Scarecrow Making Tips... |
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Thank you for agreeing to make a scarecrow. So you've decided which scarecrow you're going to make, but how are you going to do it??
Here we've put together some useful tips & resources we've picked up over the last few years of scarecrow making in Westwood. We hope
you find it useful, and if you have any other useful tips you wish to share, please let us know. Have fun...!
Building your scarecrow… you can create the body shape with chicken wire and/or paper mache which can look very good, but can also be time consuming. Alternatively (depending on who your scarecrow is) you can sew the clothes together and stuff the whole thing. It’s a good idea to fill it with plastic bags, bubble wrap or empty drinks bottles that won’t go soggy in the rain.
For large areas like the chest you can seal a cardboard box in bin bags to make it water tight. Another alternative is to use the traditional scarecrow stuffing of straw. Old pool noodles are great for arms and legs - poke some wire through them so you can mould them in to shape. Wire baskets make great waists / frames for skirts. Staple accessories to the frame or use string or florist wire to attach the securely.
Dressing your scarecrow… think about what your scarecrow will wear, it will need to be dressed appropriately so people can work out who it
is. If you don’t have the right clothes, it’s worth searching the following for cheap/free clothing, fabrics & props: charity shops, ebay, local freecycle/freegle groups, scrapstore and charity shop rag bags.
Please also bear in mind that whatever you use will be left out in all weathers so you may not want to wear the clothes after!
Scarecrow details… the head can be as simple as a football in an old sheet with a face drawn on and wool glued on for hair; hands can be
created using rubber gloves; find an old pair of boots/shoes for the feet (although they may fill up with water if it rains). Raffia can be brought in different colours for hair. Paint, sharpie pens, buttons and pipecleaners all make for great faces.
Supporting your scarecrow… will it be sat on a chair, tied to a post/fence/tree, or sat on the ground? They look better if supported somehow and this is worth thinking about and discussing with the host of your scarecrow in advance. Using a garden parasol base can be a good way to support it.
Props for your scarecrow… it’s not always obvious from the scarecrow itself who they are meant to be, so feel free to add props to give people a bit of a helping hand.
Weather-proofing your scarecrow… it’s very important to make your scarecrow as weather-proof as possible! If you’ve used paper mache it’s a good idea to coat it with waterproof paint or a varnish. A scarecrow stuffed with plastic bags or built using chicken wire will be more robust in the wind/rain.
Need more ideas?... see the scarecrows we've made in previous years : here
You can also get lots more tips online all about making and weather-proofing scarecrows.
Here we've put together some useful tips & resources we've picked up over the last few years of scarecrow making in Westwood. We hope
you find it useful, and if you have any other useful tips you wish to share, please let us know. Have fun...!
Building your scarecrow… you can create the body shape with chicken wire and/or paper mache which can look very good, but can also be time consuming. Alternatively (depending on who your scarecrow is) you can sew the clothes together and stuff the whole thing. It’s a good idea to fill it with plastic bags, bubble wrap or empty drinks bottles that won’t go soggy in the rain.
For large areas like the chest you can seal a cardboard box in bin bags to make it water tight. Another alternative is to use the traditional scarecrow stuffing of straw. Old pool noodles are great for arms and legs - poke some wire through them so you can mould them in to shape. Wire baskets make great waists / frames for skirts. Staple accessories to the frame or use string or florist wire to attach the securely.
Dressing your scarecrow… think about what your scarecrow will wear, it will need to be dressed appropriately so people can work out who it
is. If you don’t have the right clothes, it’s worth searching the following for cheap/free clothing, fabrics & props: charity shops, ebay, local freecycle/freegle groups, scrapstore and charity shop rag bags.
Please also bear in mind that whatever you use will be left out in all weathers so you may not want to wear the clothes after!
Scarecrow details… the head can be as simple as a football in an old sheet with a face drawn on and wool glued on for hair; hands can be
created using rubber gloves; find an old pair of boots/shoes for the feet (although they may fill up with water if it rains). Raffia can be brought in different colours for hair. Paint, sharpie pens, buttons and pipecleaners all make for great faces.
Supporting your scarecrow… will it be sat on a chair, tied to a post/fence/tree, or sat on the ground? They look better if supported somehow and this is worth thinking about and discussing with the host of your scarecrow in advance. Using a garden parasol base can be a good way to support it.
Props for your scarecrow… it’s not always obvious from the scarecrow itself who they are meant to be, so feel free to add props to give people a bit of a helping hand.
Weather-proofing your scarecrow… it’s very important to make your scarecrow as weather-proof as possible! If you’ve used paper mache it’s a good idea to coat it with waterproof paint or a varnish. A scarecrow stuffed with plastic bags or built using chicken wire will be more robust in the wind/rain.
Need more ideas?... see the scarecrows we've made in previous years : here
You can also get lots more tips online all about making and weather-proofing scarecrows.