Coir Liner Scarecrow

A New Autumn Tradition

Fall is the perfect time to build a scarecrow.  Here's a fun way to use up those coir basket liners for a funny and scary face.

Two liners from very cheap hanging baskets found their way into my hoard of stuff. 

I used the wire baskets for globes or to protect containers of kale from the deer, so the liners were left hanging.

The liners are made from compressed coconut fiber, which is a good way to use an otherwise waste product. In time they do decompose, in a compost bin.

Here's the project I came up with;

Sewing the two liners together with fairly large stitches was a snap.  I used some jute twine, which was also part of the hoard, and a giant needle.

I left part of it open so I could stuff it, then completed the sewing process to close it up.

Leaves, newspaper, plastic bags or even sawdust or rags make good stuffing for a scarecrow, so my helper and I used leaves which I collected several years ago - they stayed dry in a big garbage can, waiting for a project.

Burlap from another project is really loosely woven and rough - it makes the perfect hair.

A twig is good for a nose and two branch slices make the eyes.

This guy looks a bit like a Tim Burton version of Ichabod Crane - he'll be perfect as a fall accent on the Eggporeum.

The body can be simply old clothes salvaged from the rag bin, from the thrift store, or wherever old clothes can be found.

Make sure to give him a hat, and put gloves on longer sticks for his hands, and a pair of old boots.

Set him up in an old chair, surrounded by pumpkins and some decorative corn for a true Autumn display on your porch or doorstep.