20 Vintage Ghostcore Crochet Patterns to Try
Recently I asked you all what other spooky-themed patterns you’d like to see for Halloween, and Victorian Ghostcore was highly requested.
Victorian Ghostcore is a sub-aesthetic that blends 19th-century gothic romance with soft, melancholic imagery. The fashion features sheer white or muted grey high-neck gowns, layered tulle, yellowed lace, and ruffled collars, set against flickering candlelight, misty graveyards, overgrown ivy, and cracked porcelain.
Overall, the vibe is tragic romance, quiet and lonely, with a lingering presence of ghosts. It's heavily inspired by gothic literature. At its core is Victorian mourning clothing: the strict black crepe dresses, veils, and Whitby jet jewelry that Queen Victoria wore to express grief after Prince Albert's death, where what you wore showed how deeply you mourned. Because of the high mortality rates during this time and Queen Victoria’s prolonged public mourning of Prince Albert in 1961, mourning became a very visible and shared art form. (Peel Compton Foundation)
Queen Victoria is a big fan of crochet herself which is cool, she crocheted and supported Irish crochet lacemakers during the great famine, and there is even the Royal Victoria Crochet Book of 1849, which would also be great to check out for this aesthetic. I also share more about crochet and the victorian era in “The History of the Controversial Granny Square” video if you want to check out that one next.
Especially widows would grieve their dead by at least a year of deep mourning wearing nothing but black clothing and non-reflective crape fabric, then after a year there would be a phase of half-mourning which allowed muted colors like lavender, gray and white. I also love the mourning jewelry which was made from black fossilized coal known as Whitby jet, and crafted pieces using actual locks of hair braided into rings, brooches and lockets to keep passed on loved ones close.
When a death occurred in the home, families would stop clocks at the exact time of passing and cover mirror to prevent reflections or the trapping of souls. People commonly passed away because of the white plaque during the Victorian era, which were cholera, typhoid and the influenza. I also think the post-mortem photography was fascinating. Because photography was really expensive at the time, families would commission final portraits of their deceased loved ones posed to look as though they were peacefully sleeping.
Seances were also very popular during this time, which were when people tried communicating with passed on loved ones beyond the veil through a spiritual medium. Queen Victoria herself along with other prominent intellectuals known to attend seances to find comfort and proof of the afterlife. The color palette you want to stick to for your makes are ghostly neutrals like misty white, ghostly grays, and varnished ivory and buttermilks as well as dried rose, wine, plums, sage greens, moss, tapes and muddy browns with silver or gold accents.
So in this video I have 20 Victorian Ghostcore patterns, and I’ve separated them into morning clothing, lace accessories, and home decor and as always you can find all of the patterns over on my blog which is linked in the description box below.
Mourning Clothing:
First is the vintage Victorian Shawl by Selina Veronique. She was inspired by a shawl from the victorian era that she saw in an exhibit, and loved the v-shape with tassels that were present on that design which inspired the design for this piece. To create it, it uses treble corner 2 corner stitch to create a shawl, then a single crochet edging border, and add four tassels to finish it off. It measures 38 inches wide and tall, and this one is free on her blog, beginner friendly and would work up quite quickly which we love around here.
Spiderweb Top by Cactus Lady Creation, see the pattern here.
Spiderweb motifs were frequently used in the Victorian era, so here is a spiderweb inspired top by me. It is a beginner friendly pattern and only uses basic stitches and minimal sewing. There are sizes XS to 5XL, and it also has plenty of tips on adjusting the fit as you like, and this one is a paid pattern on my website. And this one would be really fun to layer with and can be worn for Halloween as well as all year round.
DIY Lace Corset Top by Sew Historically, see the pattern here.
I also liked the DIY crochet lace corset top by Sew Historically. This one is more intermediate level because they do use a sewing machine to sew the boning in. The filet crochet portion is beginner friendly though and it is a free video tutorial on their channel, and I loved the use of hardware on this piece it really makes it look more polished and gives it a nice structure.
Crochet Top by ABoC Studio, see the pattern here.
Next is the corset top by ABoC Studio. I have made this one in the past and it was one of the first patterns I followed for a top, so it is definitely beginner friendly. This one is a free video tutorial on their YouTube channel, and to make it you start with the body, then work the straps and decorative bones, and they have plenty of guidance on adjusting it as you go and there are sizes XS to XL.
The Capelet by Marilyn Coleman, see the pattern here.
I also liked this capelet by Marilyn Coleman. There are two sizes Small/Medium and Large/Extra Large. It is a free pattern on the Yarnspirations website and it starts at the neck edge and then is worked in the round, and I love the ties with the pom poms as well to finish it off. It’s beginner friendly, and I love the lacy effect of this one, it would also be fun to style for Fall.
Flowers Shawl by Karl Trueno Designs, see the pattern here.
Next is the victorian flowers shawl by Karl Trueno Designs. It’s a beginner friendly pattern and is a paid pattern on their Ribblr. It’s created from the bottom up so you can stop once you reach your preferred length. And I love that this is a delicate lacy piece and perfect to wear all year round, and it’s especially perfect in black but I feel it would be really love in a light gray color too.
Annabelle Dress by Gala Zurubina, see the pattern here.
I also like liked this Annabelle Dress by Gala Zarubina, and is more intermediate level to make and a paid pattern on their website. I liked this piece for this round-up because it’s nice and lacy and I feel that it would be especially perfect if you alter it to make it a bit longer. There are women’s sizes US 6 - 12, and it’s worked from the top down, and with the fit it widens at the bust, and requires lining, and this one can easily be dressed up or down.
Victorian Capelet by Michelle Hassell, see the pattern here.
Or make this Victorian Capelet by Michelle Hassell. It’s a paid pattern on their website, and is easy to modify based on how wide you make the yoke. It is modeled after styles and crochet techniques from the period, but is a modern take on it. The cape can be closed with a button or a ribbon or even both. I love how they even made it in the red and black colors here.
Glamour Kaftan by Lisa Van Klaveren, see the pattern here.
The glamour kaftan by Lisa Van Klaveren is less victorian but more flowy and ghostcore vibes I thought because of how flowy it is. I love the sequins it is made with and the special stitch is the extended single crochet, to create it you work it in one piece which is great if you are not a fan of sewing, and it would be easy to whip it up quickly in one or two sessions and it’s free on the Yarnspiraitons website.
Year Round Shawl by Glenda Winkleman, see the pattern here.
Next is the year round shawl by Glenda Winkleman, and this one is free on the yarnspirations website. It measure 69 inches long by 36 inches deep so it’s quite a big size. It is a vintage pattern from 1979, and I feel like it is also really suitable with the Victorian style, so it’s truly timeless. It is more experienced to create as well, and it is worked in the round. This one can be styled in a variety of ways as well and dressed up or down.
Accessories:
Victorian High Neck Collar by Lunar Still, see the pattern here.
First is the gothic victorian high neck collar by Lunar Still. It’s more intermediate level to make, and is free on their Ravelry. It includes a lot of photos and explanations on how to make it and is written in a beginner friendly way. The special stitches are the quadruple, quintuple and sextuple stitch, and I love how lacy and delicate this piece is and since they made it with 100% cotton it is thin and soft and pleasant to wear.
Victorian Lace Gloves by Jewelry Items & Crochet Items, see the pattern here.
Next is the Victorian Lace Gloves by Jewelry & Crochet Items. This one is worked from the bottom to top, and they used the gray for the cuff and then the white for the trim. Special stitch used for this one is the double crochet cluster, and this one is a video tutorial on their website, and I love the buttons they added as well to finish it off, and it’s free on their YouTube channel.
Victorian Bonnet by Selina Veronique, see the pattern here.
Or make this Victorian Bonnet by Selina Veronique. It’s beginner friendly and also a video tutorial free on their YouTube channel. This one is worked from the bottom up starting with the strapes then creating the hood, and finishing it up with some light sewing to connect up the hood. This one would also work up quite quickly in one session or so which is nice.
Victorian Fan Bag by Imagine Crochet, see the pattern here.
Next is the Victorian Fan Bag by Imagine Crochet. It is a paid pattern in their Ribblr, and is beginner friendly to create. It is very versatile and can be made and worn for summer weddings, pool parties, out to dinner or anywhere you like. It measures 11 inches across by 9.5 inches from the center shell to the bottom point. And I love the shape of this one and the details here as well, and it would be perfect if made in that ghostcore color palette.
Crochet Skull Cap by Twelve Rows, see the pattern here.
Or make the crochet skull cap by Twelve Rows. It’s made to measure and allows you to customize the fit for any head size. It is easy to follow and has a pdf pattern and video tutorial, it is beginner friendly to make and I love the picot side ties here as well and it is a paid pattern on their Etsy.
Little Leaf Trellis by Strommer Crafts, see the pattern here.
Another great pattern is the little leaf trellis by Strommer Crafts. This lacy veil created little leaves which are created in an infinity style, and you can easily adjust the length as you need in the foundation row. The special stitches are the ch 3 picot, and the stitch that makes the leaf. It has 10 petaled flowers worked in a diamond shaped and this one is free on their blog.
Victorian Shell Mitts by Bronwyn Walton, see the pattern here.
Next is the victorian shell gloves by Bronwyn Walton. It’s a free pattern on their Ravelry, and features lacy gloves that are beginner friendly to whip up. This one would also not take too much yarn and would work up quite quickly, and I love it in that color.
You should also check out two free crochet books from the victorian era that are available here online. First is “The Art of Crocheting” by Butterick Publishing Co, and the second one is “Home Work, A Choice Collection of Useful Designs for the Crochet and Knitting Needle” by A.M. Rose Publishing Co.
Home Decor:
Parasol Umbrella by Irarott Designs, see the pattern here.
Next is the pineapple lace parasol by Irarott patterns. This one is a paid pattern in their etsy, and is more intermediate because of the intricate lacework and classic pineapple motifs. I love the timeless appeal of this one, and it is in English and in German and is about 21 pages long, so it’s very comprehensive.
Ouija Throw Blanket by Designed by Brandi, see the pattern here.
We couldn’t leave ghostcore without a seance of course, so here is an ouija throw blanket by Hanks Crochet Supplies or Designed by Brandi. It uses the overlay mosaic technique to make it and so it is more intermediate level to make, and when using their gauge it measures 77 inches wide by 52 inches long also it’s quite a big size. This one is a paid pattern in their etsy, and would take a few crafting sessions to whip up and would be a more ambitious make, but would be defintely be worth it.
Gwin the Ghost by Cillia Crochets, see the pattern here.
Of course for ghostcore we need a ghost, and here is a little cute ghost ornament by Cilla Crochets. This one is a video tutorial on their YouTube channel and would be quite beginner friendly to make. It also wouldn’t require much yarn. I love the little rosy cheeks and it would be perfect to make and display on a little halloween tree.
Well, what did you think of all of these victorian ghostcore patterns? If you enjoyed this you might also like the Romantic Goth or Ethereal Goth crochet patterns next. Thanks for watching and I hope you'll join me in the next one.
@cactusladycreation