How to Make a Scare Crow From Leaves

What better way to welcome fall than to have a scarecrow in your yard. Embellished with pumpkins and dried corn stalks, your scarecrow will add to the autumn ambience. The steps below give you directions to make a scarecrow from leaves, and, better yet, will cost you little or no money at all.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Old shirt
• Old pants
• Old boots
• Old work gloves
• Leaves
• Safety pins
• Acrylic paints (poster paints if dry area)

1. Gather all the necessary tools and items to be used in this project to allow for a more smooth transition from step to step.

2. Cut a 2-inch hole in the crotch of the old pants.

3. Slid the pants onto the broom handle with the brush side facing up, and then safety pin the hole closed.

4. Turn the broom, brush side still up, and firmly push the handle into the ground where you want the scarecrow located.

5. Generously fill the pant legs with leaves. Use your hand to firmly pack the leaves.

6. Once you have finished filling the pants with leaves, push the ends of the pants into a pair of old work boots.

7. Use safety pins to attach the shirt to the jeans all the way around the waist band, and button the shirt up to the neck. Then place the shirt around the broom handle, exactly like the pants. Attach some gloves to the shirt cuffs using safety pins. Stuff the shirt with leaves, making sure to pack them as tightly as possible.

8. Using a burlap sack for the face is best; however a brown paper bag will work also. Pack leaves into the sack until is has the general shape of a head. Stuff the ends of the sack into the neck of the shirt, and attach it with more safety pins.

9. Apply the acrylic paints to give your new scarecrow a face. Lastly, attach the hat to the head with safety pins.

Tips & Warnings

• For a mobile scarecrow, fill a large bucket of hard packed dirt. Push the handle of the broom into the bucket, then follow all of the steps above.
• Poster paints will work well for painting the face if you live in a relatively dry area. Humid climates require acrylic paints to keep them from running if it rains.