Stanley Scarecrow Wobbler

By: Daniel Boone for Styrofoam Brand Foam

Looking for a cute fall or Halloween craft to make? Look no further than Stanley Scarcrow Wobbler. This project is great for that time of year just when the leaves are changing colors. Set one on top of your table or on your mantel for a festive addition to your seasonal decor.

Materials:

STYROFOAM* Brand Products:
- Cone, 12" x 4"
- Ball, 4"
Natural burlap fabric, 9" x 18"
White chenille stem
Clear glass marbles
Felt, 9" x 12" sheets: royal blue, two; flesh, white, pink, orange, one each
3/4"-1" white flat buttons, two
Orange raffia
Fine-gauge spool wire
Dimensional fabric paints: black; assorted colors to embellish patches
Black or royal blue acrylic paint (optional)
Fine-line permanent marker, black
Scissors
Ruler
Pencil
Compass
Metal tablespoon
Extra-long straight pins
Large-eye sewing needle
Serrated knife
Candle stub or paraffin
Wire cutters
Needlenose pliers
Screwdriver
Medium flat paintbrush
Disposable palette
Paper towels
Low-temp glue gun and glue sticks
Thick, white craft glue
Pinking shears (optional)
Pattern

Instructions:

Press opposite sides of foam ball on a hard surface to flatten slightly. Wax serrated knife with candle stub or paraffin and cut ball in half.
Refer to diagram to cut top 4" from foam cone. Mark a line around cone 5" from base. Indent cone on line by pressing foam onto square edge of a counter or table. Note: This will become scarecrow's neck.
Refer to diagram to hollow out lower 5" of cone and one half ball by scooping out foam with a tablespoon. Leave approx. 1/4"-1/2" outer shell intact, working carefully to avoid cracking foam. If desired, paint bottom 1" of cone and hollow half ball black or royal blue to match robe.
Using patterns, cut two hands from white felt and one hat brim from burlap. Cut chenille stem in half. Glue felt hands onto remaining white felt sheet, sandwiching a chenille stem between the layers. Let dry and then cut out hands.
Cut out remaining scarecrow patterns as indicated. Also cut one 12" x 5" strip from flesh felt for his head. Arrange and glue felt eye whites, irises, nose and cheeks to center of flesh head (see photo). Draw a curved smile with black dimensional paint between cheeks, keeping it 2" above bottom of felt. Also paint black tiny x's on smile line. Allow to dry.
Overlap one side of felt robes 1/4" and glue to form one long piece. Glue buttons to robe where felt overlaps (see photo). Cut small patches from excess felt with pinking shears or scissors. Use dimensional paint to embellish patches with dots or crisscrossing lines (see photo); let dry. Glue patches to robe, reserving one for hat.
Following patterns, overlap by 1/4" corresponding edges of robe, hat crown, sleeves, and head; glue to form tubes.
Wire several short lengths of orange raffia to chenille stem arms, letting ends extend over top of felt hands (see photo). Insert a chenille stem arm into each sleeve with wide end overlapping hand. Gather each sleeve 3/4" from bottom, forming ruffled cuffs. To gather fabric throughout, use a large-eye needle with fine-gauge wire and hand sew gathering stitches where indicated. Gather fabric on wire and then twist wires together to secure. Trim excess wire. Spot glue cuffs to hands, if necessary. Repeat to gather sleeves around chenille stem arms 1/4" from top.
Gather hat crown 1/2" from top edge. Turn and shape as desired. Glue a painted felt patch to crown.
Place robe on cone with top of felt 1/4" above indented neck. Then place head on cone with bottom of felt overlapping top of robe 1" and face centered above buttons. Gather felt layers at neck. Also gather felt head 1/4" from top around cone. Shape felt and arrange gathers to produce a round head.
Cut several long lengths of orange raffia and glue around head for hair, using shorter lengths above face for bangs (see photo).
Place hat brim over top of head and raffia hair, enlarging center circle if necessary. Place hat crown on top, gluing bottom edges to brim. Glue hatband around base of crown.
Use a screwdriver to form tiny holes in robe and foam body at shoulders to attach arms. Glue arms into holes with glue seams concealed at bottom.
Turn cone body on end and weight hollow area with glass marbles. Align hollow half ball on bottom of cone with flat sides together and pin in place temporarily. Test scarecrow's rocking motion, adding or subtracting marbles as necessary. When satisfied, remove pins and glue ball to cone permanently.