How to Make a Scarecrow
Posted: Tuesday, October 17, 2006
by lorien1973
Online Discount Mart Home & Garden Decor
The autumn season is a great time to create some wonderful craft items, and one of the best fall craft activities is the creation of a wonderful scarecrow. Making a fall scarecrow is an activity the entire family can join in on, and the finished product can be proudly displayed throughout the entire fall and winter season.
The scarecrow is of course a staple of Halloween, and a big part of the fall season as well. From its traditional use as a protector of newly sown crops to its more whimsical uses, scarecrows have a long and fascinating history. That history can be harnessed and extended by creating your own scarecrow masterpiece with your family.
Some of the supplies you may want to gather to bring your scarecrow to life include yarn, felt material, cardboard tubes, foam, springs, pipe cleaners, pie pans and more. Chances are you already have many of these items around the house, making it easy and cheap to create your fall crafts. Chances are also good you already have the clothing you need to dress your finished scarecrow. Scarecrow clothing can be virtually anything, from the ubiquitous plaid shirt to dressier options. The right accessories, including hats, gloves and other accessories, can make all the difference.
In addition to these common household items, you will need some basic tools, like a hammer and nails, scissors, a set of wire cutters and staples.
In order to create the frame for the scarecrow, gather together some PVC piping, wood pieces, chicken wire or corn stalks. The head of the scarecrow can be made using a variety of different materials as well. Some great scarecrow heads include pumpkins, large gourds, pillowcases and burlap bags. Paint, magic markers, pieces of felt or foam pieces are great for drawing the face of the scarecrow, and the scarecrow can be stuffed using a variety of simple and cheap items, including straw, old newspapers, rags or even unwanted plastic grocery bags.
Now that you have everything you need to get started, it is time to begin creating your spectacular scarecrow. The place to start is with the frame, and one of the easiest frames to make is a simple t-frame. This type of basic frame can be made with a variety of materials, but wood is among the easiest to work with. If you use wood to create your scarecrow frame, be sure to secure the cross pieces carefully. The cross pieces can be secured using either a hammer and nails, or they can be carefully secured using heavy twine or string. PVC piping or corn stalks can also be used for the frame of the scarecrow.
After the frame is in place, it should be laid down on the ground, and it is now time to dress your scarecrow and add the stuffing. After the clothing is in place, begin to stuff the scarecrow with the stuffing material you have chosen. As we have said, virtually anything can be used to stuff your scarecrow, including rolled up newspapers, plastic bags, straw or old rags.
After the scarecrow stuffing is in place, the next step is to stand the scarecrow up. After the scarecrow is upright and well braced, the final step is to finish stuffing the legs and arms of the scarecrow. If you are using fabric for the head, be sure to design the face of the scarecrow before you start to stuff the head. After the head and face are in place, it can be attached to the body of the scarecrow by using safety pins.
After the scarecrow is in place and fully stuffed, step back and take a good look at the results of all your hard work. Now is also the perfect time to add any last minute accessories. It is fun to let the kids get in on this part of the project as well. Have all the kids add their favorite accessories to the finished scarecrow, and then display it proudly. You may even want to enter your great creation in the scarecrow contest at the local county fair!
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