Easy Ghost Worry Worm 

Crochet Pattern

Are you looking for a super quick Halloween crochet project you can whip up in under 10-minutes?

Meet Hailey the Hug-a-Boo Worm. This cute little "Ghost Worry Worm"  is a not-so-spooky companion to keep the kiddos entertained and worry-free this Halloween.

You can use this little Ghost Worry Worm as

• gifts for kids, 

• in classrooms as a calming tool,

• for trick-or-treats or

• to hide out & about for people to find.

It's an easy and fun project that your children will adore, and it's the perfect addition to your Halloween decor.

Interesting Note: Did you know that the technique used to crochet curly surfaces is called hyperbolic crochet? When I discovered this was actually a mathematical term for "negative curvature", I was really intrigued! 

Think of the types of curvature you see in coral reefs or lettuce leaves. These organic shapes can be replicated in crochet by adding stitches at a constant rate to each row of crochet. The more frequently you add stitches, the curlier (and more negatively curved) your crochet project gets.  Isn't that awesome?! You can watch a video about hyperbolic crochet here.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase using the Start Crochet links. Please see my disclosure for more details.

Materials Needed

• Yarn - Simply Chunky - Paper White. I used Paintbox Yarns Simply Chunky - Paper White 100% Acrylic. Would be great if you have glow-in-the-dark yarn.

• Crochet hook that fits your yarnI used a G/6 (4 mm) hook.

• A darning needle
• A pair of scissors
• For the eyes, either a strand of black yarn or some stick-on eyes. I used 5 mm Plastic Half Round Flat Back Black Beads Eyes. These do not have adhesive on the back, so you will need a dab of glue to attach them. You can see several options for Worry Worm Eyes here.

•  For the mouth, either a strand of black yarn to make a smile, or a small piece of black felt cut out into a tiny oval shape.
• Glue to attach the eyes and felt mouth.

Abbreviations

• MC = magic circle
• ch = chain
• sc = single crochet
• dc = double crochet
• sl st = slip stitch
• st = stitch
• sts = stitches
• fo = fasten off

Skill Level

Beginner (knowledge of how to work a Magic Circle or alternative required).

And here's a little gift for you! Some cute Halloween gift tags that you can add to any of your handmade projects that you want to give to someone special this spooky season 🙂

Gauge

12 sts & 16 rows = 4” (10 cm) in sc

Gauge is not really that crucial for this project. Just try experimenting with different hook sizes & different weight yarns to get a gauge you are happy with for the project you are working on.

If your ghost worry worm looks narrower than you anticipated, try a thicker weight yarn.

If you want your ghost worry worm to be longer, just increase the number of stitches in your beginning chain.

Size

This Ghost Worry Worm measures about 4.7 “ (12 cm) in height.

Yardage

Weight: 5 gm
Approximately 7.4 yards (6.8 meters)

Notes

- You can use any type of yarn as long as you have a corresponding crochet hook size (check yarn label for recommendations).

- You can make the pattern larger or smaller by changing the type of yarn and/or hook size. 

- Numbers at the end of each row (in brackets) indicate the number of final stitches in that row. 

- Beginning ch 2 counts as a stitch.

- Please note that I use US crochet terms. 

Printable PDF Pattern

Would you prefer an Ad-Free PDF version of this Pattern? Click the button below to get the pattern as a PDF Download, so you can print it at home and tick off the steps as you're crocheting.

Ghost Worry Worm Pattern Instructions

• Sl st to the top of ch 2 to join.

• Row 2: 4 sc into the second ch from your hook. 4 sc into each st across towards the ghost’s head (80).

• Ch 4, sl st into the first ch (picot st) (This is your ghost’s right arm).

• Sl st into the same st from where you started your ch 4.

• Sl st loosely into the next 8 sts.

• Ch 4, sl st into the first ch (picot st) (This is your ghost’s left arm).

• Sl st into the same st from where you started your ch 4.

• Leaving a 4” tail, cut your yarn and pull it through your last st to fo.

• Pull your beginning yarn tail to ensure the hole in your ghost’s head is closed tightly.

Embellishments

You have several options for embellishing your Ghost Worry Worm. Here’s what you can do:

Eyes

Option 1:

• Cut a 4” length of black yarn and thread through  your darning needle.
• Stitch in the eyes of your ghost by stitching two small vertical stripes.

Option 2:

• Glue on some 5 mm  stick-on eyes.

Mouth

Option 1: Stitch Yarn

• Stitch a short horizontal line for the mouth of your worry worm. 
• Tie the 2 black strands at the back of the head with a double knot. Cut excess. 

Note: You could finish off your worry worm at this point, but if you’d like to hide the black yarn at the back of your worry worm’s head, then you can crochet another circle as you did in Rounds 1 & 2 above and stitch it to the back of your ghost’s head. You could even add a little bit of stuffing if you like before you sew the front & back heads together. 

Option 2: Glue Yarn

You could glue on a small strand of yarn for the mouth. This way, you won’t have any excess black yarn showing from the back of the head.

Option 3: Glue Felt

• Cut a piece of felt into a tiny oval shape for the mouth & attach with a dab of glue.

Go ahead and experiment with different facial expressions for your little Ghost Worry Worm! You can give it more of a spooked ghost look with the oval or a happy ghost with a smile. You'll have so much fun with him 🙂 

What do you prefer? Smile or oval mouth? Let me know in the comments below.

Conclusion

I hope you enjoyed making this cute little ghost worry worm! What will you be using it for?

I’d love to hear from you!

Happy hooking!

May 🙂

Would you like to see some more crochet ghost patterns? Check out this collection:

And if you're into amigurumi, this is a Halloween amigurumi collection not to be missed 🙂

Want even more ideas? Check out this post with Halloween patterns from Etsy

And if you still haven't found a Halloween crochet project you like, you'll surely find it here. Happy hooking!