A string mop, a dollar-store candle, and fifteen minutes are the entire distance between “junk drawer supplies” and the cutest thing on your porch this October. This Mop Head Ghost (and her Witch counterpart) has been making the rounds for a reason: it looks like a $40 boutique decoration, it costs a fraction of that, and there’s no sewing, no pattern, and no trip to three different stores to pull it off.
I built both versions the same afternoon using one trip to Dollar Tree. The ghost gets a simple orange polka dot bow. The witch gets a witch hat pick with a purple hatband and a spider dangling off the brim. Same base, two completely different personalities, and neither one takes longer to make than it takes the glue gun to heat up.
Because these are just yarn and glue, they hold up year after year. Store the finished ghost/witch flattened in a bin between seasons and the strands bounce right back into shape once you fluff them out again next fall.
Here’s what you’ll need before you sit down: one cotton string mop head per character, a mason jar to act as the “skeleton,” a battery-operated tea light, a scrap of black felt for the eyes, and whatever you’re using to accessorize (a bow for the ghost, a witch hat pick for the witch).
Everything below is priced per character, straight from a Dollar Tree order, with a full printable card and video for each one down at the bottom.
🎥 Video Tutorial
Watch the full build start to finish, both the Ghost and the Witch, in under 1 minute.
🧵 Supply List
Quantities below make one character. Double everything except the accessory-specific items if you’re building both the Ghost and the Witch.
Ghost:
- 1 mason jar (wide-mouth glass jar)
- 1 all-white cotton string mop head, 11 inches
- 1 battery-operated LED tea light
- Black craft felt (for the eyes)
- Orange and black polka dot ribbon, about 1 yard (for the bow)
- Hot glue gun and glue sticks
- Scissors
Witch:
- 1 mason jar (wide-mouth glass jar)
- 1 all-white cotton string mop head, 11 inches
- 1 battery-operated LED tea light
- Black craft felt (for the eyes)
- 1 witch hat pick (a floral craft pick topped with a mini witch hat, found with the floral picks, not a wearable hat)
- Purple deco mesh or cheesecloth ribbon, about 1 yard (hatband)
- 1 small metal buckle (hatband accent, optional)
- 1 mini plastic spider (hat accent, optional)
- Hot glue gun and glue sticks
- Scissors
🛠️ Assembly Instructions
- Turn on your battery tea light and set it inside the mason jar, if you don’t want it to move around, add a drop of hot glue to the bottom of the tealight first.
- Then, flip the mop head upside down over the top so the strands fall all the way around it like a skirt, covering the glass completely and letting the glow show through the “body.” Fluff the strands out evenly so there aren’t any bald spots.
- Cut two small ovals (about 1 inch tall) from the black felt and hot glue them onto the front of the mop head strands at “face height,” a few inches down from the top, spaced about an inch apart to give it that classic wide-eyed ghost look.
For the Ghost:
tie the orange and black polka dot ribbon into a bow (or use a pre-tied one), then hot glue it to the very top center of the mop head, tucking the tail ends down so they fall in with the rest of the strands.
For the Witch
- Wrap the purple deco mesh ribbon around the base of the witch hat pick’s brim as a hatband and hot glue the ends together at the back, then glue the small metal buckle to the front of the band where the seam meets. Tie a short length of black thread to the mini spider and hot glue the other end under the brim so it dangles just past the edge.
- Push the witch hat pick’s wire stem straight down into the center of the witch’s mop head strands until the hat sits snug on top, right where the eyes are set. Add a small dab of hot glue at the base of the stem if you want it to stay put permanently.
- Give your finished character a final fluff, arranging the strands so the eyes are visible and the light glows evenly through the front, then switch the light off until you’re ready to display it. Repeat the whole process for the second jar and mop head if you’re making both.
💸 Cost Breakdown: Ghost
Ingredient | Dollar Tree Item | Pkg Price | Amount Used | Cost Used |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Cotton string mop head | 11in All-White Mop Head | $1.50 | 1 mop head | $1.50 |
Mason jar | Wide-Mouth Glass Mason Jar | $1.25 | 1 jar | $1.25 |
Black craft felt | Felt Sheets, 4-Count Pack | $1.25 | 2 sheets (eyes) | $0.63 |
Battery LED tea light | LED Tea Lights, 2-Count Pack | $1.25 | 1 light | $0.63 |
Orange polka dot ribbon | Halloween Ribbon Spool | $1.25 | 1 yard (of spool) | $0.42 |
💸 Budget101® Price Breakdown | Cost |
|---|---|
🧾 Total Project Cost | $4.43 |
🏪 Store-Bought comparison (similar lit mop-head decoration, roughly $39.99) | $39.99 |
💰 You Save | $35.56 |
📅 Dollar Tree prices last verified September 16, 2026. Prices may vary by location and are subject to change.
💸 Cost Breakdown: Witch
Ingredient | Dollar Tree Item | Pkg Price | Amount Used | Cost Used |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Cotton string mop head | 11in All-White Mop Head | $1.50 | 1 mop head | $1.50 |
Mason jar | Wide-Mouth Glass Mason Jar | $1.25 | 1 jar | $1.25 |
Black craft felt | Felt Sheets, 4-Count Pack | $1.25 | 2 sheets (eyes) | $0.63 |
Battery LED tea light | LED Tea Lights, 2-Count Pack | $1.25 | 1 light | $0.63 |
Witch hat pick | Witch Hat Picks, 3-Count Pack | $1.25 | 1 pick | $0.42 |
Purple deco mesh ribbon | Deco Mesh Ribbon Spool | $1.25 | 1 yard (of spool) | $0.42 |
Small metal buckle | Craft Buckle Embellishments, 5-Count Pack | $1.25 | 1 buckle | $0.25 |
Mini plastic spider | Plastic Spiders, 12-Count Bag | $1.25 | 1 spider | $0.10 |
💸 Budget101® Price Breakdown | Cost |
|---|---|
🧾 Total Project Cost | $5.20 |
🏪 Store-Bought comparison (similar lit mop-head decoration, roughly $39.99) | $39.99 |
💰 You Save | $34.79 |
📅 Dollar Tree prices last verified September 16, 2026. Prices may vary by location and are subject to change.
🎨 Customization Ideas
Once you’ve made one, you’ll see how easy it is to riff on. Swap the single tea light for a short strand of battery-operated purple or orange micro fairy lights tucked inside the jar instead, that’s what gives the witch version in the photos her multi-point glow instead of one soft candle flicker.
A plain black ribbon or a strip of cheesecloth tied around the neck works if you don’t have a bow or hat pick on hand. You can also skip the hat entirely and just add a bigger bow for a third “character,” or go the opposite direction and dye the mop head strands gray or green for a swamp-monster look.
If you want to see how far the basic mop-and-jar idea can stretch, you can use different sized mop heads to build a whole family of ghosts in varying heights, worth a look if you’re making a group for a mantel or entry table.
🕯️ Presentation & Storage Tips
These look best grouped, not solo. Set the ghost and witch side by side on an entry table, a mantel, or flanking a porch pumpkin display so the glow plays off each other at night. Keep them indoors or on a covered porch, damp mop yarn does not bounce back the same way once it’s been rained on.
To store, remove the tea light, gently press the mop strands flat against the jar, and lay each one in a shallow bin or between layers of tissue paper so nothing gets crushed. Next Halloween, pull them out, fluff the strands back up, and they’re ready to glow again with zero rework.
Frequently Asked Questions
An all-white cotton string mop head gives the most authentic ghost look and holds its shape well. Avoid microfiber flat mop pads, they lay flat and won’t drape into a skirt shape.
No, keep this strictly battery-operated. The mop yarn is sitting directly against and around the light source, and any open flame is a real fire risk.
Not necessarily. If you want it removable for easy storage, just drape it over and let gravity hold it in place. A small dot of hot glue on the underside keeps it from shifting if it’ll be handled or displayed somewhere breezy.
Black cardstock, foam sheets, or even black electrical tape cut into ovals all work in a pinch. Felt just holds up better outdoors since it won’t curl in humidity.
About 10 to 15 minutes per character once you have your supplies laid out. The witch version takes a few extra minutes for the hatband and spider detail.
Yes. A larger mop head and a taller jar or vase scale the whole project up for a statement piece, while a mini mop head refill and a small votive make a tabletop-sized version.
Loop-end cotton mop heads are looped and bound at the headband, so the strands themselves won’t unravel with normal handling. If a few stray fibers show up, just trim them with scissors.
It’s best kept on a covered porch out of direct rain. Battery tea lights are fine in cool, dry conditions, but the cotton yarn will hold moisture and mildew if it gets soaked repeatedly.
Older kids can definitely help with fluffing the mop strands, cutting felt, and tying the bow. The hot glue gun steps are best left to an adult or done with close supervision.
Skip the buckle and spider accents on the witch, and use plain black yarn or ribbon in place of the polka dot bow. A bare-bones ghost can be built for around $3.50.
Tag us on Instagram if you make your own version, we love seeing how everyone styles theirs.
Did you make this Mop Head Ghost & Witch? Drop a comment below and let us know which one you built (or if you made a whole family of them)!
📌 Don’t forget to save this to Pinterest!
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🖨️ Printable Ghost Card
Mop Head Ghost
Equipment
Materials
- 1 mason jar
- 1 all-white cotton string mop head, 11 inches
- 1 battery-operated LED tea light
- Black craft felt
- Orange and black polka dot ribbon about 1 yard
Instructions
- Turn on the tea light and set it inside the mason jar, then flip the mop head upside down over the top so the strands fall evenly around it like a skirt.1 mason jar1 battery-operated LED tea light1 all-white cotton string mop head, 11 inches
- Cut two black felt ovals and hot glue them onto the front for eyes.Black craft felt
- Tie the polka dot ribbon into a bow and hot glue it to the top center of the mop head, tucking the tails down into the strands.Orange and black polka dot ribbon
- Fluff the strands, check the eye placement, and switch the light off until display time.
