DIY ghost wreath: Pottery Barn dupe for less
I’ve never been much of a wreath person; in fact, the only one I made before was my macrame wreath. However, when I spotted the viral Pottery Barn lit ghost wreath online and on social media, I couldn’t resist. It was cute but far too expensive, so I decided to make my own. Even better, my niece wanted lit ghosts for her Halloween party, which made this the perfect chance to create a budget-friendly ghost wreath that looks just as good for a fraction of the cost.
Supplies needed to make a ghost wreath
- foam wreath base (I used a 16″ wreath)
- scissors
- greening pins
- 18 styrofoam balls in 1.9-inch size (2-inch is most common and works)
- cheesecloth
- thumb tacks
- black Sharpie (or you can buy black thumbtacks)
- optional for lit ghost wreath: battery-operated fairy lights (I used these plug-in fairy lights with 50 LED Bulbs)
I’m linking to Amazon products since you can’t order some of the products from the Dollar Store online. However, I’m recommending taking the trip to the store first, though before ordering online.
I already had the foam balls leftover from my combed macrame wall hanging, and also the plug-in fairy lights, as well as the Sharpie.
TIP: I just noticed that you can buy a ghost wreath kit on Amazon for under $25 that comes with everything you need. However the wreath is smaller than the one I made. Even the battery-operated fairy lights are included! But the reviews complain that the kit doesn’t come with instructions 🙂 Well now you have the needed instructions with my tutorial!
Different ghost wreath cost comparison
| Pottery Barn Lit ghost wreath | $89.50 |
| smaller Amazon ghost wreath kit | almost $25 |
| Dollar General supplies | all supplies are around $20.50: thumbtacks $1.50 magic marker $2.50 cheesecloth $2 (for 2 packs needed) styrofoam balls $5 (for 5 packs) styrofoam wreath form $1.75 fairy lights $5.00 (greening pins around $4.50 but not available at Dollar General) |
Ghost wreath video tutorial
As always, I made a video for you so you can see what my hands are doing. If it doesn’t load for you for some reason, then you can watch the same video on my YouTube Channel instead.
Groove Grove by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Step-by-step ghost wreath instructions
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Before I get started with the tutorial, I want to show you my inspiration in case you haven’t seen a ghost wreath yet. It’s cute, right?
But it costs $89.50, and on top of it, I just noticed that it is sold out now, so you couldn’t even buy it if you wanted to for that price. So with a few simple supplies (from the Dollar Store), you can make your own DIY ghost wreath and even add lights for the lit ghost wreath look.
Step 1: Add fairy lights to the wreath form (optional)
You can also wrap the wreath form in cheesecloth before adding the fairy lights, but I found it wasn’t necessary.
If you’d like, you can just wrap the fairy lights around the wreath form without pins, but that way, you have some of the lights on the back of the wreath. I didn’t want that. Instead, I pinned all the lights to the front of the wreath form.
I started by pinning the beginning of the wire to the top of the wreath form so I could hang it from there. Then I worked in sections so I could have loops to work with later.
By sections, I mean folding the wire in halves and then pinning those sections at a time. This is best seen in my video. But you can pin the fairy light wire any way you’d like.
Step 2: Cut the cheesecloth into squares
I cut my cheesecloth into 9-10-inch uneven squares.
Then I stacked a couple of uneven and slightly fringed layers on top of each other. Having them uneven and a bit messy is key.
I used three layers of cheesecloth, but you can add more if you want the styrofoam balls completely hidden underneath the thin fabric.
Additionally, laying them out on the floor helped me visualize the spacing and shapes.
Step 3: Form the mini ghosts
Hold a styrofoam ball in one hand and then layer the cheesecloth square over the ball.
You can see the uneven layers draped over the styrofoam ball and the uneven edges of the cloth. I love how wispy the little ghosts look.
Step 4: Pin the ghosts to the wreath
When you add the ghosts to the wreath, it definitely helps to have the fairy lights turned on so you can see where the actual lights will be placed. Since the lights are attached in loops, you can work with them and bend them to where you want the lights underneath the ghost’s garment.
Take a greening pin and push it into the bottom center of the styrofoam ball. It helped to hold the pin and push the ball on top of it. And then make sure the ghost’s cheesecloth layers are hanging down over the pin. (steps 1,2, and 3)
It sometimes helped to cut a slit into the back of the ghost’s fabric so you could pin it over the lights more easily. (step 4)
Start at the top of the wreath form to pin the ghosts to the wreath and work your way all the way around. Again, I used 18 ghosts. (step 5 through 8)
Step 5: Make the ghost eyes
I used a cardboard box and stuck the 36 thumbtacks into it. Then I used my black Sharpie to color the thumbtacks black.
Step 6: Pin the ghost eyes to the wreath
Simply stick two thumbtacks per ghost head and work yourself around the wreath.
The nice thing about using thumbtacks for the ghost eyes is that you can adjust them if they are uneven. Glue can get messy, and you can’t fix a mistake.
The Pottery Barn wreath has oval eyes instead of my round eyes. That difference doesn’t bother me, though, because using the thumbtacks was so much easier than cutting out the tiny eyes and having to glue them.
Obviously, you can’t use thumbtacks if you are using clear Christmas balls as heads. If you do that, then you need to either glue or paint the eyes on.
If you like Pottery Barn dupe projects, then you might also like my terracotta Pottery Barn Jack-o’-lantern dupes using cheap plastic pumpkins. I have them on my porch every year and they are holding up great.
Step 7: Fluff and hang the wreath
You can fringe the bottom of the ghosts with your hands and adjust any of the sides that are hanging down.
I hung my wreath with a command hook on the electrical wire. You can also stick a greening pin into the back to hang the wreath from.
Tips & variations for your ghost wreath
- Use colored lights for a different effect.
- Add a colored ribbon bow for added detail.
- You can use battery-operated fairy lights or plug-in fairy lights like I did, that are connected to a timer or an Alexa plug. I love not having to use batteries and having everything automated. If you are using battery-operated fairy lights, then you have to hide and attach the battery pack to the back of the wreath with more pins or hot glue.
(Just make sure you use fairy lights instead of Christmas lights since they don’t get hot!) - If you use clear Christmas balls, you can stick the lights inside the balls so the ghost heads light up. (but then you have to use hot glue or consider using a wire wreath form and use floral wire to attach everything.
- Gauze or any other white fabric works too. You can even go to the thrift shop and look for old white bedding or curtains to cut up.
- If you are using a green wreath form, you should spray paint the foam white before making your ghost wreath.
- Ghost eye alternatives can be black felt, black card stock, or puff paint. I tried regular craft paint, and that bled into the cheesecloth and didn’t look right.
Photos of finished ghost wreath with lights on and off
I made this wreath for above our fireplace mantel, and the mirror behind it and the light walls made it hard to photograph.
That’s why I photographed it on a dark green background first, so you can see it better.
If you like ghost projects, then you might also like my super easy tutorial about how to make a macrame ghost wall hanging with an old metal hanger and yarn.
Tada, here it is above the fireplace, and I love it. I might have to make an annual DIY Halloween wreath from now on for this spot!
If you like natural materials, then check out my DIY corn husk bats that I just made last week, which can be created almost for free.
This wreath definitely makes the perfect Halloween door decor. I can just picture it lit when the trick-or-treaters arrive. Unfortunately, our storm door makes it almost impossible to have a wreath since it smushes the wreath hanging on the front door.
More of my Halloween crafts and Halloween decor
- How to make paper moths inspired by The Silence of the Lambs.
- My tutorial on how to make a macrame bat is also a cute project.
- Simple DIY creepy Halloween art using thrifted frames
I hope this ghost wreath brings as much joy to your home as it did to mine and my niece’s Halloween party. It is one of those decorations that looks so much more expensive than it actually is!
Tschüß,
DIY ghost wreath
Make your own ghost wreath inspired by the viral Pottery Barn lit ghost wreath. Easy step by step tutorial with video included.
Materials
- foam wreath base
- greening pins
- styrofoam balls
- cheesecloth
- thumb tacks
- black Sharpie
- battery-operated fairy lights or plug-in fairy lights
Tools
- scissors
Instructions
- Add fairy lights to the wreath form
You can also wrap the wreath form in cheesecloth before adding the fairy lights, but I found it wasn't necessary.
You can just wrap the fairy lights around the wreath form without pins, but that way, you have some of the lights on the back of the wreath. I didn't want that. Instead, I pinned all the lights to the front of the wreath form.
I started by pinning the beginning of the wire to the top of the wreath form so I could hang it from there. Then I worked in sections so I could have loops to work with later.
By sections, I mean folding the wire in halves and then pinning those sections at a time. This is best seen in my video. But you can pin the fairy light wire any way you'd like.
- Cut the cheesecloth into squares
I cut my cheesecloth into 9-10-inch uneven squares.
Then I stacked a couple of uneven and slightly fringed layers on top of each other. Having them uneven and a bit messy is key.
I used three layers of cheesecloth, but you can add more if you want the styrofoam balls completely hidden underneath the thin fabric.
Additionally, laying them out on the floor helped me visualize the spacing and shapes.
Since I used 18 styrofoam balls, you need 18 of these cheesecloth stacks. - Form the mini ghosts
Hold a styrofoam ball in one hand and then layer the cheesecloth square over the ball.
You can see the uneven layers draped over the styrofoam ball and the uneven edges of the cloth.
- Pin the ghosts to the wreath
When you add the ghosts to the wreath, it definitely helps to have the fairy lights turned on so you can see where the actual lights will be placed. Since the lights are attached in loops, you can work with them and bend them to where you want the lights underneath the ghost's garment.
Take a greening pin and push it into the bottom center of the styrofoam ball. It helped to hold the pin and push the ball on top of it. And then make sure the ghost's cheesecloth layers are hanging down over the pin. (steps 1,2, and 3)
It sometimes helped to cut a slit into the back of the ghost's fabric so you could pin it over the lights more easily. (step 4)
Start at the top of the wreath form to pin the ghosts to the wreath and work your way all the way around. Again, I used 18 ghosts. (step 5 through 8)
- Make the ghost eyes
I used a cardboard box and stuck the 36 thumbtacks into it. Then I used my black Sharpie to color the thumbtacks black. - Pin the ghost eyes to the wreath
Simply stick two thumbtacks per ghost head and work yourself around the wreath.
The nice thing about using thumbtacks for the ghost eyes is that you can adjust them if they are uneven. Glue can get messy, and you can't fix a mistake.
Obviously, you can't use thumbtacks if you are using clear Christmas balls as heads. If you do that, then you need to either glue or paint the eyes on - Fluff and hang the wreath
You can fringe the bottom of the ghosts with your hands and adjust any of the sides that are hanging down.
I hung my wreath with a command hook on the electrical wire. You can also stick a greening pin into the back to hang the wreath from.
Notes
- Use colored lights for a different effect.
- Add a colored ribbon bow for added detail.
- You can use battery-operated fairy lights or plug-in fairy lights like I did, which are connected to a timer or an Alexa plug. I love not having to use batteries and having everything automated. If you are using battery-operated fairy lights, then you have to hide and attach the battery pack to the back of the wreath with more pins or hot glue. (Just make sure you use fairy lights instead of Christmas lights since they don't get hot!)
- If you use clear Christmas balls, you can stick the lights inside the balls so the ghost head lights up. (But then you have to use hot glue or consider using a wire wreath form and use floral wire to attach everything.
- Gauze or any other white fabric works too. You can even go to the thrift shop and look for old white bedding or curtains to cut up.
- If you are using a green wreath form, you should spray paint the foam white before making your ghost wreath.
- Ghost eye alternatives can be black felt, black card stock, or puff paint. I tried regular craft paint, and that bled into the cheesecloth and didn't look right.
Thank you for having such clear instructions. I kept seeing photos of similar wreaths and wanted to try it. Your instructions and the video made it super easy to find the materials and put it together. The wreath looks great on our front door!
Thanks so much Elizabeth!
I don’t even know how to comment on these blogs or things like this and never have but really felt compelled to say , I absolutely LOVE how u explained this and in such depth !! Actually found the link through chat gpt looking up how to wrap electrical tape around fairly lights for my diy crescent moon wreath which I can’t find any tutorials for the type I’m doing but this was a great idea too lol thank u!
Hi Britt, well, thanks so much for leaving the comment. I so appreciate it, and for once I’m so happy that ChatGPT did something good for my blog. Happy crafting!