One of my favorite fall decorations is a scarecrow for my front porch. Now I know you can pick up really cute, inexpensive scarecrows at your craft shops. But nothing is more satisfying than using your creativity making a personal expression of your family, for almost no money, than making your own scarecrow! And it’s not only easy, it’s a fun thing to do with the kids as well. So let’s learn how to make a scarecrow several different ways, get to making a harvest home your goal this fall!

How to Make a Scarecrow

What you will need:

• One shirt

• One pair of pants

• Hat

• Old white/ cream/ dark pillowcase for face, burlap, or scrap fabric

• Plastic shopping bags or old newspapers

• Safety Pins

• String or narrow rope

• Small amounts of straw, raffia, or dried grass

• Permanent markers or felt scraps for facial features

1. Button, zip or close the shirt and pants where necessary, tie ends of shirt arms and pant legs closed with string or rope.
2. Stuff full with bags or newspaper.
3. Use safety pins to attach shirt to pants at waist.
4. Stuff pillowcase or burlap bag into size and shape of a face. Use a permanent marker for facial features or glue cut out pieces of felt for the eyes and mouth. Tuck into the neck opening of shirt, and secure with safety pins. Pin on hat.
5. Stuff a little straw or raffia into the neck opening edges, and the arm and leg openings. Glue in place if necessary.

Now that you have the basic scarecrow in place, consider the ways you can make it personal! For years my kids each made one of themselves, and we had a whole family of scarecrows (our family!) lining the porch. You can vary the type of clothes from an old fashioned farmer, to a clown, to a princess complete with tutu…what ever works for your family. Insert flexible wire into the arms and legs before you pin the body together for a pose-able scarecrow. Make little kid scarecrows, or a scarecrow to remind you of a dear friend or family member.

Showcase your scarecrows on the front porch, sitting in a chair you can see from the back window, standing watch over your entryway, or perched in a windowbox, dangling his legs from the second story. Tip: Wire or tie your scarecrow down if you live in an area where it can be windy. Use them indoors as well in your entry, or as an extra guest at the dining table for a little fall whimsy!

Or, you can use your scarecrow to do what it was originally intended to do, to scare away birds from your veggie garden! (One bird you don’t have to worry about around your tomatoes is the gorgeous hummingbird. Check out our post on DIY hummingbird feeder projects over at TGG!)

Need more ideas? Check out all these DIY scarecrow projects!

From Rachel at ‘Creative Homemaking’, this DIY scarecrow has a stable wood base so that you can use it year after year. Easy instructions, and I love the pumpkin head!

Another version with the wood frame, from ‘2 Little Hooligans’, love this DIY fall craft scarecrow! Lots of step by step photos with this tutorial.

‘DIY Network‘ shows you how to build a simple base and use a pillow case for the head. Great scarecrow inspiration here!

We are in love with this DIY scarecrow idea from ‘Inside Storey‘, Using the techniques above, they create a wedding scarecrow couple that will make every single visitor to your garden smile!

Want to get more creative? Use the above techniques to DIY a homemade scarecrow as unique as your family, complete with family members’ individual signature characteristics! Go check out our fall decorating ideas on Decorating with Fall Pumpkins, 14 Cheap Fall Decor Ideas (That don’t look cheap!) and our post on Classy Fall Decor Ideas over at OhMeOhMy! And get ready for the next season by checking out How to Build a Treehouse for Kids,  DIY Christmas Light Globe Hack, How to Make a Homemade Bird Feeder or Genius Outdoor Christmas Light Ideas over at TGG.