Alone in the field is not a warrior or little tricks
The main mission of the scarecrow is to evoke fear and awe in overly arrogant birds (especially crows, blackbirds, sparrows) that hunt for fresh harvest. Most of all they love berries and sunflowers. Therefore, roughly speaking, “this device” should be placed as close as possible to the protected bushes. But it turns out that homestead watchmen do not always cope with their task effectively. If they stand motionless and do not have an obviously intimidating appearance, then the birds quickly get used to their neighbors and can even climb onto their shoulder or head.
When asking the question “How to make a stuffed animal for the dacha?”, it is worth remembering: a design that consists of crossed sticks with clothes thrown over them is almost useless. It needs to be modernized. For this we may need: scraps of fabric, small bells, rakes, weather vanes, aluminum drink cans and even balloons (filled with air). Below we will consider one of the manufacturing options, and you, dear readers, can easily add something of your own.
So, we will need a perch slightly larger than the average human height (2 meters is enough). About 30 cm will go into the ground when digging in. Although you can attach the garden scarecrow differently (nailing it to a fence, planting it on the roof of a greenhouse). It is better to use a light rake – a “comb”. Their rods sway slightly if the breeze blows. They are also convenient for hanging scary decorations on. Using a simple nail, we nail them to the base, leaving 25-30 cm for the symbolic head and neck. We dress at our discretion, but it’s better to wear it brightly. You can put a cap on the top of your head and hang a weather vane above it.
Now about the means of defense. Bells, aluminum cans tied together (first make additional holes in them with a nail or a drill) or ordinary balls are simply tied to what serves as a crossbar and hands at the same time.
But this is not the only option for making a garden scarecrow. Let's look at one more, probably the most budget-friendly one.
Master class on creating a stuffed crow
Scarecrows for crows in the form of animals, cartoon characters or fairy-tale characters , as well as figures in motion, are interesting. It is important that the created masterpiece has repellent properties and can decorate the garden plot.
A rook or crow costume for a scarecrow can easily replace a real bird , which will best scare crows, starlings and sparrows, and this is a proven way to save the harvest.
For such a costume you will need a pole with a crossbar, polystyrene foam, rods, black fabric, short trousers, a nylon stocking, bright socks, tow, thread, marker, glue, rope and pins.
First you need to cut a large square out of black material, cut a hole in the center and put the scarecrow on the pole. The edges of the fabric must be cut into small ribbons. The material on the crossbar should be positioned so that triangles form on both sides.
To increase the volume of the crow figure, you can stuff it with nitron , and the edges will need to be stitched with threads up to the slits. Next, pieces of tow are tied along the edges of the crossbar, which imitate bird wings. Moreover, the longer the tow, the more noticeable it flutters in the wind.
Trousers and socks are also stuffed with nitron and sewn together. Then the trousers need to be sewn to the body and rods. For the paws, you can use foam, which is cut to shape and glued to the socks. For loudness, you can tie iron cans to the rods with twine.
The head is made from a black stocking stuffed with nitron. The eyes and nose can be made from foam plastic and glued with instant glue. The pupils are drawn with a black marker, and for the forelock a piece of tow is used, which is glued to the top of the head.
The finished bird is put on a pole and secured with twine.
There are some tricks that are better to follow so that the garden scarecrow is both a garden decoration and fulfills its direct function:
Soda scarecrow
Of course, I lied a little in the subtitle, but to be honest, we’ll make a garden scarecrow out of plastic bottles.
A three-liter “tub”, “dressed” in nylon, is suitable for the head. The nose can be made from cork, a piece of foam rubber or cotton wool, which should also be covered with the same material. It’s enough to carefully draw the remaining elements of the face, so that it’s scary to look at, don’t forget that this creature is a garden scarecrow. Let's prepare the arms and legs in advance, which are assembled from several bottles inserted into each other. For hands and feet, we use containers cut into strips to make them rustle louder. The same technology, by the way, can be used to create hair.
Now let's move on to the body. To do this, we cut large plastic scales and attach them to a five-liter bottle. All that remains is to connect all the parts of the body to each other. All elements can be sewn with fishing line or strong thread, and also secured with a stapler. By the way, you can also use metal drink cans. So you've learned how to make a garden scarecrow from something that usually goes straight into the trash.
Garden scarecrow made from plastic bottles
Plastic bottles are an ideal material for both making a garden scarecrow and installing a bottle fence. How to make a scarecrow step by step? It is advisable to stock up on a large number of containers so as not to limit your flight of imagination. An old plastic canister or tank is suitable for the stuffed body. It is better to make the head from a five-liter plastic bottle. In addition to the bottles, you will need an awl, wire, bolts with nuts and rope as fasteners. Then we perform the following steps step by step:
- The bottom is cut off from a five-liter eggplant. On the side of the surface a face is formed from plastic caps. The eyes, nose and ears can be secured with wire or bolts and nuts. Strings with stringed caps are threaded along the sides of the face. The “earrings” will sway in the wind and rattle.
- A scarecrow made of plastic bottles has a headdress made from a bucket lid or a tray from a flower pot. You need to make a hole in the hat. A strong thread is threaded through it to hold the structure.
- Multi-colored bottle caps are secured to the plastic tank with wire. They will act as buttons. The neck of the craft will be decorated with a necklace made of small plastic bottles. You need to tie a thread on the figure's belt. Strings with plastic caps strung on them are tied to it. The decoration will flutter in the wind, making sounds.
- The arms and legs are made from bottles, tied with rope. Each limb needs two containers. The bottles are tied to the body, making the necessary holes with an awl. The ropes should hang freely so that the limbs dangle in the wind.
An example of making the arms and legs of a scarecrow from plastic bottles
- Having connected the body and head with a strong thread, the stuffed animal is hung on a tree branch.
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Not a scarecrow, but a beauty
It is worth saying that garden dwellers such as scarecrows are not always used for their intended purpose; they often act as decoration for the area.
Therefore, below I will briefly tell you how to make a garden scarecrow that will lift your spirits. A bag or an old but durable pillowcase is suitable for the body, and thick white material for the head. Great legs will come from children's tights, and hands from gloves. For padding, you should use a material that dries quickly, such as padding polyester or dry hay. Don't forget to give your new friend a beautiful waist. Clothes can also be selected from an old wardrobe. The main thing is that it is the right size, otherwise all grace will be lost.
In general, making a stuffed animal for the dacha with your own hands is very interesting, so be sure to involve children in this process if you have them. This will be a good basis for learning handicrafts.
To prevent the painted face from being washed away by the rain, it is worth making an applique from scraps or embroidering from thick threads. Don’t neglect buttons either, because they can be very beautiful. Wool threads are perfect for hair. It is also a good idea to decorate your head with a headdress. It is advisable to give a new friend accessories in the form of flowers, ribbons, bows, old beads, and so on.
Well, now you have learned that a garden scarecrow can be made from anything. And its purpose is different. So now you can easily make a garden scarecrow with your own hands.
Garden scarecrow made from plastic bags
Rusting polyethylene, fluttering from the slightest gust of wind, is perfect for creating a scarecrow on. If you choose garbage bags of different colors and sizes, you will get a cute figure. But blue items should dominate. Scotch tape is useful to secure the material.
To create a garden guard from plastic bags, you need to dig a pole (1.5-2 m) into the ground and attach a transverse strip or branch to it with a nail. It is better to choose a package for your head that is dense and plain, without inscriptions or drawings. The face must be clearly visible. The bag is stuffed with rags, tow, plastic bags or synthetic padding. It is better not to use paper, as any damage to the material will lead to the destruction of the figure during rain.
Connection diagram for the slats for the scarecrow. Draw a face on the head with a black marker. The scarecrow is decorated with a hairstyle made of magnetic film. It can be glued directly to the head or onto a paper backing that will later be attached to a garbage bag. To prevent your hair from accidentally flying away, you need to secure it with a plastic scarf and tie a beautiful bow in front.
The scarf is glued with tape. The body is made from one dense package. It is put on the pole from below through a hole specially made in it. Secure the bag around the figure’s neck with tape. It can be filled with material to add volume or left hanging freely. For the sleeves you need two more bags. Step-by-step instructions for making a garden scarecrow It is better to attach polyethylene to the frame with tape from the inside to reduce the impact of moisture during rain. You can put small bags or mittens on your hands. The skirt is formed from several layers of large garbage bags of the desired color. They are attached to the figure's belt and flutter freely in the air.
If you pre-inflate them, the skirt will look even more impressive. You can hide the attachment point by placing a plastic belt around the scarecrow’s waist.
You can attach garbage bags and CDs on strings to the palms of the plastic lady. They will flutter in the wind, enhancing the terrifying effect. If you additionally hang tin cans on threads, the scarecrow will make loud sounds.
Garden lovers put so much work into their lands, but when the birds fly in, there is little left of the harvest! Therefore, a stuffed animal or garden doll will help deal with uninvited guests.
Everyone can guess how to make a scarecrow with their own hands. But I still want to offer several options. To make a very simple scarecrow, all you need is:
Wooden blocks or cuttings from shovels.
Old but bright clothes,
Straw or polyethylene.
Women's tights.
Saw the shovel handle in half and nail it to another larger handle crosswise. Fill a plastic bag with straw. And wrap the bag in old tights. Now the head is ready. You can use felt-tip pens to draw the main facial features. Place the head on the handle, put on the scarecrow and stick it where necessary. These will be such wonderful helpers!
You can make a scarecrow for the garden with your own hands in this way, knocking down narrow wooden blocks or boards in succession. And then stretch clothes onto such a frame. which will decorate such a garden doll. You can add several accessories to make sounds - empty tin cans or beer cans.
Or you can make a scarecrow - a scarecrow that is more complex, but much more durable. Look at the photo.
Weld several rods and put empty plastic bottles on them. Place a large plastic bottle of 5-6 liters on your head.
Dress and name them with names that suit them best. It will be possible to communicate with them, calling them by name. And you will get these cute garden dolls.
I suggest you look at a selection of cute garden stuffed animals.
You can see how to make a scarecrow for your garden in the video. The fantasy of decorating scarecrows is enormous!
Throughout the summer, the harvest of berries ripens at the dachas - cherries, strawberries, currants, raspberries, and hardworking summer residents make compotes, jams and preserves from them. But they are not the only ones who love to feast on sweet and juicy berries: cunning birds fly in flocks in search of dessert and leave behind only bare cuttings and garbage. It is quite difficult to deal with thieves, so gardeners are thinking about how to make a garden scarecrow with their own hands - it will at least partially protect the harvest.
Master class “The Garden Scarecrow”
Tatyana Viktorovna Konstantinova
Master class “The Garden Scarecrow”
Vegetable garden on the window , growing plants, plays a great role in the cognitive development of children, in nurturing an ecological culture and correct behavior in nature. Promotes the development of curiosity and observation in children, and this helps to better understand plant life.
DIY Scarecrow costume
Since ancient times, the eternal problem of people working on the land has been birds destroying crops.
The field is huge, you can’t really run across it, chasing away the hungry crows. After some time, people came up with a universal way to scare away unwanted guests from their site: they took a stick and made the likeness of a person, which began to scare the birds. But a straw effigy is not an ideal option, because birds quickly notice the lack of movement, which means the effigy is not real. Today, the creation of a scarecrow is not used to scare away birds, but rather to decorate a plot of land. Making a stuffed animal with your own hands is the simplest thing, but then it will become beautiful.
But the idea of a garden scarecrow can be used not only in the field, but also when sewing a children’s costume, for example, for a matinee. This will not only save money, but will also provide a wonderful chance to spend fun time with your child.
Necessary materials
To make a costume you will need old and worn things. The worse their condition, the better for the image, so do not rush to throw away things that have not been needed for a long time.
An old shirt that can be additionally cut or stained, jeans, preferably large, some kind of hat, straw, acrylic paints and a good mood are ideal, without it nothing will work!
Advice! Involve your child in making the costume and be sure to praise him, then you will kill two birds with one stone: you will make the costume and improve your relationship with your child.
What does the Scarecrow costume consist of?
There is nothing complicated about the “ingredients” of the costume. The main desire. On the head of the stuffed animal there is usually a straw hat, damaged by the beaks of birds. Then a huge checkered shirt, maybe a jacket, with straw sticking out of the sleeves.
On his feet are long pants and unsightly boots.
Important! Don't be afraid to look funny or awkward in this costume, that's what it's made for.
The basis
First, you need to ruin a large plaid shirt even more, make it careless and untidy: cut it, stain it with paint, you can sew on patches and multi-colored pockets. To make the costume look even more believable, you can take a small pillow and tuck it under your shirt. And the child will like this idea.
Scarecrow in the form of a crow
A large bird has a terrifying effect on small birds. To make a crow model you will need black synthetic material, black nylon tights, children's black shorts and black knee socks with yellow stripes (they can be sewn). You also need to prepare polystyrene foam, padding material, tow, Moment glue, rope, pins, threads, nails, branches and sticks for the frame. Next, we proceed to the manufacturing process itself:
- The frame is constructed from two crossbars 1.5 and 0.5 m long. They are fastened in the shape of a cross.
- A 50x50 cm square is cut out of black material. A hole must be made in the center of the cut to thread the frame crossbar through. The edges of the square should be cut into strips 5 cm deep.
Design of a scarecrow in the form of a crow
Step-by-step diagram and instructions for making a scarecrow in the form of a crow
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Making a garden scarecrow
A scarecrow settled in a vegetable garden or garden to guard the ripening harvest can be made, as in the famous song, “from what was.” But it is very important that it not only copes with the task of scaring away birds, but also decorates the place on the site where it is registered for residence.
A scarecrow should not only be functional, but also attractive.
Preparation of materials and tools
There are many options for creating a garden scarecrow, but the operating principle is the same: clothes are put on a wooden frame made of intersecting poles and the head is attached. The rest is the details that make each scarecrow unique.
The principle of creating a scarecrow is very simple
The frame can be made from two slats, boards and even sticks of suitable size, which are crossed at any desired angle and fastened with screws.
A simple version of the frame for a scarecrow: wooden hangers attached to a rail
Any more or less spherical object is suitable for a scarecrow's head:
- plastic ball;
- old bucket;
You can make a scarecrow's head from a bucket
Beautiful curls on the scarecrow's head can be created from old magnetic tape. In addition to everything else, such a hairstyle will sparkle in the sun and rustle in the wind.
Curls made from magnetic tape have additional repellent properties: they rustle and shine
Hands, feet and clothes
To create a scarecrow’s hands, you can fill the gloves with bulky material (sintepon, cotton wool, straw) and fasten them to a cross pole. To create legs, trousers, shorts, etc. filled with suitable bulky material are also attached to a vertical pole under clothing, and suitable old shoes are attached to them.
To make your stuffed animal pleasing to the eye, you should not dress it carelessly and choose for it some torn clothes that no one needs. Dress it up brightly and with charm, then it will not only repel birds, but will also decorate your area and bring pleasure to the eye.
A dressed up cute scarecrow can decorate the area
Accessorizing your look will depend on your overall design. The scarecrow can be decorated:
- various hats;
You can choose various accessories for the scarecrow
It is believed that birds are especially suspicious of the color blue, so it makes sense to add scarecrows to the costume in blue.
A scarecrow dressed in a blue suit will repel birds more reliably
In order to quickly protect a new garden resident from rain in the future, you should immediately prepare a large plastic bag or even an umbrella.
To protect against rain, you need to prepare an umbrella or immediately dress the scarecrow in a raincoat
If it suddenly turns out that your scarecrow, instead of scaring away birds, has begun to serve as a convenient airfield, you will have to change the design and move it to another place. Therefore, it is better to have more than one scarecrow, but at least a couple, so that you can periodically swap them.
Master class on creating a straw effigy
To begin, let's prepare the following materials and tools:
- two handles for rakes or two straight sticks (made of hazel or aspen);
- a couple of screws and a screwdriver;
- a bag of dry straw or hay;
- synthetic twine;
- scissors;
- headdress (preferably a hat);
- black marker;
- thick wire for attaching the hat;
- wide shirt, trousers or breeches.
The sequence of operations is as follows:
- First of all, let's deal with the frame. To do this, connect the two prepared slats using screws. It is better to immediately sharpen the lower end of the vertical rail so that later it fits into the ground more easily.
The slats for the future scarecrow are held together with screws
Two straw strands will give the future scarecrow volume
The head can be made from a bag or a white pillowcase
A scarecrow's face doesn't have to have a scary expression.
A straw hat will make the scarecrow look human
We also stuff the pants with straw and attach them to the shirt with twine.
A CD belt will add charm and sparkle to the scarecrow
Video: making a scarecrow
Master class on creating a scarecrow crow Karkushi
Often, to scare away jackdaws, a killed bird is hung on a pole in the garden. We will not do this, but will try to create a scarecrow in the form of a Karkusha crow. Perhaps she, too, will cope with scaring away the feathered robbers.
A scarecrow in the form of a crow will help drive out other birds
To make Karkusha, you will need the following set of materials:
- pole with crossbar;
- black fabric (polyester);
- nitron (synthetic fiber);
- Styrofoam;
- black children's shorts/breeches;
- black and yellow knee socks;
- black nylon stocking;
- black tow or linen;
- glue, twine, threads;
- black marker;
- willow twigs.
- For the frame, we take two poles 1.5 and 0.5 m long and connect them together.
- We cut out a square of black fabric with a side of 50 cm, make a hole in the middle for the head, and cut the edges into strips 5 cm long.
- We bend the resulting part in half so that both the front and back of the fabric look like a triangle, and put it on the frame.
- We stitch the body, and then fill it with nitron to add volume.
- We attach bunches of flax or tow to the “wings” hanging along the edges of the crossbar. They will imitate feathers.
- We also fill the black stocking with nitron to make Karkusha’s head.
- We cut out the eyes and beak from foam plastic, glue them onto the head, which we fasten to a vertical rail.
- At a height of one and a half meters, we fix willow rods horizontally; Karkusha will comfortably “sit” on them.
- We connect knee socks and pants stuffed with nitron together and sew them to the rods.
- We cut out paws for Karkusha from foam plastic and glue them to the socks.
- You can hang cans attached to twine on the rods, which will clink in the wind.
Process of creation
The basis
This is the first thing you need to create a garden scarecrow. The simplest base is made of wooden blocks, which are fastened together with a cross. One of the most common options for a stuffed animal , cloak or burlap with a matching head placed on a base
Head
A simple head is made from an old ball that can be wrapped in fabric, a face drawn on, and a hat or cap placed on it. Also suitable for this part of the body is a small bag filled with things, a pumpkin and other round-shaped objects.
But you can choose a more complicated option— making a stuffed animal’s head from a couple of circles of fabric. You need to cut out two circles of thick fabric, suitable in size, sew them and fill them with soft material. The mouth is embroidered with threads, and the eyes, eyebrows and eyelashes are painted with acrylic paints. For greater realism, it is better to make the nose from padding polyester covered with fabric.
To add volume to the body of the garden scarecrow, it is stuffed with straw or the sticks are wrapped in old rags.
Even from a well-stuffed scarecrow, the contents fall out in a gusty wind, so you need to sew up the edges of the legs and sleeves . And in order for his hands and feet to appear, it is better to choose shoes and a pair of gloves for him.
Some nuances
In order for a creation to have not only frightening, but also aesthetic qualities, it is worth considering its appearance. Jeans stuffed with rags are suitable for realistic legs. It’s easier to make a body from a shirt stuffed with old rags. To make the head look natural, make it from white material, giving it the necessary shape.
Options for garden scarecrows
There are an endless number of ideas for creating exclusive versions of the garden scarecrow. You can choose some of these options to create your own stuffed animal, but it’s better to use them for inspiration and come up with something of your own.
Photo gallery: defenders of gardens and vegetable gardens
Video: ideas for creating creative “guards” of the ripening harvest
It’s very easy to create a scarecrow for your garden, so you can show your imagination and make it unique, working according to your own “patterns”. And let it be as it is said in these lines: “...our scarecrow is no longer a stuffed animal, not a doll or a mummer, but a faithful, good friend!”
What can you make a scarecrow out of?
A garden scarecrow is made from any available materials:
- old clothes, fabric;
- straw;
- polyethylene;
- foam;
- plastic bottles;
- metal pipes, arcs;
- wooden dies.
The structure can be stationary (buried in the ground), suspended (on a branch, support) or even flying. It all depends on the source materials and skills. The manufacturing scheme is approximately the same. First, they make a frame from two dies (crosswise), then - the head, torso, arms and legs. After this, they decorate with clothes, buttons, beads, and paint them in bright colors.
