Learn how to make a cute and easy macrame ghost wall hanging using a metal hanger and macrame twine. This is the perfect spooky touch to your Halloween decor without being too scary. Plus, they’re fun and super easy to make!
You may have already seen rope ghost projects where you glue twine or macrame rope onto a cardboard backing. My project today is a real macrame project with just two simple knots and perfect for beginners.
How to make a wall hanging ghost from macrame
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I actually wanted to make one of these cute ghosts last Halloween season and then I ran out of time. I’m glad I finally made it because it was fun and I was able to use up some of my leftover macrame thread.
Supplies
Tutorial video
I always like to create a video tutorial so you can see how I created a project with the movements of my hand. If I don’t have this uploaded for you here on my website, you can also check out my YouTube channel to watch the tutorial.
Step by step instructions
Step 1: Bend the metal hanger to shape
Start by cutting off the top of the hanger with metal shears. Next, bend the hanger in a straight line so that it lies flat. The most important thing for this macrame ghost is that the relationship is flat.
Use a circular shape to bend the hanger into a ghost head shape. I used a soy sauce bottle and bent the hanger in the middle around the bottle.
Next are the arms that I bent by hand. Cut the arms to length and then bend the ends inward. This is so that the macrame cord doesn’t fall off later.
It is very easy to bend the hanger into shape, but if you have difficulty bending the hanger by hand, use pliers to make the bending easier.
My hanger measurements are 16 inches long overall, arm length is 6 inches, and head height is 4.5 inches.
Step 2: Cut the macrame cord
The amount and lengths of rope/rope will of course depend on the size of your hanger and the look you want. I can tell you what I did and you can adjust it accordingly. It’s easy to cut more rope during a project as needed.
I started by cutting 22 wires into 42-inch lengths and 29 wires into 10-inch lengths for the shorter wires. (In addition, you need an extra long wire for the left side of the arm but more details on that later)
Step 3: Tie the macrame cords to the metal hanger
It doesn’t matter where you start repeating on macrame ropes. I started with the ghost head using long macrame cords. In the following steps, I show you how to tie ropes using a Lark’s Head Knot. You can see it better in my video tutorial.
Fold the wire in half and place the top loop on the hanger. Next, grab the ropes at the bottom of the hanger and pull them through the loop. Then pull the ropes tight. Keep repeating this with all the ropes until the ghost’s head is full. Cut more wire if necessary and don’t make the bunch of wire too tight because you’ll need extra room when you continue the knot in the second row.
Next move on to the arms using the shorter ropes in the same way you added the ropes to the ghost’s head. You can secure one of the arms to your work surface with tape like I did if that helps.
When you get to the end of the arm, make sure to thread the last one or two wires through the bent ends so they don’t slip.
The next and final step of adding the ropes to the arms is important. I’m left handed so I added a long piece of macrame cord to my left arm. You may find it easier to add it to your right arm if you are left-handed.
Let me explain: The last rope I added to the left arm was cut 5 times the length of the curved hanger shape. When you tie this cord onto the hanger through the curved end of the arm, make sure not to fold it in half but fold it so that the right part of the cord matches the rest of the macrame cords on the arms. The left side will be very long because it will be the main macrame cord for the next row of knots to be tied.
Step 4: Tie one row of diagonal clove knots
Let’s move on to the Diagonal Clove Hitch Knot row. I should mention that this step is optional because you can leave it with simple rope attachment the way I described in the last step. But this row helps with the sturdiness of the ghost shape as well as adding other nice details.
As I mentioned earlier, the long left rope is the main rope which means you have to tie all the ropes hanging from the ghost on this long rope. Each wire is twisted twice and you have to pull it tightly horizontally to make sure it all fits on the main wire especially when moving to the gooseneck. Maybe you can see this better in my video.
Cut the end of the wire when it has gone all the way around the ghost shape on the right side.
Step 5: Trim the Macrame Ghost Fringe
This step is also optional because you can leave the fringe uneven if that’s the look you prefer. I wanted to trim it a little but it was still uneven.
You can also comb the bottom of the fringe open slightly with a comb or fur brush if you like the look.
Step 6: Cut out the eyes and mouth and glue on the macrame ghost
I used black paper that I got from my easy folk art project to cut out round and oval shapes for the eyes and mouth. Black felt might be a better material to use but I didn’t have any and didn’t want to buy it. I used hot glue to attach the eyes and mouth.
Step 7: Hang the macrame ghost
You can either tie a thin string to the hanger on top of the head. Or you can use command hooks the way I did and just move the top of the ghost’s head to the hook.
Finished macrame ghosts hang in our house
I decided to hang macrame ghosts around my great-grandmother’s photo. I love the added Halloween touch to this wall.
I also tried it on my son’s dark green bedroom walls, so you can see the contrast.
Where to buy macrame ghosts
Although this is a very easy macrame project, not everyone feels like crafting their own. So I rounded up some Etsy shops that sell their own versions of them. You can also get an idea of the different shapes you can bend the ghost’s arms into.
Happy Halloween and talk to you soon,
