As the spooky season approaches, everyone’s looking for ways to add a bit of Halloween decor charm to their homes this October without diving into complex (or expensive!) DIY craft projects.
Whether you’re pressed for time between family and work or just prefer the no-sew approach, there are still plenty of creative crafts to celebrate Halloween that don’t require endless hours at the sewing machine.
These 10 simple, machine-free ideas for Halloween decorations are not only cute (or not… 💀) and easy to make but appeal not just to the kids but also to the crafty adults among us.
Perfect for busy moms or anyone looking for a creative outlet, these crafts ensure you can still enjoy the process of making and decorating. And, chances are you’ve already got many of the bits and pieces lying around organised neatly in your sewing and craft supplies stash. 😅
Dive in to these haunting Halloween crafts tutorials… if you dare! 👻
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning that I get a small commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you.
10 No Sew Halloween Decorations You Can Make at Home
01. Mummy (Jam) Jar Lanterns
Making Mummy jar lanterns for Halloween is super easy and the kids love making them as much as adults do!
For the glass jar: You could dig out some old jam jars from the back of your kitchen cupboards or find some fancy mason jars to use.
For the “Mummy” look: tape, wool or bandages will all do the trick!
Check out this idea for Mummy jar lanterns at Blissful Domestication.
02. Tissue Paper (or Fabric) Ghosts
Such cute paper ghosts only take a few minutes and can be used for decorating indoors and (covered) outdoors or even as a unique lollipop cover!
Choose your own size and materials, whether it’s tissues, tissue paper, plastic bags or even light fabric.
No need to go panic shopping for expensive supplies for this Halloween craft project!
I really liked the loads of options for making your own paper ghosts at Rhythms of Play.
03. Creepy Halloween Wreath
The range of DIY Halloween wreaths to be found online is enormous and will make your brain burst!
You could craft a wreath using a foam or wire ring, grab ghastly Halloween figurines, twigs, paints, glitter, or just a variety of fun fabric scraps and ribbons to decorate!
Take a look at this spooky skeleton wreath by Elle Marie Home.
04. Weird Window Silhouettes
Whether you’re looking for subtle, small silhouettes or window frame-filling haunting Halloween shapes, anything is possible to make!
Yes, you could rely on expensive equipment like a Cricut or project, but there are plenty of budget-friendly alternatives!
Try cutting out Halloween-themed shapes (like bats, witches, werewolves, or haunted houses) using black cardboard or even garbage bags and stick them to your windows for eerie silhouettes.
Here’s some fun ideas to get you inspired at Turquoise Toffee.
05. Spooky Eyes Outdoor Decorations
You’ve probably already seen those big plastic pumpkin buckets that kids can use for trick-or-treating at Halloween. But I’ll bet you’ve never seen them like this!
With some paint you can turn a pumpkin into a creepy pair of eyes hanging out in the bushes of your garden.
See what I’m talking about with this fun tutorial from Kitchen Fun with My 3 Sons.
06. Creepy bleeding candles
Who ever thought that a candle could bleed?!? But they’ll definitely look impressive as part of your Halloween décor!
There are a variety of methods of creating candles that “bleed” out red wax and a number of ways of making them look even more eerie, such as poking them with nails and dark decorations.
I think that this is one of the simpler yet still effective techniques to get your creepy on.
Have a peek at the candle tutorial at Jordan’s Easy Entertaining.
07. Ghost Mop Indoor Decorations
When decorating for Halloween, many people rely on ghosts as the creepy, go-to creature. But have you seen such a non-gruesome, cute ghost before?
With a regular mop head, a glass jar and some basic crafting supplies, you can easily put together this adorable Halloween decoration for your home.
Discover the ghostly tutorial at Crazy for Couponing.
08. Halloween Yarn Pumpkins using Balloons
Another budget-friendly Halloween craft to make! These Halloween pumpkins aren’t your average garden-grown variety.
Using the same technique as for Easter eggs <<LINK https://everythingsfamtastic.com/family-friendly-easter-crafts-to-make-and-sew/ (but not so bright and happy as for Easter time 😅), with balloons, wool and glue, you and your kids can easily make these together to decorate indoors.
See how easy these yarn pumpkins are at One Little Project.
09. Q-Tip Skeleton
You’d like to make a skeleton for your Halloween décor this year but not sure how complicated all those bones might be?
Do you have Q-tips, er, cotton swabs at home? If so, grab a few, some glue and cardboard and like Dr Finkelstein in the film “The Nightmare Before Christmas”, get creating!
For the full skeleton tutorial, visit Crafts for All Seasons.
10. Spider Egg Sacs
This Halloween craft seriously gives me the heebie jeebies. And if you’re also not a fan of spiders, you’ll understand what I mean. But isn’t that kinda what Halloween’s about?!?
With a pair of stockings, some filler, and of course, (far too many 🙈) plastic spiders, you too can make your house look extra haunting this Halloween.
Get all the creepy details from The TipToe Fairy.
More Halloween DIY Ideas for You to Make
🎃 Wicked Halloween Costumes for Kids
🎃 DIY Halloween Costumes Anyone Can Sew
🎃 Awesome Animal Costumes to Easily Make for Your Kids
🎃 Incredible Hulk Costume to Sew
🎃 Kids’ Halloween Costumes Round-up (No-sew costumes too!)
🎃 Trick-or-Treat Cut Bag to Sew
🎃 Cut Files to Make Halloween Shirts & Décor
🎃 Budget-Friendly Halloween Home Décor
🎃 Howl Out Loud Family Friendly Halloween Jokes
Diving into crafting doesn’t have to be daunting or time-consuming, even around this Halloween season.
With these 10 doable, no-sew craft ideas, you can bring a touch of haunting handmade charm to your home without needing a sewing machine or dedicating too much time.
So, grab your glue gun, gather your fabric scraps and craft supplies, and transform your space with unique decorations that celebrate the spooky season.
Tag me @everythingsfamtastic on Instagram and show me what Halloween décor you come up with!
