Making Scarecrows is Fun!

Large scarecrows are great for decorating the yard or garden, and smaller ones make unique decorations in the house or for an Autumn party.

First, find some old clothing for dressing your new friend.  It should have long sleeves and long pants.  One piece outfits are easy to work with.  Baby and doll clothes work nice for smaller versions.  Left-over Halloween costumes can make a fun display.

Second, tuck the shirt into the pants and fasten with safety pins or hot glue.  Either tie the ends of the sleeves and pants into a knot, or attach gloves, socks, and shoes to the hands and feet using safety pins or hot glue.  If your scarecrow will be displayed in a sitting position, the shoes may not need to be attached.

Next, stuff the body with plastic grocery bags, newspaper, or other old material.  I prefer the grocery bags for an outdoor display because they won't weigh a ton after they are rained on.

The head can be made of paper mache', a stuffed face mask, a stuffed pillow case with a drawn or painted on face, or the easiest method is to use an old doll or stuffed animal.  A ruler, stick, or dowel can be pushed down the back or the shirt with enough sticking out the neck hole to push the head down onto it.  Or, the stuffed animal can be place down into the shirt with only the head sticking out. 

Add a hat, tie, scarf or whatever your imagination desires to make your friend unique.  Let a little straw stick out from under the hat or the ends of the arms to add a rustic look.

The scarecrow can be displayed sitting in a chair, hung from a tree, 2x4, or fence, or any other position..  PVC piping, metal clothes hangers, or other materials can be used for shaping the arms and legs.  Use heavy duty staples to secure the scarecrow to its resting place.

When winter snow falls, your Autumn scarecrow will be transformed into a jolly snowman!

Have Fun and Be Creative!

 Create-a-Crow 
Combine a variety of heads, bodies and legs to see what you can come up with!

Choose a head 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Choose a body 1 2 3 4 5 6 Choose the legs 1 2 3 4 5 6