7 Simple Steps to Make the Perfect Scarecrow

Gardening is hard work, so it's always a nice break when you can do a fun project for a change. Learning to make a scarecrow is a task that children will not try to avoid, especially if they are involved in the design and construction.

Besides being fun, it is a practical project. Birds and other creatures can wreak havoc on your crops, be it a small garden or a much larger plot. You can't be there 24/7, so you give the impression that you have a scarecrow.

If you don't have a problem with birds, try it anyway. Scarecrows add a retro and modern touch to your property and can be as much a garden ornament as a statue or a fountain. They are especially fun to be around during Halloween and in the fall.

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If you want to have a little more fun, you can give your scarecrow a theme and change your clothes according to the season or the holidays. You can even dress up your scarecrow in your favorite soccer team jersey to celebrate a game.

Can't wait to get started? You are seven steps away from a fabulous scarecrow.

Supplies You’ll Need

Gather everything you need before starting the project. You can skip some of these items and add more as you see fit. You can get creative with your choices too - use a tree branch or a broken shovel for your arms. Use rusty garden cultivators as hands. The options are endless.

Putting Your Scarecrow Together

You can make the scarecrow by placing the wood on the ground. Make sure the construction is solid before mounting the scarecrow. You don't want to get everything right and be prepared to sink your scarecrow to the ground only to find that your body is shaking and you have to start over.

Step 1: Put on the Shirt

The first thing to do is glue the smaller piece of wood to the arms of your shirt. Believe me, you don't want your wood to be assembled and then discover that you can't put your shirt on. Leave the shirt open and unfilled.

Step 2: Assemble the Body

Form the two posts into a cross and tie where they meet. You want the smallest wood with the shirt to be about 1/3 of the top of the longest piece. This will create the body and arms. I use strong string or string to tie the wood, but if the wood you are using is flat, you can use nails or screws.

If you intend to protect the scarecrow by driving the vertical post into the ground, it must be long enough at the bottom to do this. If so, use a 2.5-meter piece of wood. I prefer to use a separate post (see step 8). If you go this route, use a 6-foot piece of lumber.

Now you have the body on which to build the rest of your scarecrow with the design you want.

Step 3: Dress it Up

Now you can button the shirt and fasten it to the wood at the waist and cuffs with nails, twine, or thread. Put gloves on the ends if you want. When our scarecrow was a spinster she used to wear old leather gloves or even dishwasher-safe gloves.

For the lower half of your scarecrow, you need pants. Slide the pants onto the vertical pole just past the shirt. Put your shirt inside your pants and fasten everything with a belt. I also like to put a nail in the back of my pants to make sure they don't slip.

This method seems very weak to me. It gives the scarecrow an artificial hourglass look. There are two ways to solve this problem:

The first method is to wear the costume. In this way, the suit stays on the shirt and the trouser legs fall naturally.

Alternatively, you can tie the pants to the bottom with string and fill them with straw, newspaper, or hay.

Step 5: Stuff It

Fill your shirt and pants with hay, newspaper, or straw. You can get creative here, make your scarecrow fat or skinny, you can have hay sticking out of your sleeves for that retro look, or you can tidy everything up on your shirt.

Make sure to put plenty of padding in the waist area and buckle the belt around.

Step 5: Add Shoes

Now is the time to decide on shoes or boots. I keep work boots and shoes when they are too old and use them for projects like this.

I found the easiest way is to make your pants or suits touch the ground at the bottom of the pant leg. So, I can put my pant leg in my boot sitting on the floor and fill it with stones for stability.

Or, for the retro look, lift your pant legs off the floor and let the hay stick out from the bottom.

Step 6: Make the Head

Time to give your scarecrow ahead. I prefer to use an old jute bag, so I keep it when I buy trees from the nursery. You can also use old coffee bean bags, wheat bags, or a pillowcase.

Fill the bag with hay, straw, newspaper, old plastic bags, or rags. Take the tip and place it on top of the neck and tie it as tightly as possible with string or rope.

This is where your creativity can shine, or the kids can really go to town. Draw a face with good quality markers. We end up with pirates, lipstick women, monsters, zombies, and all kinds of characters.

You can even sew eye and fabric buttons for other facial features. It all depends on your preferences and your time.

You can also add a hat or wig at this time. Secure it with safety pins or a hat. For a retro vibe, take the thin straw and stick it on your head to create hair.

Step 7: Secure

Now is the time to protect your scarecrow. I have a lot of wind in my area, so I prefer to fasten it to a pole in the ground, such as a fence post, or use the trunk of a small tree to tie the wooden frame.

Alternatively, dig a deep, narrow hole and place the bottom of the upright post in the ground. Dry firmly.

If your scarecrow is heavy, I recommend the stick or tree method. Otherwise, you may find your new friend face down on the ground.

Other Scarecrow Options

Hay Scarecrow: You can flip a hay bale and dress it up as a scarecrow. This is perfect for themes like minions.
Scarecrow Families: Try a family group consisting of one or two large scarecrows for parents and smaller ones for children.
Scarecrow Themed: Your options here are endless. Consider the time of year, such as Halloween, Christmas, someone's birthday, or Independence Day, and dress your scarecrow accordingly.
Stick Figure: I saw wooden crosses dressed in clothing and an unfilled hat. It was a bit scary and as effective as a traditional scarecrow full of hay. Not to mention a lot less work.

Your choice is endless when it comes to making a scarecrow. It's one of those yard jobs that are really fun, so keep the kids busy and enjoy the afternoon.

Make Your Scarecrow Effective

Scarecrows are a fun garden accent, but they can also be an effective deterrent to pesky birds and deer trying to eat your crops. Animals will soon realize that their scarecrow is not a real human, so the key is to make changes frequently. To make your scarecrow as effective as possible, try these tips: