Free Halloween Patterns for Crochet and Other Crafts

Some of you probably enjoy dressing up in costume, but maybe some of you don't. Either way, here are some links you might enjoy.

Easy Halloween Costumes for Kids: This link takes you to a short list of ideas for handmade costumes featuring crochet.

Halloween Accessories: Not into costumes? Maybe you'd get a kick out of making Halloween accessories like the Halloween slouch hat pictured at upper left. This two-color hat is crocheted in black and orange.

Upper Right Photo: The Great Grape Baby Beanie --

This hat design is so cute and creative; the hat looks just like a tiny grape. It would be a fun pattern for crocheting in late summer and early fall, when grapes are usually harvested; the hat could also be the focal point an adorable Halloween costume, if you want to dress your little one up as the fruit of the vine.

What would be even funnier: if you have multiple children, transform them into a bunch of grapes by crocheting several of these hats, one for each of them.

I am not sure if there's a way to dress mom up as a wine bottle -- but if you can think of a way to do a bottle costume, and turn the kids into grapes, I think that would be pretty funny.

Lower Photo: The Cat's Meow Baby Hat -- Baby + cute crocheted cat hat + tail = Fun and adorable Halloween costume!

These items were all designed by Erica Jackofsky, former Contributing writer for crochet at About.com and principal designer of Fiddle Knits Designs.

Pictures of Homemade Halloween Costumes: This link takes you to another craft site at About.com, the Family Crafts site. Sherri Osborn is your Guide to Family Crafts; her site focuses on kid-friendly crafts that the whole family could work on together. Sheri has collected pictures of dozens of hand-crafted kids costumes for Halloween. They're all pretty creative!

Halloween Costumes and Inspiration: This link takes you to the About Sewing website. Your Guide is Debbie Colgrove; Debbie shows you pictures of and links to instructions for more than 150 different costumes (and the list is always growing!)

Sandi Marshall designed the Jack 'O' lantern pattern you see pictured at left. Sandi suggests using the technique of cross stitch on crochet to create a Halloween banner using this free charted design. Alternatively, you could use the tapestry crochet technique, or other needlework techniques, if you prefer.

• Check out more free pumpkin patterns



• Learn about crochet charts: What does each square on a crochet chart represent?



• See more free patterns designed by Sandi Marshall

Pumpkin Hats:

• Free crochet pattern for a pumpkin hat by Kathleen Sams at the Red Heart website



• Crochet pumpkin hat by Kay Meadors, posted at Ravelry



• Free knitting pattern for a pumpkin hat by Sarah E. White at Knitting.about.com

Pictured at left is a Halloween banner by Sandi Marshall. You can crochet your own banner just like this one, using Sandi's free pattern. The picture shows the colorful version in black and orange, but Sandi has also included instructions for working this design in filet crochet, if you prefer.

Want to see even more Halloween-inspired bats to crochet? The following crocheted bat patterns were all designed by Sandi Marshall:

• Free two-color bat chart for filet crochet or other types of needlework
• Bat applique or stuffed decoration
• Bat silhouette cross stitched on crocheted wristband
• Bat headband

Free Bat Patterns for Cross Stitch:

The following bat patterns were designed for cross stitch, but some of them could be cross stitched on a crocheted background if you like. These patterns were all designed by Connie Barwick, your Guide to cross stitch at About.com.

• Free bat cross stitch pattern
• Bat Halloween ornament pattern to cross stitch
• "I'll Go to Bat for You" sentiment with bat graphic

The spider pictured at left is a black widow; the free chart was designed by Sandi Marshall. You can use the chart for crochet or other needlecrafts. The version you see pictured is appropriate for cross stitch on crochet; Sandi has also included a version of the same design in filet crochet as well.

Sandi has a real knack for designing crocheted spider patterns; she's created several more spiders, some of which are cute and some of which are really creepy. Check 'em out:

• Halloween spider wristlet
• Spider shape with a buttonhole center
• Orangeback spider decoration
• Ghost spider applique
• Lime green jungle spider wristlet
• Spider on a web
• Vintage spider web doily

And one more: This spiderweb cowl is an elegant way to keep warm this fall. The free crochet pattern is by Erica Jackofsky. Erica recommends using this cowl as a fun way to display one of your crocheted spider appliques. Of course, you could remove the spider when Halloween is over with, and continue wearing the cowl on its own throughout the fall / winter season.

More Spider Crafts:

• Wire and bead spider, which you can use to make spider earrings or other projects. Tutorials and instructions by Tammy Powley, posted at About Jewelry Making.



• Spider crafts for kids by Sherri Osborn at About Family Crafts

Halloween wouldn't be complete without a variety of imagery incorporating skulls and skeletons.

6" x 6" Skull Granny Square: Designer: Amelia Beebe, AKA champygirl.

This pattern is posted at the Crochetville website.

Skull Applique, Plus Ideas and Free Patterns for Using It

Pictured at left is one of Sandi Marshall's crocheted skulls. Sandi published several similar patterns for crocheted skull designs here at About.com Crochet:

• Skull Applique
• Goth-Style Wristlet With Crocheted Skull Design
• Skull Halloween decoration
• Glowing skull shape

Cross Stitch Skull Pattern:

• Skull and crossbone chart by Connie Barwick At About Cross Stitch

More Skull Crafts:

• Skull bead and stone earrings by Tammy Powley at About Jewelrymaking
• Skeleton and skull craft projects by Sherri Osborn at Familycrafts.about.com

Is your bathroom haunted? No?

Do you want it to be?

Pictured at left: Erica Jackofsky's Halloween soap saver is shaped like a ghost. Be afraid! He's looking for a new haunt; maybe he'll move into your place.

More Free Crochet Ghost Patterns:

These ghosts were all designed by Sandi Marshall:

• Ghost applique for use on a ghost headband (or other projects of your choice.)



• Ghost chart for making into a Halloween candy bag.



• Ghost applique which could also be used in other ways.



• Charted ghost with bat



• Lace trim with abstract ghost motif

Cross Stitch Ghost Patterns:

Free Ghost Knitting Patterns:

• Ghost knitting pattern by Sarah E. White at Knitting.about.com
• Ghost chart by Eileen Casey at knitting.about.com

Black cat chart: This is a vintage chart that Sandi Marshall discovered and worked in crochet. (Pictured at left.)

Halloween Cat Knitting Patterns

• Black Cat Sweater for Kids -- This is a free knitting pattern by Eileen Casey, posted at Knitting.about.com.



• Cat hat knitting pattern -- A child's hat with cat ears, designed by Sarah E. White for knitting.about.com.

See Also:

• Free crochet cat patterns -- Most of the kitties on this list are designed to be cute and not black, although you can crochet any of them using black yarn if you want to.



• "When black cats are seen, it's near Halloween" -- Free cross stitch pattern by Connie Barwick at About.com's Cross Stitch website.



• Free black cat chart: This little black kitty looks cute, friendly and not a bit scary. The chart is designed for cross stitch, but could easily be adapted for crochet. There are a few simple details you'd need to embroider: the eyes, the whiskers, nothing you couldn't handle.



• Keep your cat safe this Halloween: Franny Syufy, your Guide to cats, discusses the perils of Halloween that our feline friends endure.



• Black cats: What's so unlucky about them, anyway? Patti Wigington, your Guide to Paganism and Wicca, answers this thought-provoking question.

Any edging could be a Halloween edging, if you like. This design you see pictured is particularly Halloween-friendly, especially considering the orange yarn used. Sandi Marshall crocheted the example you see pictured at left; she suggests using it to decorate a Halloween candy bowl, or to embellish wearable items. Bet you can think of zillions of other creative ways to use the same pattern.

• Halloween Needlepoint Patterns: Pictured at left are several of the free charted patterns included on the list. These patterns were all designed by Cheryl Fall, your Guide to Embroidery at About.com. They are posted at the About.com Needlepoint website. If needlepoint isn't your thing, keep in mind that many of Cheryl's patterns are posted as charts that you could use for different needlework techniques.



• Free Halloween Cross Stitch Patterns: by Connie Barwick, your Guide to Cross Stitch at About.com.



• Free Halloween Beading Patterns: by Jennifer VanBenschoten, former Guide to beadwork at About.com



• Halloween Knitting Patterns: Sarah E. White's roundup of free knitting patterns with a Halloween theme at Knitting.about.com.