Scarecrow Hand Puppet

It is week 2 of our Read Across America Crochet-a-Long, and Dorothy’s friend, the Scarecrow hand puppet, is entering the scene! He’s a bit shy and lacking confidence, but he’s such a kind friend! And he greatly desires to improve upon himself, which, in itself, is something to be admired. Everyone could use a solid scarecrow in their lives.

I had brains, and a heart also; so, having tried them both, I should much rather have a heart.

~ L. Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

What the scarecrow lacks in confidence of thought, he more than makes up for in compassion of the heart. He is quite possibly my most favorite character of them all in Baum’s book, and now you can help him come to life for your children!

If you’re interested in a printer-friendly PDF of the Scarecrow hand puppet pattern, you can find the design in my Ravelry or Etsy shops! If you prefer to use the free blog copy below, I still appreciate you being here! And another great way to support my blog is simply by sharing! Thank you for supporting my business! 

Materials:

Worsted Weight (4) Yarn

Red Heart Super Saver Yarns

1. Country Blue (A) approximately 53 yds
2. Buff Fleck (B) approximately 26 yds
3. Cornmeal (C) approximately 26 yds
4. Pumpkin (D) very small amount for nose

Small amount of worsted black for the eyes

Crochet hook size H – 5mm 

Stitch marker

Tapestry needle

Scissors 

Terms and abbreviations to know:

magic ring

rnd, rnds – round, rounds

st, sts – stitch, stitches

sl st – slip stitch

sk – skip

sc – single crochet

hdc – half double crochet

inc – increase, 2 sc sts in same st

invsc2tog – invisible single crochet 2 together; this is essentially a decrease, but done in such a way as to make the continuous stitching smoother, and the decrease not as noticeable. 

1. Insert hook into front loop only of next stitch, DO NOT yarn over.
2. Insert hook into front loop of second stitch. 
3. Yarn over. Pull through 2 loops. 
4. Yarn over and pull through last 2 loops.

dc bobble – double crochet bobble

1. Yarn over, and insert hook into designated st.
2. Pull up a loop. 
3. Yarn over, and pull through 2 loops, leaving 2 loops on hook.
4. Yarn over, and insert hook into same st.
5. Pull up a loop.
6. Yarn over, and pull through 2 loops, leaving 3 loops on hook.
7. Yarn over, and insert hook into same st.
8. Pull up a loop. 
9. Yarn over, and pull through 2 loops, leaving 4 loops on hook.
10. Yarn over, and insert hook into same st.
11. Pull up a loop.
12. ​Yarn over and pull through 2 loops, leaving 5 loops on hook.
13. Yarn over and pull through all 5 loops.

Notes:

The body of the Scarecrow Hand Puppet is worked from the top down, in the rnd, with no joining, beginning at the hat. The straw is worked into the continuous rnds. The arms and nose are made separately and sewn on. The eyes are sewn on as well. 

Size: This is one size, fitting child through adult, but if you wish to make it smaller for a smaller child to play with, simply tighten the gauge or go down a hook size. 

Gauge: 6 sts across and 7 rnds down = approximately 2 inches

Scarecrow Hand Puppet

Body – beginning at the top of the hat, with blue – A

Begin with a magic ring.

Rnd 1: 6 sc in magic ring; 6 sts

Rnd 2: sc in each st around; 6 sts

Rnd 3: (inc, sc in next sts)3x; 9 sts

Rnd 4: sc in each st around; 9 sts

Rnd 5: (inc, sc in next 2 sts)3x; 12 sts

Rnd 6: sc in each st around; 12 sts

Rnd 7: (inc, sc in next 3 sts)3x; 15 sts

Rnd 8: sc in each st around; 15 sts

Rnd 9: (inc, sc in next 4 sts)3x; 18 sts

Rnd 10: sc in each st around; 18 sts

Rnd 11: (inc, sc in next 5 sts)3x; 21 sts

Rnd 12: sc in each st around; 21 sts

Rnd 13: (inc, sc in next 6 sts)3; 24 sts

Rnd 14: sc in each st around; 24 sts

Rnd 15: (inc, sc in next 7 sts)3x; 27 sts

Rnd 16: (inc, sc in next 8 sts)3x; 30 sts

Rnd 17: FLO (3 inc, sc in next 12 sts)2x; 36 sts

Rnd 18: [(inc, sc in next st)3x, sc in next 12 sts]2x; 42 sts 

Sl st into the first st of rnd 18 to join, and fasten off blue. 

Attach color B for the head, to the first unworked back loop of rnd 16.

Rnd 19: in BLO of rnd 16, under the brim of the hat, sc in each st around; 30 sts

Rnds 20-26: sc in each st around; 30 sts

Rnd 27: (3 invsc2tog, sc in next 9 sts)2x; 24 sts

Pull yellow (C) through to complete the last st of rnd 27, and fasten off B.

Continue in yellow through FLO. 

Rnd 28: FLO (sl st into next st, ch 6, sl st into each of the 5 yellow chs, sl st into the next FL of rnd 27, ch8, sl st into each of the 7 yellow chs)12x; 24 pieces of straw

Fasten off yellow, and weave in all ends to this point. 

Attach blue (A) with sl st, to the first unworked back loop, under the straw, of rnd 27. Continue in blue.

Rnd 29: (ch 7, sk next 4 sts, sc in next 8 sts)2x; 30 sts, counting the chs *note that your last sc will be worked into the first st where you joined the blue with a sl st.

Rnd 30: (sc into each of the 7 chs, sc in next 8 sts)2x; 30 sts

Rnds 31-43: sc in each st around; 30 sts

Rnd 44: FLO sc in each st around; 30 sts

Fasten off blue. 

Attach yellow to the first unworked back loop of rnd 43, with a sl st. This counts as the first sl st of the rnd.

Rnd 45: (sl st into next BL of rnd 42, ch 6, sl st into each of the 5 yellow chs, sl st into the next BL of rnd 42, ch 8, sl st into each of the 7 yellow chs)15x; 30 pieces of straw

Arms, Make 2 – begin with color B

Begin with magic ring.

Rnd 1: 6 st in magic ring; 6 sts

Rnd 2: (inc, sc in next st)3x; 9 sts

Rnds 3-4: sc in each st around; 9 sts

Rnd 5: dc bobble, sc in next 8 sts; 9 sts

Rnd 6: sc in each st around; 9 sts

Pull yellow (C) through to complete the last st of rnd 6, and fasten off B.

In yellow

Rnd 7: use FLO this rnd only, sl st into next st, (ch 6, turn and sl st into 5 chs, sl st into next st on arm, ch 5, turn and sl st into 4 chs, sl st into next st on arm, ch 7, turn and sl st into 6 chs, sl st into next st on arm)3x; 9 pieces of straw

Fasten off yellow. Weave in all ends up to this point, inside the hand.

For rnd 8, use the unworked back loops of rnd 6, behind the straw sl sts.

In blue (A)

Rnd 8: sc in each st around; 9 sts

Rnd 9: (inc, sc in next 2 sts)3x; 12 sts

Rnds 10-14: sc in each st around; 12 sts

Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing. Weave in all the ends inside the arm, and then use the long tail to sew onto the arm holes of the body. Weave in end.

Nose, in orange

Ch 4

Turn and sl st into 2nd ch from hook, sc in next ch, hdc in last ch. 

Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing. Sew onto the face with the hdc at the bottom of the triangle just above rnd 26, and the skinny point upward at about rnd 23. Weave in ends. 

Eyes, in black 

Using your tapestry needle and about 8 inches of black yarn, sew the eyes over about 3 sts, above and to each side of the nose, about rnd 22. Knot and weave in ends inside the puppet.

I hope you have enjoyed making the Scarecrow hand puppet! If you love this design, be sure to check out some of my other hand puppets, always free on the blog! This is the second puppet of our 2nd annual Read Across America Puppet Crochet-a-Long. Find Dorothy HERE! Follow me along on Instagram for more Wizard of Oz themed puppets to come!  If you loved making any of these patterns, and show them off on Instagram, please be sure to tag @ekaygdesigns to let me know, and I will share in my stories!

Want to check out last year’s Read Across America Crochet-a-Long? There’s the Erin Puppet, Shalock the Lion Puppet, Red Riding Hood Puppet, Wolf Puppet, and Bear Puppets.