The Gossamer Wall Hanging brings the vibes of a poorly lit and dust filled professors’ study to your Halloween decor. Designed as an octagon shape hung from a leather cord, this piece features a carefully crafted spider mounted in the style of a preserved specimen.

Scroll down for the free pattern or save this project for later on Pinterest!

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Materials:

• Approximately 60 yards/55 meters of worsted/medium weight yarn
• Approximately 9 yards/8.2 meters of sport/fine weight yarn
• Approximately 4 yards/3.6 meters of #10 size crochet thread
• K/6.5 mm hook or size needed to obtain gauge
• A/2 mm hook
• .3 mm wire
• Stiffening spray
• Fiber fill
• Leather cord (for hanger)
• Hot glue gun
• Scissors
• Tapestry needle
• Measuring tape

Sizing:

Mount – 7.5″ wide by 7.5″ long

Spider – 5.5″ wide by 4″ long (The size of your spider can vary, depending on positioning of legs.)

Where to Measure:

Gauge:

With worsted weight yarn and 6.5 mm hook, Half Double Crochet – First 3 rounds = 3″ x 3″ diameter

With sport weight yarn and a 2 mm hook, Half Double Crochet – 18 stitches by 13 rows = 2″ x 2″

With #10 crochet thread and a 2 mm hook, Single Crochet – 11 stitches by 12 rows = 1″ x 1″

Gauge is important to your project, so your finished piece will be the size specified in the pattern, and the materials specified in the pattern will be sufficient. The hook size for the pattern is based on what I used, but gauge can vary from person to person and be affected by yarn. If it takes you fewer stitches and rounds to make 3”, try using a smaller size hook; if more stitches and rounds, try a larger size hook.

Stitches and Abbreviations (US Terms):

• BLO – back loop only
• rnd(s) – round(s)
• ch(s) – chain(s)
• st(s) – stitch(es)
• sp – space
• sl st – slip stitch
• sc – single crochet
• sc2tog – single crochet two together, decrease
• hdc – half double crochet
• hdc2tog – half double crochet two together, decrease
• RS – right side
• WS – wrong side

Notes:

• Joins are made with a slip stitch into the first stitch of the round unless otherwise stated.
• Pattern is written instructions with a photo tutorial to assemble spider and attach to mount.
• Stitches between [ ] are to be repeated total number of times indicated.
• Stitches between ( ) are to all be worked in the same stitch.
• Stitches with the number appearing first will all be worked into the same stitch. For example, 5dc would be 5 double crochet all worked in the same stitch. Whereas, dc 5 would be one double crochet worked into each of the next five stitches.

Mount Pattern

Working with your 6.5mm hook and worsted weight yarn,

Round 1 (RS): In magic circle, ch 1, 8hdc, join. (8)

Round 2 (RS): Ch 1, 2hdc each st around, join. (16)

Round 3 (RS): Ch 1, [hdc, 2hdc] 8 times, join. (24)

Round 4 (RS): Ch 1, [hdc 2, 2hdc] 8 times, join. (32)

Round 5 (RS): Ch 1, [hdc 3, 2hdc] 8 times, join. (40)

Round 6 (RS): Ch 1, [hdc 4, 2hdc] 8 times, join. (48)

Round 7 (RS): Ch 1, [hdc 5, 2hdc] 8 times, join. (56)

Round 8 (RS): Ch 1, [hdc 6, 2hdc] 8 times, join. (64)

Round 9 (RS): Ch 1, [sc 3rd loop 7, 2sc 3rd loop] 8 times, join. (72)

Fasten off, weave in ends.

Attaching Loop for Hanging: Take a 10″ length of leather cord. Hold the cord folded in half and tie a knot close to the center of the cord. Glue the tails at the bottom to the back of the wall mount at one of the points. The knot sitting just at the top of the fabric. You should now have a loop of leather cord to hang your wall hanging with.

Spider Pattern

Abdomen

Working with sport weight yarn and a 2mm hook, Ch 2.

Row 1 (RS): 2sc in 2nd ch from hook. (2)

Row 2 (WS): Ch 1, tun, 2sc in each st across. (4)

Row 3 (RS): Ch 1, turn, 2hdc, hdc 2, 2hdc. (6)

Row 4 (WS): Ch 1, turn, 2hdc 3rd loop, hdc 3rd loop 4, 2hdc 3rd loop. (8)

Row 5 (RS): Ch 1, turn, 2hdc BLO, hdc BLO 6, 2hdc BLO. (10)

Row 6 (WS): Ch 1, turn, 2hdc 3rd loop, hdc 3rd loop 8, 2hdc 3rd loop. (12)

Row 7 (RS): Ch 1, turn, hdc BLO each st across. (12)

Row 8 (WS): Ch 1, turn, hdc 3rd loop each st across. (12)

Row 9 (RS): Ch 1, turn, hdc BLO each st across. (12)

Row 10 (WS): Ch 1 turn, hdc2tog 3rd loop, hdc 3rd loop 8, hdc2tog 3rd loop. (10)

Row 11 (RS): Ch 1, turn, hdc2tog BLO, hdc BLO 6, hdc2tog BLO. (8)

Row 12 (WS): Ch 1, turn, hdc2tog 3rd loop, hdc 3rd loop 4, hdc2tog 3rd loop. (6)

Fasten off. Weave in ends. Set aside.

Now you will make a second abdomen but do NOT fasten off. Move on to Finishing.

Finishing

Holding both pieces with WS together, placing the fastened off piece on top of the piece your yarn is still attached to. You will work through both layers as you add the edge.

Edge (RS): Ch 1, sc down the left side of the abdomen to the first ch sp, (sc, ch 2, sc) in ch sp, working up opposite side sc to opposite corner.

Fasten off, leaving the top flat side open for stuffing and a extra long tail for sewing.

Stuff the abdomen with a small amount of fiber fill.

Weave the tail in an out of the stitches of the open rows and cinch the abdomen shut. Do not cut the yarn, we will use it to assemble the spiders body.

Set aside.

Cephalothorax

With #10 crochet thread and a 2 mm hook, ch 5.

Row 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc 3. (4)

Row 2: Ch 1, turn, 2sc, sc 2, 2sc. (6)

Row 3: Ch 1, turn, sc across. (6)

Row 4: Ch 1, turn, 2sc, sc 4, 2sc. (8)

Row 5: Ch 1, turn, sc across. (8)

Row 6: Ch 1, turn, sc across. (8)

Row 7: Ch 1, turn, sc across. (8)

Row 8: Ch 1, turn, sc2tog, sc 4, sc2tog. (6)

Row 9: Ch 1, turn, sc2tog, sc 2, sc2tog. (4)

Row 10: Ch 1, turn, sc2tog, sc2tog. (2)

Fasten off. Weave in ends. Set aside.

Now you will make a second cephalothorax but do NOT fasten off. Move on to finishing.

Finishing

Holding both pieces together, placing the fastened off piece under the piece your yarn is still attached to. You will work through both layers as you add the edge.

Edge (RS): Ch 1, sc down the left side of the cephalothorax, along row 1, and back up the right side of the piece.

Fasten off, leaving the top side open for stuffing and a long tail for sewing.

Stuff the cephalothorax with a small amount of fiber fill.

Use the tail to sew the top side closed. Sew it straight, NOT cinched like with the abdomen.

Using a length of sport weight yarn that matches the abdomen, create a “bump” along the sewn top edge on the right side by sewing through and around, layering the yarn until it creates a raised area. Repeat on the opposite side, so you have two “bumps”.

Set aside.

Pedipalps

Make 2, using sport weight yarn.

Step 1: Cut a piece of .3 mm wire that is 5″ long.

Step 2: Fold the piece of wire in half and squeeze together.

Step 3: Starting 1″ up from the none folded end of the wire, begin to wrap the yarn around the wire going towards the folded end, leave a tail hanging down where you started. Place small amounts of hot glue onto the wire as you wrap to secure yarn. Once at the folded end begin wrapping back down towards the bottom, once you are about 1/4″ from where you started work back up towards the folded end, once at the folded end wrap back down towards the bottom stopping 1/4″ from the last wrap down. You’ll make a total of three passes up and down the wire. Cut the yarn and glue the end down. Take the tail you left at the beginning and wrap it up towards the folded end and glue the end down.

Legs

Make 8, using sport weight yarn.

Step 1: Cut a piece of .3 mm wire that is 8″ long.

Step 2: Fold the piece of wire in half and squeeze together.

Step 3: Starting 1″ up from the none folded end of the wire, begin to wrap the yarn around the wire going towards the folded end, leave a tail hanging down where you started. Place small amounts of hot glue onto the wire as you wrap to secure yarn. Once at the folded end begin wrapping back down towards the bottom, once you are about 1/4″ from where you started work back up towards the folded end, once at the folded end wrap back down towards the bottom stopping 1/4″ from the last wrap down. You’ll make a total of three passes up and down the wire. Cut the yarn and glue the end down. Take the tail you left at the beginning and wrap it up towards the folded end and glue the end down.

Assembly

Body

Pedipalps & Legs

Attach to Mount

Stiffening

Pin your mount down to a blocking board or other surface. It can help to use parchment paper underneath so what you are blocking on does not get the spray on it. Place a pin at the eight points so you have a nice octagon shape. Spray the edge of the mount with stiffening spray until it’s saturated. You will only need to spray the edge, it’s okay if the spray gets on the spider or anywhere else but they do not need to be saturated. This will create a stiffer boarder to help hold your mount straight and not fold/pull with the weight of the spider when hanging. Let dry completely.

I hope you loved making the Gossamer Wall Hanging as much as I did!

If you enjoyed this free crochet pattern, be sure to pin it for later and share your finished piece on social media (tag @woodland.stitchcraft on IG)—I’d love to see your creations!

Looking for more free crochet patterns? Browse my collection of fun and stylish crochet designs to keep your hooks busy all season long.