How To Make Your Own DIY Scarecrow
Why Make a Scarecrow?
As the seasons change, fall can be a fun time for lots of do-it-yourself crafts and decorations. A house decorated with wreaths, pumpkins, and other fall decor adds a sense of festivity to the home during this time. There is no better way to add a personal touch to your home decor than creating it yourself. A scarecrow is an easy and festive way to spice up your home, and they are an easy project to enjoy! You can personalize them in any way you would like, so each one is unique. Creating a scarecrow is the perfect family activity for outside on a cool fall day, and it will look awesome near your front porch or garden!
Step 1: Gather Clothes
To make your scarecrow, you will first need to gather the clothes you would like yours to wear. Typically, scarecrows wear a pair of overalls, a flannel shirt, a straw hat, and a scarf. These clothes just serve as a place to fill with stuffing, so feel free to customize them in any way you would like. If you do not want to use any of your nice clothes from home, thrift stores are the perfect place to find the clothes you need. A great way to customize your scarecrow is to glue patches of fabric onto the overalls.
Step 2: Create The Frame
Once you have picked out an outfit, it is time to create the frame for your scarecrow. For this, you can use a wood plank, stick, or even a rake. You will need one long that should be about five feet long. Using a second piece of wood, you will create your scarecrow’s shoulders. Attaching it near the top of the longer piece, use a hammer with a nail or a screwdriver to secure it in place. To simplify this step for the kids, substitute this method for wrapping it with twine.
Step 3: Secure Ends and Stuff
Now that the body frame is complete, you can put your button-up shirt onto the frame using the horizontal stick as its arms. Once the shirt is on, it is important that you secure the bottom and armholes with twine or wire at the ends. Before you put the pants on your scarecrow, fill the shirt with stuffing. For stuffing, you can use almost anything you want to. Some great stuffing options include straw, grass clippings, hay, or rags. With the possibility of rain, try avoiding materials like newspaper that will become soggy in wet conditions. In the overalls, cut a hole where the stake will go through, and dress your scarecrow in the overalls. Secure the ends of the pants and fill them with stuffing.
Step 4: Make It Personalized
With the body of your scarecrow complete, you can make it appear more human-like by adding some hands or feet to it. Simply grab a pair of gloves and fill them with stuffing. Then, attach these onto the arms with some twine. You can add feet with an old pair of boots and a little bit of sewing or hot glue. If you do choose to add feet to yours, make sure that your attachment method is a strong and secure one.
Every scarecrow needs a head, but they do not all have to be created the same way. Household items make the perfect scarecrow head like an old milk jug or bucket placed on top of the stake. One easy way to make your head look fancier is to use a burlap sack or pillowcase stuffed and placed on top of the state with twine wrapped at the bottom.
If you want to be extra festive, you could even use a jack-o-lantern to add a personal touch. The last thing your scarecrow needs to be complete is some facial features. You can draw these on easily with some paint or markers, or you could sew or glue on some felt or fabric. A cute way to add to your scarecrow is to use googly eyes or put some hair on it with straw.
Conclusion
Your customized scarecrow is now finished and ready to stand out in your yard for the season. Building a scarecrow an easy and fun DIY, so plan a night with your family to create one for your home this fall!
