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Straw Folk
Constance Longstitch, Original Strawfolk Raggedy Scarecrow
£95.00
Only one exists.
CONSTANCE LONGSTITCH, A 6FT FOLK-ART SCARECROW KIT 🌾
Constance Longstitch isn’t an entirely traditional scarecrow.
She has no bright triangular nose, enormous painted smile or desire to look like everybody else in the field.
Constance has always preferred strange shapes, thoughtful faces and things made slowly by hand.
Her most prominent feature is her wonderfully long, three-dimensional fabric nose, carefully formed and stitched directly into her face.
Combined with her button eyes, delicate lashes, tiny heart-shaped mouth and softly blushing cheeks, it gives Constance the appearance of a life-sized folk-art doll who has quietly wandered out into the garden.
Constance is the keeper of forgotten things.
She collects lost buttons, frayed ribbons, scraps of fabric and pieces of string that other people have overlooked.
According to Constance, nothing is truly worn out, it is merely waiting to become something else.
She can usually be found standing among dried seed heads and tangled flowers, observing the garden with a calm and curious expression.
Birds often perch nearby to show her the treasures they have found, although she becomes rather suspicious when those treasures look suspiciously like pieces of her own straw hair.
Description
More art doll than ordinary garden decoration, Constance is made for those who love folk art, primitive dolls, handmade textiles and beautifully unusual characters.
🌾 READY TO SEND
Constance is a ready-to-send, full-size Scarecrow in a Box kit.
She will arrive flat-packed and ready for you to stuff, assemble and bring to life at home.
When assembled on the recommended frame, Constance will stand approximately 6ft tall.
Her finished height may vary slightly depending on the wooden frame you create.
Her clothing may vary slightly from the photoshoot pictures because reclaimed garments are used, but it will always be carefully chosen to complement her whimsical folk-art character.
🪡 HER SCULPTED, HAND-STITCHED FACE
Unlike a traditional flat triangle scarecrow nose, Constance’s long fabric nose projects prominently from her face.
It has been individually shaped, filled and stitched into place by hand, giving her the sculptural appearance of a collectible textile art doll.
Her button eyes, stitched lashes, freckles, rosy cheeks and tiny heart-shaped mouth are also finished individually by hand.
Her facial details form part of her permanent character, making her completely unique.
🌾 WHAT’S INCLUDED
• Constance’s handmade folk-art scarecrow head
• Prominent sculpted and hand-stitched fabric nose
• Hand-stitched facial details and button eyes
• Integrated elastic loops for adding straw or hay hair
• Full set of carefully selected scarecrow clothing
• Pointed hat handmade from a reclaimed coffee sack
• Twine for attaching Constance securely to her frame
• Illustrated Official Raggedy Scarecrow certificate
• Little emergency repair kit
• Illustrated step-by-step assembly guide
🪵 YOU WILL NEED
• Straw or hay
• Two wooden battens, sturdy stakes or suitable garden canes
• Nails or screws to create the cross-shaped frame
• Approximately 20 saved carrier bags or reusable plastic bags to stuff the head
• A hammer or screwdriver suitable for your chosen frame
Please note: the wooden frame, tools and straw or hay are NOT included.
Each head takes approximately 20 carrier bags to fill, so start saving them from the time you order! It’s a useful way to reuse the bags hiding in cupboards and give them another purpose instead of purchasing new stuffing.
♻️
✂️ HANDMADE FROM FORGOTTEN THINGS
Every Raggedy scarecrow is made by hand in my little workshop using reclaimed fabrics, recycled materials, vintage finds, charity-shop clothing and forgotten textiles that deserve another adventure.
Constance has been created with the character and detail of a handmade art doll, but on the wonderfully unexpected scale of a full-size garden scarecrow.
And handmade really does mean handmade.
These characters aren’t designed to look perfectly uniform or factory-made—they’re perfectly wonky and proud of it!
You may spot visible stitches, mismatched fabrics, patches, different textures and quirky little imperfections.
That is all part of their charm.
No two Raggedy scarecrows will ever be exactly the same.
Rather than arriving as a mass-produced garden ornament, Constance arrives ready for you to build, stuff and finish bringing to life.
🌦️ LIVING OUTDOORS
Constance is designed for gardens, allotments, vegetable patches, community gardens and outdoor displays.
As with any character made from reclaimed textiles, sunshine and rain will naturally weather and fade her clothing over time.
This simply adds to her Raggedy character, although sheltering her during severe weather and storing her somewhere dry over winter will help preserve her hand-stitched details and allow her to enjoy many more adventures.
Emily Archer and The Raggedys is a member of The British Toy Makers Guild.
All the items sold in our shop are certified by The Guild.
Please note that advertised items are considered a collective piece and not a toy appropriate for young children.
All of my designs listed under The Raggedys brand name, or advertised by Emily Archer are supported by ACID through their Copyright & Design Databank.
All copyright, design rights and intellectual property rights existing in my designs and products and in the images, text and design of my website / marketing material are and will remain the property of The Raggedys and Emily Archer.
I will treat any infringement of these rights seriously.