A tiny ghost peeking over the top of your page — that is the whole charm of this bookmark. It is flat, light, and made from barely ten grams of scrap yarn, so your book closes neatly with no lump and no plastic parts to worry about. Readers, teachers and book-club friends all love a handmade page-marker, and this one is ready in under an hour.
This is deliberately different from the No-Sew Crochet Ghost Amigurumi I shared on October 3. That ghost is a soft stuffed figure for shelves and garlands. This ghost lives inside a book: one slim piece with a friendly embroidered face and a long narrow tail that rests safely between the pages.
What You'll Need
- Worsted-weight (Category 4) cotton or acrylic yarn — white, about 10–15 g (plus tiny scraps if you try the striped tail)
- 3.5 mm (E-4) crochet hook
- Small amount of black embroidery thread or black scrap yarn for the eyes and mouth — no safety eyes, because this is a flat design and plastic parts would make a bump in the book
- Tapestry needle
- Scissors
- Optional: a book or blocking mat and rust-proof pins for a light block
Stitches used
Chain (ch), single crochet (sc), half double crochet (hdc), increase (2 sc in one stitch), and slip stitch. Keep your tension steady and a touch firm: flat pieces behave best when the stitches do not curl at the edges.
Let's make it
Work in rows and turn at the end of every row. The finished bookmark measures about 6–7 inches (15–18 cm) from the top of the ghost head to the end of the tail strip, which fits paperback and standard hardcover books comfortably.
The ghost head and body. Chain 11. Row 1: starting in the second chain from the hook, work 10 sc across (10). Row 2: chain 1, increase in the first stitch, sc in the next 8, increase in the last stitch (12). Rows 3–6: chain 1, sc in every stitch across (12). You now have the rounded top of your ghost. Row 7: chain 1, sc in every stitch (12).
The wavy bottom edge. This row gives the ghost its floaty hem. Chain 1, then repeat across: slip stitch in the next stitch, 3 hdc in the next stitch, slip stitch in the next stitch, sc in the next stitch — you should fit about three soft waves across the row. If your wave count looks uneven, count the repeats before you turn rather than after, while it is still easy to adjust a stitch. The wave edge belongs at the bottom of the ghost, just above where the tail strip begins, so the head keeps its cute silhouette when it peeks out of the book.
The long tail strip. With the wavy edge facing you, work into the centre bottom of the ghost body to start the strip: join and chain 1, then sc across 4 centre stitches to set the strip width. Rows 1–18 of the strip: chain 1, sc in every stitch across for 4 stitches, and turn. That is about 18 rows; add or subtract a few rows until the whole piece measures 6–7 inches long. Finish with a slip stitch in the last row, fasten off, and weave in the ends with your tapestry needle.
The face. Embroider the face while the piece lies flat, before you block it — this is much easier than working after the tail strip settles. Use black embroidery thread and your tapestry needle: two small vertical oval eyes and a tiny open "O" mouth between and below them, placed across the middle rows of the head. Because everything is stitched with thread, the bookmark stays completely flat and safe to tuck into any book, including library books and children's books.
Variations to try next
Candy-corn stripe tail. Keep the ghost head white and change colours on the tail strip only: work the first few rows in orange, the middle rows in yellow, and the final rows in white. It is a sweet nod to the No-Sew Crochet Candy Corn Amigurumi from October 8, without repeating that pattern — the shape here stays flat and slim.
Black-cat cousin. Crochet the same strip in black or charcoal, skip the waves, and add two tiny triangle ears at the top of the head with two short chains. Link this back to the No-Sew Crochet Black Cat Amigurumi from October 6 for a matched gift set.
Cream "reader ghost." Use a warm cream or soft grey instead of bright white. The face stays the same, but the mood turns cosy and bookish, and the bookmark keeps working long after Halloween as a year-round reading companion.
Ways to use your ghost bookmark
Slide one inside a gift book before you wrap it, so the recipient finds a surprise on the first page. Tie a small bundle of three to a teacher's coffee mug or a book-club tote as a Halloween thank-you. Photograph one tucked into an open book beside the Mini Crochet Owl Amigurumi from this morning's post — the owl sits on the desk as a companion while the ghost holds your place. Because they lie flat and weigh almost nothing, they also mail beautifully inside a card.
Quick troubleshooting
Strip curling? Lay the bookmark under a book for a few hours or pin it lightly and mist with water, then let it dry flat. A single extra border row of slip stitches down each long side of the strip also calms a stubborn curl.
Wavy edge looks uneven? Count your wave repeats before turning. The pattern is forgiving, but the waves sit best when each repeat uses the same four stitches.
Face drifting off-centre? Mark the centre column of the head with a scrap of contrasting yarn before you embroider, and check the face from arm's length before you make the final knot.
Ready to make a little reading ghost?
Pull out your white scrap yarn and make one tonight — then make two more for friends, because they truly do multiply in the best way. If you loved this flat gift, you will also enjoy the October 3 Ghost amigurumi for your shelf, the October 5 Pumpkin in three sizes, and today's Mini Owl as a desk companion. Happy crocheting, and happy reading!