Dancing Yard Ghost

SUPPLIES & TOOLS:

• Tomato cage, galvanized, 33"
• Wood dowel, 5/8"x 36"
• Waterproof fabric adhesive
• Cotton, white, 44" x 2yds
• Cheese cloth, 34" x 2 1/3yds
• 4' aluminum wire, 18 gauge
• Wire coat hanger
• Styrofoam balls: 1 @ 8", 2 @ 3"
• Clearcoat spray
• Quick Grip adhesive
• White glue
• Mixing container
• Stir stick
• 2" chip paintbrush
• Iron
• Pliers
• Wire Cutters
• Drill, 1/8" & 3/4" bits
• Bandsaw or hacksaw
• Pins

DIRECTIONS:

1. Flip tomato cage upside down. Bend the ends of the legs toward the center of the cage about halfway between the ends and the top horizontal circle. Slightly bend the ends again toward the top. Set the 8" ball onto the bent ends of the cage and press the ends of the cage legs into the ball. This should secure the ball to the cage.
2. The two arms should be set at around a 90 degree angle from one another and set horizontal or tipped up from the base of the tomato cage. Cut dowel in half. Cut a 1/2" deep notch, the width of the tomato cage wire, across the width on one end of each dowel. Place the notched end of dowel from one side of the cage to the other close to the top horizontal circle. Place the notch around the wire cage. Mark the location where the dowel touches the opposite side of the cage. Remove the dowel. Drill two holes through the dowel, one on either side of the mark. Drill one hole about 1/4" from the notch cut. Cut two 12" lengths of wire. Reset the dowel on the cage. Wrap the wire through the holes and around the cage in a figure eight to secure. Repeat.
3. Drill a 3/4" hole about halfway through the two 3" Styrofoam balls. Apply a bead of Quick Grip to the end of one dowel arm. Press a ball onto the end. Repeat.
4. Press the cotton fabric. Lay the fabric over the ghost frame with the selvage edges to either side of the ghost. Set a cut end of fabric to hit or slightly drape onto the floor at the front. Settle the fabric to create drapes between the arms. Fold the selvage edges under then overlap the edges on the outsides of the 3" Styrofoam hands. Pin 1/2"-1" from the overlapped edges. Apply fabric adhesive between overlap. Let adhesive set. Trim bottom edges of cotton to an irregular curve pattern.
5. Spray entire ghost with 2-3 coats of clearcoat depending on desired stiffness. Slightly move drapes to ensure that all areas are sprayed. Let dry.
6. Cheese cloth layer: Cut off selvage edges of fabric close to the edges. Drape the cloth over the ghost frame with the selvage edges to either side of the ghost. Set a cut end of cloth to hit or slightly drape onto the floor at the front. Cut across the fabric where the fabric crosses the center of the head (front panel). Cut the front panel into three sections, top to bottom. Cut the remaining fabric (back panel) into three sections, side to side of the fabric.
7. Apply one back panel, short end centered on the head. Drape to match the drape of the cotton. Settle the cheese cloth flat around the head. It may be necessary to cut notches around the curve of the head, so the fabric lays flat without folds. Layer the back-side panels next the same as back center panel. The long edge by hands should slightly wrap hands. The opposite long edge should slightly overlay the back-center panel. Lay the center front panel and side front panels same as back.
8. Mix 80% white glue with 20% water. Use a brush to tap glue around the head, top of arms and sides and top of hands. Saturate the cloth. Leave the lower sections of cheese cloth without glue. Let dry.
9. Spray two coats of clearcoat on the areas with the white glue mixture only.
10. Trim the bottom edges of cheese cloth to and irregular curve pattern.
11. Cut three to four 7" lengths of coat hanger wire to secure ghosts to the ground. Bend each wire in half. Press each over the bottom circle of the tomato cage into the ground.