Sunday, July 3, 2011

Scarecrow - all he wants is a brain ...

By Diane Forrest,


Today is build a scarecrow day.  I usually think of scarecrows being a Fall fixture, however the purpose of the scarecrow is to scare crows.  Crows are a major pest around vegetable gardens, so farmers place scarecrows in their fields to discourage them from feeding on their crops.  I have many scarecrows that I decorate my home with in the Fall, but since I don't have a vegetable garden, my neighbors might think me odd for putting up one now.  Mine are "store bought" but making your own is not a hard task at all. 

What you need:
  • Old Clothes
  • Stuffing
  • long poles
  • rope
  • paint


To assemble your scarecrow, firmly tie the ends of the pants and sleeves on the shirt and stuff them with your choice of stuffing. Stuff the socks and gloves and tie on the ends. Fasten the socks (or boots) and gloves to the pants and shirt on the inside with safety pins (or bent paper clips.) Tuck the shirt into the pants.

A pillowcase works best for the head.  Use a pencil and draw on the face. Follow up with the paint and markers to give him facial features. Then stuff the pillowcase and fasten it to the body with safety pins.
Top off your scarecrow with a hat. A straw hat gives it a classic look. Fasten the hat firmly so it doesn't blow off on windy days.

You can sit your scarecrow on the bales, or prop him up against them. Consider attaching him to some stakes with a hammer and nails to have him in an upright position.


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