of the patterns, and then wrap up with how to put them together.

PAPA GHOST:

ROW 1: Create a slip knot and chain 2, then perform 6 double crochets (dc) into the second chain from the hook (this is just my preferred method to start off, but you could also do 6 dc into a magic ring if you would prefer).  You now have (6) stitches in this row.

ROW 2: Increase (inc) into each dc (12)

ROW 3: *Inc, dc*, Repeat from * 6 times (18)

ROW 4: *Inc, 2 x dc*, Repeat from * 6 times (24)

ROW 5: *Inc, 3 x dc*, Repeat from * 6 times (30)

ROWS 6-16: Dc all stitches (30)

ROW 17: *[dc, dc and tr into the same stitch, tr and dc into the same stitch, sl] x 3 times, [dc, dc and tr into the same stitch, tr and dc into the same stitch]*, Repeat from * twice (46).  This makes a total of 8 frills.  Trim yarn and weave in end.

Making the disc:

ROW 1: Create a slip knot and chain 2, then perform 6 double crochets (dc) into the second chain from the hook (6)

ROW 2: Increase (inc) into each dc (12)

ROW 3: *Inc, dc*, Repeat from * 6 times (18)

ROW 4: *Inc, 2 x dc*, Repeat from * 6 times (24)

ROW 5: *Inc, 3 x dc*, Repeat from * 6 times (30).  Trim yarn leaving a long tail, as this is what you will use to connect the two pieces later on.

MAMA GHOST:

ROW 1: Create a slip knot and chain 2, then perform 6 double crochets (dc) into the second chain from the hook (6)

ROW 2: Increase (inc) into each dc (12)

ROW 3: *Inc, dc*, Repeat from * 6 times (18)

ROW 4: *Inc, 2 x dc*, Repeat from * 6 times (24)

ROW 5: *Inc, 7 x dc*, Repeat from * 3 times (27)

ROWS 6-15: Dc all stitches (27)

ROW 16: *[dc, dc and tr into the same stitch, tr and dc into the same stitch, dc, sl], [dc, dc and tr into the same stitch, tr and dc into the same stitch, sl]*, Repeat from * 3 times (39).  This makes a total of 6 frills.  Trim yarn and weave in end.

For the bottom disc:

ROW 1: Create a slip knot and chain 2, then perform 6 double crochets (dc) into the second chain from the hook (6)

ROW 2: Increase (inc) into each dc (12)

ROW 3: *Inc, dc*, Repeat from * 6 times (18)

ROW 4: *Inc, 2 x dc*, Repeat from * 6 times (24)

ROW 5: *Inc, 7 x dc*, Repeat from * 3 times (27).  Trim yarn leaving a long tail, as this is what you will use to connect the two pieces later on.

 

BABY GHOST:

ROW 1: Create a slip knot and chain 2, then perform 6 double crochets (dc) into the second chain from the hook (6)

ROW 2: Increase (inc) into each dc (12)

ROW 3: *Inc, dc*, Repeat from * 6 times (18)

ROW 4: *Inc, 2 x dc*, Repeat from * 6 times (24)

ROWS 5-12: Dc all stitches (24)

ROW 13: *dc, dc and tr into the same stitch, tr and dc into the same stitch, sl*, Repeat from * 6 times (36).  This makes a total of 6 frills.  Trim yarn and weave in end.

For the bottom disc:

ROW 1: Create a slip knot and chain 2, then perform 6 double crochets (dc) into the second chain from the hook (6)

ROW 2: Increase (inc) into each dc (12)

ROW 3: *Inc, dc*, Repeat from * 6 times (18)

ROW 4: *Inc, 2 x dc*, Repeat from * 6 times (24).  Trim yarn leaving a long tail, as this is what you will use to connect the two pieces later on.

 

PUTTING THE PIECES TOGETHER:

Before you start sewing the pieces together, use the safety eyes, cotton scraps and felt to add the faces.

Once you are happy with the faces - using the long tail of the 'bottom disc' and a yarn needle, sew one half of the disc to the bottom of the ghost by picking up stitches from the inside of the ghost.  The disc should sit just at the start of the ghostly frills.

When half of the disc is sewn on, stuff with some fibrefill to help the ghost keep its shape.  Finish sewing the rest of the disc.  It will sit slightly rounded inside the ghost, like in the below photo.

And you're done!  Boo!