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| Genuine DIY Scarecrow |
 catie writes, "Recycle items you already have to create a 100% authentic scarecrow for fall."
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Materials:
Wooden frame {directions below}
Old child-sized overalls
Old child-sized plaid long-sleeve shirt
Stuffing
Burlap
Twine
Hay or raffia
Old gardening gloves
Old boots
Old hat
Bits of fabric, buttons, and trim
Scissors
Needle & thread {or hot glue gun}
1) Make the Frame
The scarecrow frame is basically a wooden cross. Ours was made from two garden stakes from the hardware store. The stakes are 4 feet long with one pointed end. Leave one stake whole, but ask the hardware store to cut the other one in half, keeping the piece without the pointed end. Use 2 wood screws to secure the short stake {both ends blunt} perpendicular to the long stake {pointed side down}, about 1 foot from the top. It's a cross, right?
2) Dress the Scarecrow
If you don't have overalls & a plaid shirt at home, you will find them at a local thrift store. {The overalls we used were a kid's size 6; the shirt was a kid's size 8.} Start with the plaid long sleeve shirt. Put it on your frame and button it up. Next, add the overalls on top of the shirt with the garden stake going down one leg. The overalls should hang nicely over the arms of your frame.
3) Stuff the Scarecrow
We used the stuffing from a few old pillows to stuff the arms, legs, and body. Since the stuffing is hidden, you can get creative with your material - plastic grocery bags work great & are weather resistant. Hay is traditional, but SO messy and pokey.
4) Make the Head
We used more pillow stuffing, shaped like a head, and wrapped with a big piece of old burlap, and tied at the neck with jute twine. It took some sculpting and sewing {nip & tuck} to get the head shape we liked. Secure the head to the top of the wooden frame by tying it tightly with twine.
5) Attach the Gloves and Boots
Stuff the gloves a bit, then tuck the shirt cuffs into them. We stitched the gloves to the cuffs, but you could use safety pins. Tuck the bottoms of the overalls into the boots, lacing them tightly. Our scarecrow stands in his boots just fine, but you could use big safety pins to keep them attached. {The gloves and boots we used were a large men's size.}
6) Decorate the Scarecrow
This is where your scarecrow really comes to life. Give him a face using buttons, bits of fabric, and trim. Sew or glue patches to his knees & elbows. Tuck a handkerchief in his front pocket. Give him a hat {ours was too new looking, so we bashed it up a bit}. Tuck bits of raffia into his hat & pockets. Give him a sense of humor by perching a crow on his shoulder or on the brim of his hat {ours even has a little nest}.
The scarecrow pictured will be auctioned off at Eagle Hills Elementary School's Harvest Hoe Down, next Thursday, October 4. The Hoe Down is from 5:30 - 8:30 PM. Everyone is welcome!
Catie Eyer
Artist, mom, and blogger at http://five-ten-fifteen.blogspot.com
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Posted on Sep 29, 2012 09:00am.
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