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How to make a scarecrow that stands out ideas

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What is a scarecrow? As the name suggests its been used by the farmers to deter the crows, insects, and other birds from the fields, vegetables and crops in rural areas for decades. Scarecrows don’t harm the birds but they frighten them away to make the crops safe from the hungry folks and insects. It is a human shape mannequin made from old recycled materials.

In most of the rural towns and villages, people celebrate the scarecrow festival in which they organize scarecrow competitions. People and children participate in it with their crafted scarecrows and enjoy the festivities of another year of crops. Nowadays it doesn’t only symbolize to rural and farmers but also used in Halloween celebrations, garden decorations, Fall festivals, and kid’s crafts.

In this article we will learn how to make a basic scarecrow? What materials are to be used? And what are the alternative ideas to create scarecrows?

These can be made in any size, shape and characters for any theme. To make any scarecrow, you have to be clear about your end result and choose materials accordingly.

How to Make a Scarecrow?

There are some general tips for constructing scarecrows:

Don’t use the paper to create outdoor scarecrows but you can use it for kids craft activities of scare crow.
Try to reuse old stuff to make scarecrow such as old clothes, old garden accessories like twine, veggie protection plastic bags, broom handles, and dried grass from recent mowing. Safe all these items or find other treasures at a thrift store, garage sale or charity shop.
Don’t use the things or ornaments in scarecrow that could harm the wildlife. Because the purpose of it is to keep away the birds but not to harm them. Sharp objects or plastic fillings should be avoided.
After making the scare crow; the first thing you have to decide is where it should be placed. It should be kept near the vegetable patch and plants. The placement of the bird-scarer needs to be changed because the birds get used to it. If it is placed in one position for a long time your efforts would be all in vain.

Traditional Scarecrow for Crops and Garden

How to make your own scarecrow to scare birds?

Classic design uses straws to stuff old clothing and attached to solid post for support. First we learn how to make a strawman that is going to be used from many years to keep the birds away. It’s so simple and easy to make with crop materials. Generally the basic scarecrow is divided into four parts head, top half, bottom half and accessories:

Set up the scarecrow frame with two wooden poles of different sizes one should be smaller and second one should be longer. You can use cable ties, thin wire, duct tape, zip ties and garden twine to attach different parts of your scarecrow to one another and to the post.
Cloth or burlap sacks stuffed with leaves or straw are usually used for scarecrow head. A carved pumpkin or painted pumpkin head can make a great substitute but will require weight support. Old basketball or soccer ball and plant pots are useful too.
Worn out hat or old colander can make a nice scarecrow hat. Conversely you can make scarecrow hair using twine or make a scarecrow wig.
Create the top half with the help of a worn out shirt. Fill it with plastic bags, dry grass, straw, twigs, shredded paper, old winter clothing, and fleece.
Create bottom half with the help of old pants or PJ’s. Fill it with similar stuffing as used to make upper body.
Lastly add some accessories like patchwork fabric pieces, scarf and buttons to decorate it. Gloves for hands or burlap fingers with straws.

You can learn step by step how to make traditional scarecrow.

If you don’t like the traditional scarecrows for your garden then there are many more ideas to make scarecrow below:

Realistic looking scarecrow ideas

1. Make a Bogeywife:

Deter the birds from your garden with lady scarecrow for fun.

2. Giant Strawman with PVC Pipe:

This Giant Scarecrow makes a statement in your front yard with PVC pipes and pumpkin head.

3. Wizard of Oz Boogeyman:

Use two wooden sticks, shirt, pant, sack piece for face and a hat for this Wizard of Oz bird-scarer.

4. Jack Sparrow Scarecrow:

Jack sparrow without frame using plastic bags, head form, makeup, head wig and some accessories.

5. Sitting Hay Man Pumpkin Head:

Make this adorable sitting scarecrow with hay and carved pumpkin.

6. Scarecrow Makeup:

Face paint or Scary makeup for Halloween.

7. Tinman Boogeyman:

Recycle old tin cans, a funnel for hat, bottle cap eyes, mop hair and feet made with sardine cans into tinman. Use screws, wires and braces to assemble it.

Mama Guru

Fall Scarecrow Crafts

Scarecrows are not only to scare the birds and to protect your garden and crops but it also symbolizes fun and creativity for Halloween and autumn or Fall events.

8. Fall Scarecrow Gnome:

Cute hanging fall gnome for you porch decor with the help of pool noodle and toddler onesie and pant. Use a stuffed teddy bear to make gnome beard. Find more ideas to gnome home decor.

9. Flower Pot Straw Man Decoration:

Flower pot strawman using clay pots.

10. Front Porch Scarecrow Planter:

Stack and glue terra cotta pots upside down to make the body and head. Use old clothes and some thrift store items to decorate them. Use markers and buttons for the face.

11. DIY Plunger Scarecrow:

Use plunger, old clothes and some thrift items to make this Autumn decor.

12. Scarecrow Wreath:

Turn a pizza pan into fall wreath with clothespin and fabric scraps.

Halloween Scarecrow Ideas

13. DIY Scarecrow Costume:

Make this adorable no sew costume with your existing clothes with some temporary amendments.

A night owl blog

14. DIY Reversible Scarecrow:

Make a reversible scarecrow with simple wooden pallets or board, printed scarf and some paint. It’s perfect for your porch decoration. Flip it and you have a snowman for winter.

Related: Easy snowman craft wind chime

15. DIY Fall Garden Scarecrow:

Garden Gnomes bring luck and fortune. This scarer will serve both the purposes.

16. Make Scary Scarecrow Mask:

Scare your neighbors and friends with this horrifying mask made with potato sack, twine and wire. Wash and dry the sack before wearing it on your face.

17. DIY Flexible Sitting Scarecrow:

Make a scarecrow movable without any frame like wood or PVC pipes. To make the body part you can use your old clothes like pants, trouser and shirts. Pinup these clothes together and fill them up with shopping bags or newspapers. For face part you can use any light color old pillow or burlap and paint the eyes, nose and lips over it.

Pose it in any position or place it anywhere because this scarecrow has no frame. You can make it sitting over chair in your porch or at your backyard or place it indoor peeking through the windows outside.

The budget decorator

18. DIY Scarecrow Doll:

Make a DIY doll using chopsticks and hay to scare the birds away as garden stakes.

19. DIY Pumpkin Head Scarecrow:

Paint a pumpkin and glue a hat on top.

20. Farmhouse Scarecrow Family:

Make farmhouse family with scrap wood boards, some paints, clothes, straws and some artificial flowers. Fun to make for the porch and entrance.

21. Fall Rustic Scarecrow Hat:

It’s a budget friendly decorative scare-crow hat to use as a wreath or with Halloween scarecrow costume.

22. Flower Pot scarecrow:

Here’s how to make a non-traditional scarecrow without straw. Flower pot boogeyman is made from plastic flower pots, PVC pipe, boots, utility gloves, hat, and para-chord. You can make it by drilling holes at the center of the pot and tie these pots together with para chord.

23. Small Scarecrow with hay:

Fill a sack with hay and shape it. Use doll clothes, yarn as hair, and hay as hands and feet to make hay-crow. You can also use small pumpkins as head.

24. Recycle Glass Bottle Scarecrow:

Paint the bottle and attach a burlap piece with twine to make a hat. Use markers for face features and accessorize.

25. Cutting Board Scarecrow Craft:

Paint and add accessories like a fabric scrap scarf and flower to a cutting board.

26. Candy Bowl Scarecrow:

Make a candy bowl with two upside down clay pots.

The Country Chic Cottage

Kids Scarecrow Ideas

Learn simple and quirky scarecrow crafts that are great to celebrate harvest season, school activities, decorate classrooms, and for Fall storytelling.

27. Paper Bag Scarecrow:

Make paper bag boogeyman with construction paper hat and buttons as eyes. Glue hay to make hair.

Pintsized Treasures

28. Scarecrow Goodies Bag:

Easy treat bags made with burlap sacks for Halloween trick or treat, schools thanksgiving parties and neighbors.

The Country Chic Cottage

29. Toilet Paper Roll Scarecrow Puppet:

Make with toilet paper rolls, cupcake liner, craft stick and colored paper.

Hoglets

30. Wooden Spoon Scarecrow:

Make this craft with the wooden spoons, burlap ribbon, twine, paint and glue and use as a prop for story telling.

The best ideas for kids

31. Construction Paper Scarecrow Craft:

Easy craft using paper cutouts and clothespin.

32. DIY Cinnamon Stick Scarecrow:

DIY boogeyman with Styrofoam ball, cinnamon stick and burlap fabric.

33. Autumn Scarecrow Craft:

Make one with fabric squares, pipe cleaners, popsicle sticks, chenille stems, and burlap.

Kaplanco

34. DIY Styrofoam Scarecrow Decoration:

Make as a prop for storytelling, school activity and as a table centerpiece for your Halloween and fall season celebrations. Use styrofoam for face, foam cutouts for hat, and ribbon for hair.

35. Dingle Dangle Scarecrow Puppet:

A double sided puppet with one side face asleep and the other awake using wooden spoon, some wool and fabric.

Kids Craftroom

36. DIY Popsicle Sticks Scarecrow:

A simple, mess free craft with common materials. Find more ideas to make popsicle stick crafts.

Pintsized Treasures

FAQs on Constructing Scarecrow

How can we make easy scarecrow?

You can make the basic scarecrows by stuffing an old pillow case, an old shirt and old pair of pants or tights, or a potato sack with old plastic bags, shredded papers, or straws and then decorating the outside with a face. You can easily make a face by drawing or sewing the facial features, or you may attach objects that resemble facial features. Attach them with wire to the stand or frame.

What can be used for a scarecrow head?

Scarecrow’s head can be made from any of these things like burlap, a potato sack, an old pillow, or a flower pot by simply drawing or sewing the facial features on these items or pasting the objects that resemble eyes, nose and a mouth.

What can be used to stuff a scarecrow?

You can use the different things for stuffing but straws are considered more traditional and popular stuffing. You can also use old plastic bags, clothes, dry leaves, shredded papers, and old rags.

How do you make a adult scarecrow costume?

You don’t need to be an expert in sewing. Just pasting some sack or burlap cloth patches here and there over your dress (jeans, shirt, or skirt). Make a pigtail braid. Wear a slouchy hat and some boots. Your last-minute costume is ready.

How does a scarecrow head can be attached?

Secure the head in place with a pair of twine suspenders, taking the twine through the belt loops, to secure the trousers to the ‘shoulders’ of the scarecrow frame. Then attach the head by pushing it onto the stack. Add the burlap hat or a helmet as you like.

What kind of hat does a scarecrow normally wear?

Traditionally the scarecrows wore floppy burlap hat whether it’s a costume, garden or Halloween decoration.

What kind of clothes can be used for the scarecrows?

Usually, scarecrows wear a pair of denim, a rusty shirt, a straw hat, long old boots, and a scarf. These clothes just provide the place to fill them with stuffing, so you can customize them in any way you would like.

How pants can be put on a scarecrow?

The Bottom half is normally covered with pants. Slide the pants up vertically and tuck the shirt into the pant and tie everything with the belt also add a nail on the backside of the pants to make sure that it wouldn’t slide down.

How do we make a scarecrow head out of tights?

We can make a head out of tight by simply cutting one leg off from the pair of tights and then filling it with some straws. Push the straw firmly to the end to make it into a head shape. Then tie the end of the tights with some string to stop the straw from falling out. Also, tie off the bottom of the legs of the trousers and stuff them with straw.

Author: Amber Saad