Boo, it’s Halloween! Bring on the haunted houses, ghostly ghouls, wicked witches, spooky spiders, and all manner of other creepy creatures. But this tradition, with its roots in the Celtic festival of Samhain, isn’t merely about things that go bump in the night. It has also come to be associated with neighborly fun, sweet treats, and exciting decorations. The most iconic decoration is, of course, the Jack o’ Lantern. If you’re short on time (or pumpkins), make your own Jack o’ Lantern candle holder with this fully customizable crochet tutorial!
Nowadays, Halloween is more popular than ever, especially among the kids. Okay, who are we kidding? We love it too! There’s something quite thrilling about dressing up in spooky costumes and heading out into the dark to go trick-or-treating. It’s even more fun when you and your neighbors put in the effort to create spooktacular displays with lots of terrific (and terrifying) decorations. Whether you like to go all out or prefer to keep things low key at Halloween, we’ve got a treat of a tutorial for you: easy crochet Jack-o’-Lantern candle holders!
What do you need?
- Orange yarn: Any orange yarn will do. Use your favorite crochet cotton or even a slightly thicker wool-blend.
- Crochet hook: Use a hook that is approximately 2 sizes bigger than the size recommended for your chosen yarn (this information can be found on the yarn label). This will create the more open fabric we want.
- Glass jars: Peanut butter jars, pickle jars… Any jars big enough to hold a tealight will do. Tip: Use a variety of sizes to create a fun collection.
- Black paper or felt for the eyes and mouth
- Tealights, of course!
Stitches used: chain stitch, slip stitch, single crochet (UK double crochet), half double crochet (UK half treble crochet), double crochet (UK treble crochet).
Crochet tutorial: Halloween Jack-o’-Lantern candle holder
Begin by crocheting a foundation chain. The number of chain stitches will depend on the diameter of your glass pot. Chain any number of stitches, then measure it around the base of your pot to check whether it is long enough. The foundation chain should sit quite tightly to ensure that the rest of the cover fits securely onto the jar.
Being careful not to twist the foundation chain, close it into a ring with a slip stitch in the first chain stitch.
Continue crocheting in the round, working one stitch into each chain stitch. You can use any stitch you like, whether single crochets or (half) double crochets. Close each round with a slip stitch in the first stitch of the round.
Once you have crocheted enough rounds to reach the top of your jar, fasten off and weave in the ends.
Using felt or paper, cut out different shapes for the eyes and mouths. Stick them onto the covers to bring your jars to life!
Place a tealight in each jar and light the candle.
Happy Halloween!
Have you made your own Jack-o’-Lanterns with this tutorial? We’d love to see them! Share a photo with us on social media. Tag us @yarnplaza and use the hashtag #yarnplaza.
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