Bring a warm, flickering glow to your autumn evenings with this quick and charming crochet project. Designed to fit a standard mason jar, this cozy features a friendly ghost face created with simple chain-and-skip openings so your LED candle shines right through.
Quick Facts
- Skill level: Easy
- Finished size: Fits a standard 16 oz mason jar (approx. 3.25 inches diameter by 5 inches tall)
- Yarn: Medium worsted weight (#4) cotton or acrylic yarn in white
- Hook: US H/8 (5.0 mm) crochet hook
- Stitches used: Ch, sc, sl st
- Time to make: 1 to 2 hours
Size customization tips are included further down if you are working with a different jar size.
What Makes This Crochet Ghost Jar Lantern Special
This crochet ghost jar lantern transforms ordinary glassware into festive holiday decor in a single sitting. Instead of solid stitching where the light gets trapped, the face is formed entirely by skipping stitches over chains, leaving open windows for a flickering LED candle to beam through. The tube construction slides on and off effortlessly, making it easy to slip off for washing or storing away until next October.
Skill Level
- Required Skills: Working in joined rounds, basic single crochet, creating chain spaces by skipping stitches, and working into chain spaces.
- If you know how to make a basic single crochet tube, you will breeze right through this pattern!
Finished Measurements
| Dimension | Inches | Centimeters |
|---|---|---|
| Diameter | 3.25 in | 8.3 cm |
| Height | 5.0 in | 12.7 cm |
Materials You Will Need
| Material | Description / Color | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| Yarn | Worsted Weight (#4) / White | Approx. 50 yards (46 meters) |
| Hook | US H/8 (5.0 mm) crochet hook | 1 |
| Notions | Tapestry needle for weaving ends | 1 |
| Notions | Stitch marker | 1 |
| Notions | Standard 16 oz Mason Jar | 1 |
| Notions | Battery-operated LED tealight candle | 1 |
⚠️ Note: Always use a battery-operated LED tealight candle inside your crochet jar lantern. Never use an open flame with yarn cozies.
Yarn Suggestions
| Yarn Line | Skein Yardage | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Red Heart Super Saver | 364 yds / 198 g | Sturdy acrylic that holds its shape wonderfully around jars. |
| Lily Sugar’n Cream | 120 yds / 71 g | 100% cotton with a crisp stitch definition for the ghost face. |
| Caron One Pound | 812 yds / 454 g | Excellent budget-friendly choice if you are making a whole porch full of ghosts. |
Gauge
- 14 sc and 16 rows = 4 inches (10 cm) using a 5.0 mm hook. Gauge is flexible for jar cozies as long as your stitches are snug enough to hold their shape around the glass.
Abbreviations
| Abbreviation | Stitch / Term |
|---|---|
| ch | chain |
| sc | single crochet |
| sl st | slip stitch |
| st(s) | stitch(es) |
| sk | skip |
| rnd(s) | round(s) |
| [ ] / ( ) | work instructions within brackets or parentheses as directed |
- UK equivalents: sc = dc, sl st = sl st.
Special Stitches Explained
- Chain-Space Opening: To make the ghost’s eyes and mouth, you will work a specified number of chains while skipping the exact same number of stitches in the round below. On the following round, you work single crochet directly into the chain space to anchor the opening.
Pattern Instructions
Pattern Notes
- The tube is worked from the bottom up in joined rounds.
- Join each round with a slip stitch to the first stitch, and ch 1 at the beginning of the next round (the turning chain does not count as a stitch).
- Place a stitch marker in the first stitch of each round to keep your count on track.
Section 1: Jar Cozy Base & Body
Foundation: Ch 36, join with a sl st to the first chain to form a ring, being careful not to twist the chain (36 ch).
Rnd 1: Ch 1, sc in each ch around, join with sl st to first sc (36 sc).
Rnds 2 to 4: Ch 1, sc in each st around, join with sl st to first sc (36 sc).
Rnd 5 (Lower Face & Mouth): Ch 1, sc in next 16 sts, ch 3, sk 3 sts, sc in next 17 sts, join with sl st to first sc (36 sc).
Rnds 6 to 7: Ch 1, sc in each st around, join with sl st to first sc (36 sc).
Rnd 8 (Eyes): Ch 1, sc in next 14 sts, ch 3, sk 3 sts, sc in next 2 sts, ch 3, sk 3 sts, sc in next 14 sts, join with sl st to first sc (36 sc).
Rnds 9 to 13: Ch 1, sc in each st around, join with sl st to first sc (36 sc).
Rnd 14: Ch 1, sc in each st around, join with sl st to first sc (36 sc). Fasten off, leaving a 6-inch (15 cm) tail.
✅ Checkpoint: At the end of Rnd 14, your piece should form a seamless white cylinder with three open window cutouts (two eyes and one round mouth). Slip it over your mason jar to check the fit before weaving in your ends.
Assembly & Finishing
- Thread your tapestry needle with the starting and ending yarn tails.
- Weave all loose ends securely into the wrong side of the single crochet fabric.
- Slide the finished cozy onto your 16 oz mason jar, tuck an LED tealight inside, and watch your friendly ghost glow!
Size Customization Tips
- If your jar is slightly wider or narrower, you can adjust your starting chain in multiples of 6 stitches so the facial features remain centered on the front of the cozy.
- Each extra 6-stitch repeat adds approximately 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) to the total circumference of the tube.
Care Instructions
- Remove the glass jar and LED candle before cleaning.
- Hand wash gently in cool water with mild soap.
- Press out excess water with a clean towel and lay flat to dry in its original cylinder shape.
FAQ
Can I use acrylic yarn instead of cotton?
Yes! Both acrylic and cotton work wonderfully for jar cozies. Cotton offers a slightly crisper look for the face openings, while acrylic provides a soft, bright white glow.
How do I adjust this pattern for a smaller jar?
To fit a smaller jelly jar or half-pint jar, start with a foundation chain of 24 or 30 stitches (in a multiple of 6) and reduce the number of plain rows at the top and bottom accordingly.
Are these safe to use with real candles?
No. Because the cozy is made of yarn and fits tightly around glass, you should only use battery-operated LED tealights to prevent any fire hazard.
Visit Our Site for More Patterns
For more festive ideas like this, visit dreket.com to explore our growing collection of seasonal crochet projects.
Happy Crocheting!
I hope you love making these glowing ghost jar lanterns for your Halloween decor. Save this pattern to your Pinterest board so you can find it easily later, and leave a comment below to share how many ghosts you are adding to your porch this season!
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