Making a scarecrow

Step by step guide to making a humanoid scarecrow.

Other animal shapes can of course be done, but this it just to get you started if you have not made a scarecrow before.
Remember that the fun of the scarecrow festival is that everyone takes part, so you do not have to be too brilliant.

Health warning: Once you have made one scarecrow, you will want to make some more. It is very addictive.

All items needed
You will need:
Two pieces of wood (see below)
Some old clothes and a hat
Some string
Some safety pins
A few newspapers for stuffing
Safety pins
Safety pins are extremely useful when making scarecrows. If you put them in from the inside, they will not be seen.
You can use a stapler too.
Wood frame
If you want to make your scarecrow stand up (rather than sitting down, lying down, or hanging) you will need a frame to hold its shape.
If you are going to make your scarecrow stand up on its own, leave enough wood to go into the ground.
Attach two pieces of wood together to make a cross. The cross-bar is the scarecrow’s shoulders, not its arms.
Screwed frame
When making the frame use two screws to prevent the frame from twisting.
(If you need help drilling holes or making the frame, phone one of the scarecrow team. We may be able to supply some suitable wood.)
Loose clothes
Put the clothes loosely onto your frame, with the upright down one of the trouser legs.
Join shirt to trousers
Join the shirt and trousers together using safety pins (from the inside, so people don’t see them)…
Shirt join closeup
…do this all the way round, otherwise his trousers will fall down!
You can adjust the position of the safety pins later so don’t worry too much.
Tie string legs
Using string, tie up the bottom of the trouser legs to stop the stuffing falling out (use a bow so you can undo it if you want to change it)…
Tie string cuffs
… and tie string round the cuffs of the shirt.
Clothed frame
Now you have the frame with the clothes on. All places where the stuffing could fall out have been sealed.
Time to do the stuffing 🙂
Stuffing legs
Stuff the scarecrow using screwed up newspapers (you can put them in plastic bags if you are worried about them getting wet).
Don’t pack it too tight, just loosely fill it. You can always put some more in later on if you want it to be more firm.
Start by filling the trouser legs…
Stuff arms
…and stuff the arms too.
Buttoning up
As the scarecrow gets more full, close up the buttons and zips to hold the stuffing in.
Stuffed scarecrow
You now have a fully stuffed scarecrow.
Stuff head
Make the head from a carrier bag, loosely stuffed with more screwed up newspaper.
Head on
Pop the head over the wood at the top of the cross, tucking the open end of the carrier bag into the collar.
You may wish to secure this with some more safety pins.
Hat on
Put the hat on the head and squeeze the head to fit inside the hat, so it doesn’t blow off.
Again, you may wish to secure the hat with safety pins.
Your scarecrow is now finished…
Job done
…job done.